During the National Regional Transportation Conference (June 2019, Columbus, OH), Rebecca Thacker shared the work of Mo-Kan Regional Council and neighboring partners to develop a mobile lab to make materials available for pop-up temporary safety installations such as crosswalks and bump-outs. Technology supports the installations, including a variable message sign and radar speed detector.
2. The Mobile Lab is a collaboration between Greater St.
Joseph Area MPO and Mo-Kan Regional Council
3. What is it?
It’s a trailer stocked
with materials to set up
temporary traffic
calming installations
(pop-ups). It can be
used with other
transportation planning
tools.
TEST BEFORE YOU INVEST!
6. ITEMS USED IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE MOBILE LAB
Speed Radar Trailer Traffic Counter Message Board
7. The Mobile Lab is a collaboration between Greater St.
Joseph Area MPO and Mo-Kan Regional Council
Funded through the
NW Coalition for Roadway Safety’s
Blueprint Grant
8. BLUEPRINT FOR ROADWAY SAFETY GRANT
• Received $4,600 in grant funding
• Trailer & Licensing $2,400 (Mo-Kan)
• Stored at Buchanan County Hazmat Building
• Initial Stock Supplies $2,200 (MPO)
• Mo-Kan & MPO refill/restock supplies
9. PRE-LAUNCH TIPS
• Involve emergency responders
• Get permission from road and sidewalk
owners
• Inform neighboring businesses and residents
about it ahead of time
• Conduct before and after surveys
• Get feedback and collect data at all stages
10. LAUNCH AT MINNIE CLINE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLProblem Identification
Existing Conditions
Gathered Baseline Data
17%
Did Not
Slow
67%
Did Not
Stop
13. QUESTIONS?
• 224 N. 7th Street
St. Joseph, MO 64501
• 816-233-3144
• rebecca@mo-kan.org
Rebecca Thacker – Mo-Kan
Editor's Notes
MPO took the lead on creating the resource booklet and initially stocking the trailer, while Mo-Kan, the RPC, took care of procurement of the trailer and stencils.
Mo-Kan has a speed radar trailer, traffic counter and message board that can be used in conjunction with the trailer supplies for data collection. These can be used to collect pre and post pop-up data. The message board can be used to inform motorist that there is a pop-up installation and to expect a change in how they are used to traveling through this specific area.
Invite the fire station to drive through the pop-up and maybe they will even spray down the temporary paint when you’re done!
Observing traffic patterns in your personal vehicle and/or using road tube traffic counters are less noticeable and you’ll see people driving the way they typically do. A speed radar sign that flashes your speed is great for traffic calming but probably disruptive in determining what drivers typically do.
Rework this slide – maybe two slides
Informed police, city and emergency responders to close street
Barricaded the area off
Elementary school principal, a few teachers and several students participated in marking and painting the crosswalks and stop bars.
The school has the option of temporary paint or the road grade reflective paint and chose the permanent option
-The students loved sprinkling the reflective specks on the paint
The elementary school received new 6 stop bars and 2 more visible crosswalks. Post-installation data was then collected and a project report was generated by the MPO. It was disheartening to learn that the same amount of cars not even slowing down didn’t change. However, about 10% more people did slow down, even though they didn’t come to a complete stop and about 7% more people did a 2 second stop than before. The results were disturbing and the school applied for a Blueprint for Roadway Safety grant for a solar flashing stop line. This resulted in a 10% more people slowing down and about 15% more people doing a 1 second stop. Obviously we disappointed that there wasn’t a greater impact on drivers but because we have an established baseline, we don’t have a false sense of accomplishment and know that there’s more work to do. The school staff continues to man the crosswalks in the mornings and afternoon and will not implement the program they were working on to have the older students be crosswalk guards. report after the
