NTOC Talks, a Newsletter of the National Transportation Operations Coalition
Categories > Breaking News :: July 28, 2010 (NTOC)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has been changing the face of our nation—physically in terms of improvements to our infrastructure and economically by saving or creating tens of thousands of jobs. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been instrumental in ARRA’s success by working with our state partners to beat Congress’s deadline to obligate 100 percent of our Recovery Act funds by March 1, 2010.
The FHWA Office of Operations recently performed an analysis on ARRA projects obligated through February 19, 2010 to determine the approximate ARRA investment level in ITS and transportation system management and operations projects. The results showed that nearly $600 million in ARRA funds were invested in 509 operations and ITS projects, with approximately half funding ITS projects and the other half funding traditional operational improvements across 41 States, plus Washington, DC.
The categories used to define operations and ITS projects were:
• Traffic Signalization projects (258 projects, $204 M)
• Intersection geometric improvements (75 projects, $127 M)
• Signs (36 projects, $40 M)
• Pavement markings (60 projects, $30 M)
• ITS field devices (80 projects, $192 M)
Both the number of projects and total investment level in each category should be regarded as close approximations of actual investment levels. The top five States to use funding on operations and ITS projects were Georgia, Pennsylvania, California, Maryland, and Tennessee. It is likely that ITS and operations played a larger role in the ARRA projects overall, as there was no method for capturing ITS and operations investments as part of larger projects.
Categories > Breaking News :: July 28, 2010 (ATSSA)
A new report credits major federal funding increases for roadway safety engineering projects for the dramatic reduction in highway fatalities between 2006 and 2009. The study, Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Obligations and Fatalities on U.S. Highways: Final Report, prepared for the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), examines engineering funding increases provided under the 2005-2009 federal-aid highway law.
With sharp safety project funding increases beginning in 2006, the report analyzes the extent to which the new HSIP program can be credited with the reduction in fatalities that started around the same time, following a 10-year period with little change. For years that figure fluctuated slightly, but remained around 42,000. By 2009, following annual reductions since 2006, the number of deaths had fallen to 33,963.
As fatalities decline, a variety of non-engineering factors have been commonly hypothesized as responsible, such as the temporary reduction in driving that occurred with the economic downturn and fuel price spikes of 2008. SAIC found that none of the commonly cited reasons sufficiently explains the sharp decrease in deaths seen since the HSIP program was created. Rather, the report found that the HSIP program spending changes correlated with the sharp decrease in traffic fatalities. Further, the report estimates that the United States realizes an annual savings of $42.7 million for every $1 million increase of HSIP funds spent.
“This report makes it crystal clear that modern engineering enhancements are making our drivers and passengers much safer and these investments are going to continue to save tens of thousands of families from heartbreak,” said Greg Cohen, Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation. “It is critical that we prioritize systemic safety improvements on our nation’s roads and bridges in the years ahead to continue this trend. We can’t forget that road crashes are the #1 killer of children and young adults aged 3 34.” The full report is available online at http://atssa.com/cs/roadway-safety-policy.
Categories > New Resource :: July 28, 2010 (FHWA)
The 2010 version of the Traffic Incident Management Handbook (TIM) includes the latest advances in TIM programs and practices across the country, and offers practitioners insights into the latest innovations in TIM tools and technologies. The 2010 TIM Handbook also features a parallel Web-based version that can be conveniently bookmarked, browsed, or keyword-searched for quick reference. This version supersedes the Freeway Incident Management Handbook published by FHWA in 1991 and the Traffic Incident Management Handbook published in 2000. (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-10-013)
Categories > Opportunity :: July 28, 2010 (NTIMC)
To further implement the successful National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management (NUG) goals and practices, the I-95 Corridor Coalition, FHWA, and the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (NTIMC) will host a national NUG Summit. The agenda will include such topics as NTIMC and NUG Progress, Incident Management Best Practices, TIM Self Assessment, TIM Training, Towing and TIM, and interdisciplinary incident management issues and best practices for the resolution of those issues. The three major objectives of the NUG are Responder Safety, Safe, Quick Clearance and Prompt, Reliable Interoperable Communications.
The NUG Summit will convene on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. at The Conference Center at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights, MD (near BWI/Baltimore Airport), and will adjourn at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 22, 2010. There will also be opportunity to join the September 21 segment of the NUG Summit virtually via the Internet. There will be no registration fee for the NUG Summit or fee to participate through Internet access.
Federal, State, Regional and Local Traffic Incident Responders should plan to attend to improve the way we manage traffic incidents and to increase safety and efficiency by working toward the implementation of the National Unified Goal’s three goals and 18 strategies. Information will soon be available regarding agenda details, registration information, and Maritime Institute Hotel Room block and other information.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 28, 2010 (TRB)
This year’s ITS Committee mid-year workshop will focus on IntelliDrive(SM) and is planned for September 21-22 at the Beckman Center in Irvine, California. Visit the link above to register and reserve your hotel room. The deadline for reduced hotel rates is August 13. The goal of the mid-year workshop is to consider the potential impact of IntelliDrive, and the data it will generate, on the various components of the transportation enterprise, including agency organization, finances, and staffing, in addition to planning, operations, safety, and maintenance. The workshop will bring together public and private sector transportation thought leaders and practitioners to develop research statements that explore how IntelliDrive will affect the work of infrastructure owners and operators.
