Narrative:

I was working local control. I cleared air carrier X, large transport for takeoff on runway 11. As air carrier X was rolling about 2000' down the runway, I noticed an small transport taxiing down taxiway C fairly fast. Because of staffing, we had ground control and clearance delivery combined. The ground controller was busy working on a flight plan and didn't notice the small transport. Luckily he stopped him in time. The jet would probably have rotated over the top of the small transport. This exact same scenario happened to me a couple of years ago but the jet couldn't have rotated in time. (Other combinations happen often.) the problem is we need much better runway signs at the intersection of a and C! The GA ramp is north of the tower and if we are 29, 36 or 11 almost everyone passes this intersection. Too much of a chance to cross unauthorized. It would also help to not have positions combined so that ground control could watch the movement areas. P.south. Maybe flashing lights or a steady red. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter said that during the last year all runway intxns have been marked with standard signs. There is still a problem with inadvertent xings at the intersection of runway 11/29 and taxiway C. The reporter suggested flashing red lights to alert GA pilots but was told this is nonstandard signage and it could not be done. This analyst believe the flashing red lights issue should be pursued at this critical runway/taxiway intersection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STOPPED GA SMT SHORT OF ACTIVE RWY WHERE ACR X WAS TAKING OFF. CTLR STATES BETTER SIGNAGE IS NEEDED AT RWY TXWY INTXNS TO PREVENT INADVERTENT INCURSIONS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL. I CLRED ACR X, LGT FOR TKOF ON RWY 11. AS ACR X WAS ROLLING ABOUT 2000' DOWN THE RWY, I NOTICED AN SMT TAXIING DOWN TXWY C FAIRLY FAST. BECAUSE OF STAFFING, WE HAD GC AND CD COMBINED. THE GND CTLR WAS BUSY WORKING ON A FLT PLAN AND DIDN'T NOTICE THE SMT. LUCKILY HE STOPPED HIM IN TIME. THE JET WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ROTATED OVER THE TOP OF THE SMT. THIS EXACT SAME SCENARIO HAPPENED TO ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BUT THE JET COULDN'T HAVE ROTATED IN TIME. (OTHER COMBINATIONS HAPPEN OFTEN.) THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED MUCH BETTER RWY SIGNS AT THE INTXN OF A AND C! THE GA RAMP IS N OF THE TWR AND IF WE ARE 29, 36 OR 11 ALMOST EVERYONE PASSES THIS INTXN. TOO MUCH OF A CHANCE TO CROSS UNAUTHORIZED. IT WOULD ALSO HELP TO NOT HAVE POSITIONS COMBINED SO THAT GC COULD WATCH THE MOVEMENT AREAS. P.S. MAYBE FLASHING LIGHTS OR A STEADY RED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE REPORTER SAID THAT DURING THE LAST YEAR ALL RWY INTXNS HAVE BEEN MARKED WITH STANDARD SIGNS. THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM WITH INADVERTENT XINGS AT THE INTXN OF RWY 11/29 AND TXWY C. THE REPORTER SUGGESTED FLASHING RED LIGHTS TO ALERT GA PLTS BUT WAS TOLD THIS IS NONSTANDARD SIGNAGE AND IT COULD NOT BE DONE. THIS ANALYST BELIEVE THE FLASHING RED LIGHTS ISSUE SHOULD BE PURSUED AT THIS CRITICAL RWY/TXWY INTXN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.