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  • 1.  Outdoor cabinet on road median safe clearance

    Posted 06-17-2020 08:00 AM
    Edited by Ammar Fakhoury 06-18-2020 02:20 PM
    I would like to add the site on the median: telecomm.monopole plus its outdoor cabinet, is protected by 1m concrete posts spaced all around

    Outdoor cabinet with 60cm doors
    Located on median strip
    If one to open the door his back will be on the road
    doors to be opened for maintenance or other purposes 
    what is the minimum safe clear spacing between the cabinet and edge of median to try and protect team from traffic while working as may be they will step out to the road while opening or closing door etc....

    Any reference from code?


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    Ammar Fakhoury P.E., M.ASCE
    Riyadh
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  • 2.  RE: Outdoor cabinet on road median safe clearance

    Posted 06-18-2020 12:14 PM
    Hello, Ammar

    It seem to me you could be looking at the situation one-sided:

    A. If you have a cabinet in a median--one that is so close to the road you're worried about door swings and service folks standing by the roadside--certainly It is important to consider safety for agency folks / contractors working on the cabinet. 

    B.  But what the safety of all the motorists who could hit this darned thing ? It seems to me the selected location of this cabinet could a bad idea.

    My ASCE teaching hero, Nazir Lalani, has an an excellent recorded webinar entitled "Application of Clear Recovery Zones for Roadway Departures", which has a lot of great information about this topic; medians included.  He's given loads of excellent references, too.



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    Scott Onishuk P.E., M.ASCE
    Director
    Santa Barbara CA
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  • 3.  RE: Outdoor cabinet on road median safe clearance

    Posted 08-31-2020 04:43 PM
    As a practice we don't put cabinets in medians.  They would tend to cause site distance problems and be subject to being hit.  The regional drawings in California include a light bulb socket in irrigation controller boxes. The purpose is to dehumidify the box, which significantly adds to the life of the controller.  Field staff have told me the light was terrific for the cases they had to work in the box at night.  I think it creates a safer condition.  Even with the box behind the sidewalk, it makes sense to turn the box sideways so kids riding bikes don't run into your employees.  

    I am glad you are thinking of safety.  Unless it can't be avoided San Diego's standards do not allow water meters to be in driveways.  It is too easy for someone to back over an employee while bending over to read the meter.  A similar idea to your thinking.  






  • 4.  RE: Outdoor cabinet on road median safe clearance

    Posted 09-01-2020 09:52 AM
    Dear Barbara
    Actually this camoflaged pole is part of 5G scope and installing the cabinets in the median is inavetible. May be some code writers can tackle this issue if they did not already done so, I'm not sure.



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    Ammar Fakhoury P.E., M.ASCE
    Riyadh
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  • 5.  RE: Outdoor cabinet on road median safe clearance

    Posted 09-01-2020 10:12 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 09-01-2020 10:12 AM
    Dear Barbara
    And one may suggest underground shelter/cabinet but we faced many times negative impact on telecomm. Equipment, maitenance,etc..
    Regards, 

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    Ammar Fakhoury P.E., M.ASCE
    Riyadh
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  • 6.  RE: Outdoor cabinet on road median safe clearance

    Posted 09-07-2020 04:15 PM
    Irrigation infrastructure is also in the median but the controller it moved to the side of the road away from the travel way.  Please talk to your agencies traffic senior. In California Cal Trans has gone as far as putting up continuous guardrail along highway 163 through Balboa Park in the median because so many people have died hitting trees that are too close to the edge of pavement.  Your ballards can kill people if they protect a cabinet this close to the road unless you have slow speeds.  If there is no room on the shoulder, then it would be better to not protect your cabinet.  I would also ask your agency if this is the preferred location for your poles.