City of Tucson activates solar-powered fire station exit signal

TEMPE, AZ - 02/28/2008 - The City of Tucson has activated another solar-powered fire station exit signal. Since 2002, the city has enhanced fire truck access to the roadways using solar-powered exit signals from Solar Traffic Controls. Tucson has been using a modified F-signal head assembly with two red lamps horizontally situated with a yellow lamp centered under the two reds. All lamps are 12-inch, DC LEDs with two faces per mast arm assembly. This signal system is unique to the City of Tucson and will be in the next revision of the MUTCD according to Richard Nassi, Traffic Operations Director.

All systems are optically triggered using a TOMAR Strobe Switch optical detector unit. For verification of red flash state, all of the systems include a clear omni-directional strobe lamp. The units are radio linked to each other thus making the systems "wireless" and more affordable than a traditional hardwired system. The systems timing parameters can be easily modified using an LCD screen in the master unit.

A field check of the installation was completed in December 2007 by a member of the STC engineering staff and retiring signal maintenance supervisor John Ramos. Testing was completed on-site using the built-in self-test feature included in the software.

For more information view the Type II Fire Station Flasher information at Specialty Systems/FireFighters.

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