Dynamic Lane Merge System Ranged From $60,000 to $75,000 Based on Purchased Installations in Michigan and Minnesota.

In 2014, the Federal Highway Administration published the Work Zone Intelligent Transportation System (WZITS) Implementation Guide to provide information on implementing ITS in work zones. This 2021 Technology Supplement was intended to be used in conjunction, providing a detailed factsheet and sample specifications for nine primary WZITS technologies: 1) Dynamic Lane Merge, 2) Queue Warning, 3) Variable Speed Limit, 4) Automated Enforcement, 5) Entering/Exiting Construction Vehicle Notification, 6) Temporary Ramp Metering, 7) Real-Time Traveler Information, 8) Incident Management System, and 9) Performance Measurement. This summary provides an overview of the costs related to implementing Dynamic Lane Merge (DLM) systems. DLM systems use portable changeable message signs (PCMS) or static signs to clarify when and how drivers should merge when faced with highway lane drops.

DLM cost estimates vary between purchased or leased DLM equipment. Example costs include the following (all values are based on 2020 dollars): 

• A DLM system typically costs $60,000–$75,000 to purchase or $50,000–$55,000 per year to rent.
• Compared to a standard lane closure, the use of DLM has been shown to increase lane closure costs by approximately $120 per day.
• Based on a Michigan DOT study, the cost for a subcontractor to design, install, calibrate, test, operate, and maintain a DLM system with five PCMS units totaled $173,000 over a two-year period.
• The total cost to purchase, install, and operate a DLM system for an 11-week deployment was $73,275.
• A study by the Minnesota DOT found that daily deployment costs per unit were $233 for PCMS and $133 for detection equipment.

Table 1 below lists example unit and total system costs. 

Table 1: Dynamic Lane Merge Costs