Path protections have become increasingly important for current mesh optical networks because fast restorations in generalized multiprotocol label switching (GMPLS) networks are uncertain. However, setting up additional disjoint paths to protect connections leads to more path setup blocking and signaling collisions. We analyze signaling collisions, path blocking and blocking probability, as well as calculate node-to-node blocking probabilities. A signaling-based path-segment protection (PSP) is proposed, which integrates segment protections and path protections as well as enhances the performance of path protections and ring protections. The setup of PSP connections causes less blocking probability than the setup of path protection connections in the simulations.