Safer Routes to School (Sign Installation)

As part of the Safer Routes to School initiative more safety infrastructure was needed to make the journey to and from school as safe as possible.  These have included enhanced road safety signage around the vicinity of schools.  TS Utilities were commissioned by Lowry Civil Engineering to install various road signage around approx. 50 schools located in Belfast.

Pre-Site Visit – to determine location of street signs

• Issued with multiple drawings for 50 schools in Belfast.
• Meetings were held with client to agree upon the location and positioning of road signage around each school.
• Each sign needed to be installed in a specific location and distance from the school entrance.   For example, advance warning signs of the schools were provided by 545 (children going to or from school), in addition these signs incorporated a LED panel with the legend ’20mph ahead’.
• Then the signage for speed limit comprised of 4 elements:
• 20mph LED Roundel
• Amber flashing LED light at each corner
• LED panel with legend ‘SLOW DOWN’
• RADAR speed detector

• Once locations for signage had been determined, finalised drawings were issued for each school, and we agreed a schedule of works.

Traffic management and safeguarding

• Before starting any works, the appropriate TM was put in place for each work zone, to ensure safety of workers, pedestrians, and road users; it comprised of signage, cones, barriers, and traffic lights.

Determine the pole required and surface type of where it is to be installed

• The type of street sign being installed influences the type and size of pole being installed.  (Ranging in sizes from 76mm Pole @3.5m to 168mm Pole @5.33m)
• The surface type where the signs were being installed was either concrete or soil

Excavation

• Excavate 6 x 6 holes 1200 deep with a Vacuum Excavator as it provides a safer lower risk option eliminating the hazard of utility strikes and minimises traffic disruption.
• Insert foundation sleeves either 4inch, 6inch or 8inch to suit pole.

Backfill

• Each excavated hole was then back filled using: 35n20 & Lean Mix Concrete
• Back fill is compacted and brought up to 100ml below finish level to allow for permanent reinstatement.

Pole and sign installed

• Pole is then erected and stabilised by pouring dry kiln sand between it and the inside of the sleeve.
• Sign is then erected and fitted using a MEWP for safety purposes.  Most signs used were solar powered but in instances where it was not possible to use a solar powered sign (due to trees blocking sun etc.) we needed to install a 2inch duct from nearest mains feed to the cabinet.

Permanent Reinstatement

• HRA or Bitmac was then used to permanent reinstate around each pole.