New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Chapter V - New York State Supplement To The National Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices For Streets And Highways-2009 Edition
Part 4 - Highway Traffic Signals
Chapter 4G - Traffic Control Signals And Hybrid Beacons For Emergency Vehicle Access
Section 4G.01 - Applications of Emergency-Vehicle Traffic Control Signals and Hybrid Beacons

DELETE the entire section.

INSERT the following paragraphs:

Support:

00A An emergency-vehicle traffic control signal is a special traffic control signal that assigns the right-of-way to an authorized emergency vehicle. Adherence to certain warrants and guidelines is necessary to prevent indiscriminate application, with resultant motorist disregard for warranted installations.

00B While emergency signals make it easier for emergency vehicles to enter and proceed along highways, they can be disadvantageous for volunteer personnel trying to reach an emergency vehicle facility. Volunteers traveling to the facility are not permitted to proceed through red indications. Red indications on the highway approaches to an emergency vehicle facility and their attendant traffic queues may increase volunteers' response times.

Option:

00C An emergency-vehicle hybrid beacon may be installed instead of an emergency-vehicle traffic control signal under conditions described in Section 4G.04

Guidance:

00D An emergency-vehicle traffic control signal should be provided only if there is a demonstrated need. Consideration should first be given to providing less sophisticated solutions (e.g., warning signs and/or flashing beacon assemblies) to operational problems.

00E The factors to be considered in determining the need for an emergency-vehicle traffic control signal should include: vehicular volumes and speeds; the number and timing of emergency vehicle movements; visibility of the emergency vehicles to approaching traffic; sight distance along the highway at the point where emergency vehicles enter the roadway or intersection; and emergency vehicle accident experience.

00F The following warrants should be applied in considering the installation of an emergency-vehicle traffic control signal:

Two-lane highways. Emergency-vehicle traffic control signals should be used on two-lane highways only where, within a two-year period, 200 emergency calls occur during times when the rate of flow on the highway is at least:

750 vehicles per hour; or

525 vehicles per hour, if the 85th-percentile highway speed is over 40 miles per hour; or

525 vehicles per hour if the stopping sight distance for vehicles approaching on the major street is insufficient to permit reasonably safe entrance of emergency vehicles; or

375 vehicles per hour, if the 85th-percentile highway speed is over 40 miles per hour and the stopping sight distance for vehicles approaching on the major street is insufficient to permit reasonably safe entrance of emergency vehicles.

Four-lane highways. Emergency-vehicle traffic control signals should be used on four-lane highways only where, within a two-year period, 200 emergency calls occur during times when the rate of flow on the highway is at least:

900 vehicles per hour; or

630 vehicles per hour, if the 85th-percentile highway speed is over 40 miles per hour; or

630 vehicles per hour if the stopping sight distance for vehicles approaching on the major street is insufficient to permit reasonably safe entrance of emergency vehicles; or

450 vehicles per hour, if the 85th-percentile highway speed is over 40 miles per hour and the stopping sight distance for vehicles approaching on the major street is insufficient to permit reasonably safe entrance of emergency vehicles.

Support:

00G The stopping sight distance may be determined using the 2004 AASHTO Policy, Stopping Sight Distance, Exhibit 3-1.