Hazardous Roadway Overtopping Locations Every year, vehicles drive into Fort Worth’s many hazardous roadway overtopping locations. Many locations frequently were the scene of fatalities, bodily injury, or property damage. Even locations without reported incidents were identified as problematic thanks to citizen complaints. In 2005, the worst locations were identified and ranked. Since then, the list of hazardous crossings in Fort Worth has expanded from 40 to approximately 400 locations, which were further investigated and prioritized based on several criteria and site observations. To address safety issues, within resource constraints, , the below mitigation elements are considered for implementation:
• Installation of high water warning systems
• Upsizing culverts to provide more conveyance capacity
Guard rails,
•
Lighting,
•
Flood warning flashers and
•
• Staff gauges The flood warning system in Fort Worth, also known as the High-Water Warning System (HWWS), relies on real-time water level measurements taken at 52 hazardous low-water crossing locations. Roadside flashers at these locations immediately warn drivers of the flood hazard. Email alarms are sent to first responders and emergency managers at the city, county, school districts, the National Weather Service, and other partners when the sensors of each flasher system are triggered by rising water. First responders from the Stormwater Division of TPW barricade the roads to prevent vehicles from entering the flooded areas. Many of the locations without flashers have roadside flood warning signage. Hazardous road overtopping and flood warning systems are integral to Vision Zero because they enhance safety, promote infrastructure resilience, support effective emergency response, and ensure the safety of all roadway users. The Vision Zero SAP will integrate these elements into recommended strategies and identify action items for the city and its partner agencies to help create safer and more resilient transportation systems and contribute to the vision of zero traffic fatalities and severe injuries.
43
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online