Comparison of dual-phase and static changeable message signs to convey airline information on interstate freeways.

Harder, Kathleen A.; Bloomfield, John R. · 2010 · ROSA P / Minnesota. Dept. of Transportation. Research Services Section

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Summary

This study addressed the challenge of displaying airline information for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) airport on highway approaches, where drivers must select the correct terminal exit while still on the interstate. Because the Lindbergh Terminal (Terminal 1) services nine airlines, their names cannot fit legibly on a single static Changeable Message Sign (CMS). The research compared two presentation methods: using two separate static CMSs located 500 feet apart versus using a single dual-phase CMS that sequentially displays the airline names in two phases. The goal was to determine if the dual-phase method was equally effective in influencing driver behavior, thereby allowing for fewer physical signs on a congested roadway. The researchers conducted a driving simulation experiment using a fully interactive STISIM simulator. The study involved 120 licensed drivers from the Twin Cities area, divided into three age groups (18–24, 32–47, and 55–65) with equal gender representation. Each participant completed two 11-mile drives on a simulated six-lane highway toward the airport. Participants were assigned a specific airline to locate and instructed to drive normally under a 60 mph speed limit. Half of the participants encountered the dual-phase CMS condition, while the other half encountered the static CMS condition. Data collected included whether participants took the correct exit, average speeds across five highway segments, and instances of individual speed reductions of 2 mph or more. The results indicated that participants took the correct exit in 89.6% of the 240 total drives. There were no statistically significant differences in exit accuracy between the dual-phase and static CMS conditions. Similarly, average driving speeds did not differ significantly between the two sign types. However, significant age-related differences in speed were observed: younger drivers drove faster than middle-aged drivers, who in turn drove faster than older drivers. Speed was also significantly higher on the second drive compared to the first, and slower in the final segment approaching the Terminal 2 sign. Regarding individual behavior, 29 participants reduced their speed by at least 2 mph when approaching the signs, but there was no difference in the frequency or magnitude of these reductions between the dual-phase and static conditions. The study concluded that a single dual-phase CMS is as effective as two static CMSs in conveying airline information and influencing driving behavior. Since there were no performance differences in exit selection or speed management, the dual-phase method offers a viable alternative that reduces the number of physical signs required on the highway. This finding supports the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the Minnesota Department of Transportation in optimizing signage for the MSP airport approaches, particularly for drivers unfamiliar with the terminal-airline associations.

Key finding

Displaying airline information on a single dual-phase CMS was as effective in influencing driving behavior as displaying the same information on two static CMSs, with no significant differences in exit selection accuracy or speed reduction behavior between the two conditions.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 120

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• signage environment