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(dramatic music)

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- [Narrator] Texas is well
known for flash floods

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and it's high number
of low water crossings.

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Most drownings occur at
these low water crossings.

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TxDOT funded a team of researchers

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to make these locations safer

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by investigating all
aspects of the problem.

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Why are they occurring?

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What are federal

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and other state DOTs doing
to address the issue?

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The researchers also
developed both low-tech

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and high-tech solutions

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addressing human behavior issues

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underwater striping visibility

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and sensor communications

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in the age of connected infrastructure.

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- So TxDOT decided to fund this project

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with the main objective in mind

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to develop and to
investigate low cost means

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to better alert the traffic
of the lower crossing.

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- I think that drivers under estimate

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the power of water

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it only takes about six inches of water

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to sweep a car off the road

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at a certain velocity just six inches

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and it takes one flow of water

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to float most cars.

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We do have measures in place

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such as turn around don't drowned

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public outreach and education program.

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We have some standard signs

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that we use at our crossings

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but we need to do more

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to try to influence the behavior

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of drivers at crossings

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and so this is what
this research was about.

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Conveying in real time

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to the driver information

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that can be used to
make informed decisions.

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- We looked at various striping treatments

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to improve the delineation through

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the crossing both center line stripings

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and edge line stripings

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with the idea of trying to convey

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through the stripings when
the crossing is traversable

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and when it's not traversable.

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So if a driver could no longer see

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the markings in the crossing

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then they would realize

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that the crossing is flooded

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and they wouldn't enter into that area.

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- Also this project look at passive

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and active warning systems
like signs for example

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or water sensors

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that are used to determine even

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the depth of the water.

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- The second option that
was researched looked

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at more of a flood warning system

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that involves a flood sensor.

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So the idea here is

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that the sensor records the depth of water

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and after the water
reaches a certain threshold

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the sensor can trigger
an active warning device

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such as a gate or a flashing beacon.

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- We also looked at applying
advanced technologies

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to provide warnings

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to drivers directly inside their vehicles.

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Using sensors we could detect when

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the crossing was flooded

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and provide them with a message

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that the crossing was flooded both at

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the crossing area itself

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and away from the crossing

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so that they could divert around

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and not even get closer or enter into

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the flooded area overall.

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- The technology that's being
utilized in these scenarios

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is a broadcast technology.

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The radios that are installed
at the intersections

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are broadcasting an alert

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to any vehicle that's nearby

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and because this capability is integrated

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with the Lonestar Traffic
Management Center Software

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it allows the TMC to know

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that there's potentially

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a vehicle that has approached

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and even tried to cross
a low water crossing.

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- Our researchers have
completed some recommendations

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that were given to TxDOT
in terms of signage

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and also pavement in markings and markers

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that can be used at these locations.

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Also this project clearly indicate

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that there is a great potential

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for use of these conductivity technology.

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- Sometimes the signs
alongside of the road

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maybe aren't enough

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and sometimes that digital second reminder

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that this really is a big issue

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and I think that starts

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to make an improvement.

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- [Narrator] For more information

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and to find the publications
for this project

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please visit the TxDOT Research Library

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at the link shown below.