Solar Traffic Controls installs advanced high-water flasher
warning system in Matteson, IL

TEMPE, AZ 03/25/2004 - Referred to as a distributed high-water flasher system, the project includes two stations located in viaducts (the low point in the road) plus four flasher stations comprised of two 12-inch DC LED lamps, along with a variable message board preceding the viaducts in each direction. The message boards are set up to display a specific message.

Sensors in any of the viaducts can trip all four flasher stations. The physical configuration is such that if one viaduct floods, the other will flood shortly. One sensor tripping will cause the entire system to activate. Another feature on the sensor stations is the cellular alarm card which dials out to the monitoring service thus producing voice cell phone calls, faxes, emails and pages sent via email links to the paging company for the on-duty flashers.

If water levels reach 6-inches they will trigger a sensor that sends a message to SouthCom Combined Dispatch Center and the on-duty department of public works employees. The sensors also activate flashing caution beacons and electronic message boards to alert motorists of flooding conditions. There are four sets of gates: one at 214th Street, one in each direction at 216th Street and one at 219th Street.

About Solar Traffic Controls, LLC
Solar Traffic Controls (STC) designs and manufactures solar-powered traffic control systems for city, state and federal DOTs. Its primary products are solar-powered flashing beacon systems used for school zones and 24-hour applications. What sets STC's systems apart from its competitors: technical merit. For more information, please visit www.solar-traffic-controls.com

About the Village of Matteson, Illinois
Matteson is located in South Cook County in an area 10 square miles. Its population is almost 15,000. Viaduct flooding has claimed two lives in Matteson since 1990. A 62-year-old Chicago man drowned after driving around two sets of barricades at the viaduct at 215th Street and Governors Highway. A 63-year-old Park Forest woman died in 1997 after her car was submerged under the flooded EJ&J Railroad viaduct on Governors Highway. The village and state combined resources to pay for the gates, which is a pilot project in Illinois.