Paul Bickford (Aug 07/06) - Little did they know, but Hay River motorists recently took part in an experiment.

A large electronic sign was set up recently for a week or so on the shoulder of the Mackenzie Highway as it nears the downtown, displaying the speed of passing vehicles.

Robert Carroll, assistant director of the Highways Division with the Department of Transportation, stands in front of a variable message sign recently tested in Hay River. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

It was not, however, part of any speed reduction initiative by police.

During late July and early August, the Department of Transportation was testing the variable message sign, which can be programmed to display numerous alternating messages.

"We wanted to try out the radar option on it to see how accurate it was," explained Robert Carroll, the department's assistant director of the Highways Division.

The department also wanted to see if the radar would pick up bicycles or pedestrians, which it didn't.

It was the first time the radar capability of such signs has been tested in the NWT.

"All systems seemed to work flawlessly on it," Carroll said. However, the sign may have puzzled some drivers. Carroll noted a co-worker came into his office wondering when the 60 km per hour zone had been changed to 30 km-h.

"I said, 'No, you're going 30 km an hour,'" Carroll recalled, adding studies show the signs are very effective in slowing down drivers.

The Department of Transportation has four such signs.

The first was bought about three years ago, one last year and two this year. Three of them are solar-powered.

"The longer we have them, the more uses we find for them," Carroll said.

Over the next few years, the signs will be mainly used on Highway 1 to warn motorists of bison around Fort Providence.

Carroll said the signs can also be used at construction sites, ice crossings and elsewhere to provide information to motorists. "They're very versatile," he said. "The unit can be deployed quickly and really attracts attention."

Carroll noted the technology for such signs is improving.

In particular, light-emitting diode (LED) technology has extended battery life, he said. "LED really made the solar option practical."

Carroll said a solar-powered unit was tested in Yellowknife last winter.

"We had fairly good results with it," he said, although he noted the batteries needed more than solar and had to be recharged once a week.

Two newer models with more efficient batteries were obtained this year, and will be tested in low-light conditions this coming winter.