In addition to the ITS Committee workshop, the ITS Joint Program Office will convene a one-day workshop on Monday September 20, (preceding the TRB meeting) to explore the impact of emerging trends and innovations, shifting priorities and changing requirements on the evaluation of ITS. The release in early 2010 of the U.S. DOT ITS Strategic Research Plan lays out new goals and initiatives in the ITS Program that impact national and local ITS projects. The ITS Evaluation Program managers are keenly interested in the input from the transportation community on advancing the practice and increasing the value of ITS evaluation, and identifying the evaluation needs of the transportation community. The workshop will give participants the opportunity to provide feedback on the Evaluation Program, share innovative evaluation practices, and identify evaluation needs.This intense and engaging two-part event promises workshop participants a great opportunity to learn and to contribute to the continuing evolution of the ITS program.
Categories > New Resource :: July 28, 2010 (ITS America)
Prepared by ITS America's Technical Forum on Sustainability, the report “ITS Technology and Sustainable Transportation” looks at the role ITS can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The paper states, “We believe that we have technology and solutions that can ease traffic flow and reduce GHG emissions, but to date we have neither articulated that message nor delivered it effectively. It is unfortunate but we are largely seen as a part of the climate change problem; not part of the climate change solution. However, ITS America believes that transportation technology can have a significant impact on a GHG reduction strategy.” To read the complete report, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: July 28, 2010 (TRB)
A featured article in the May-June 2010 TR News provides an overview of the articles in this issue, which collectively explore the body of evidence, the mix of transportation strategies, potential regulatory approaches, modal initiatives, and opportunities for innovation that encompass transportation's role in addressing climate change. To read the article, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: July 28, 2010 (ITS America)
Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change is the newest panel report from the America's Climate Choices suite of studies. The report demonstrates that demand for information to support climate-related decisions has grown as people, organizations, and governments have moved ahead with plans and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Today, however, the nation lacks comprehensive, robust, and credible information systems to inform climate choices and evaluate their effectiveness. This report examines information needs and calls for the federal government to build upon its existing efforts and those of state and local government, the private sector and citizens by establishing clear federal leadership, responsibility, and coordination for climate related decisions, climate risk management, information systems, and services. To access the report, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 28, 2010 (US DOT)
U.S. DOT will host a one-day public meeting on October 20, 2010 in Ypsilanti, MI, to provide a report on results from the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) field operational test to members of the vehicle safety research community and other interested parties.
The IVBSS program is a five-year cooperative research agreement to combine several crash warning subsystems—including forward collision, lane departure, lane change, and curve speed warning—into a single, integrated concept to enhance the safety of both passenger vehicles and heavy trucks. Field tests using a fleet of light vehicles and heavy trucks were recently completed and the resulting reports are being finalized. The key findings report for the Heavy Truck field test will be available by the end of August.
Click on the link above for registration and additional information. The online registration deadline is October 15.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 28, 2010 (NTOC)
The University of Washington Professional & Continuing Education is offering two online Sustainable Transportation Certificates: the Certificate in Sustainable Transportation: Planning and Livable Communities and the Certificate in Sustainable Transportation: Environmental Issues and Impacts. The classes offered for these certificates will help you to: Understand the important issues involved in sustainable transportation planning. Review policies and programs that encourage mixed use and higher density levels designed to promote transportation modes other than the single occupancy vehicle. Study the impact that transportation options have on the quality of service, the environment and sustainability. Explore the movement of goods, various freight options and the strategies for making them more sustainable. Examine the relationship between transportation and the environment, including energy, climate change, air pollution and water quality. Develop tools, such as life cycle assessment, that will help you understand the full range of environmental impacts associated with transportation decisions. Learn to conduct environmental evaluations with a variety of analytical tools, such as travel demand forecasting and air and water quality modeling.
For complete information, including registration, visit www.pce.uw.edu or call 888-469-6499.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 28, 2010 (TRB)
The TRB Technical Activities Division’s Planning and Environment Group is holding its fourth annual competition to find top methods for communicating transportation concepts to non-professional audiences. Entries should focus on the 2011 Annual Meeting spotlight theme of transportation, livability, and economic development in a changing world. There is no restriction on the form of communication—graphics, illustrations, photos, software, demonstrations, interactive exercises or games—used to convey the message. Entries may be examples of successful communications efforts or techniques that can be used to communicate transportation concepts to non-transportation professional audiences. The entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges representing technical as well as communication disciplines. The winner will be announced at the 2011 TRB 90th Annual Meeting, January 23-27, 2011, in Washington, D.C. The top ten entries will be showcased in a poster session at the TRB Annual Meeting and featured in an article in TRB’s TR News.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 28, 2010 (TRB)
TRB’s second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has issued a request for proposals to determine how data and information on the impacts of differing causes of nonrecurrent highway congestion can be incorporated into the performance measure estimation procedures in the Highway Capacity Manual. Proposals are due by September 27, 2010. For more information, click on the link above.
Categories > New Resource :: July 28, 2010 (NTOC)
The Center for Neighborhood Technology has released the beta version of a web-based tool designed to help individuals find what a typical household spends on transportation in their neighborhood. The tool also provides an estimate on carbon emissions associated with using a car from a particular location. To view the tool, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: July 28, 2010 (NTOC)
In North Dakota, with more than 8,500 miles of highways in the state and an additional 1,000 or so miles of interstate, planning road construction projects is a daunting task. But a high-tech van, the only one in the state Department of Transportation’s fleet, is making that task more manageable.
Meet the North Dakota DOT Multi-Purpose Data Collection Vehicle. It is a long name for a $600,000 van with five on-board computers that traverses the highways in North Dakota, all the while gathering information on the condition of roadways. Dirk Kienzle and Ben Red Horse are the DOT project engineers who drive the van about 2,400 miles per week, collecting information.The van is equipped with three lasers mounted on the front bumper, two high-resolution cameras on the top and two lasers on the back. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: July 14, 2010 (NTOC)
Have you missed a recent NTOC Talking Operations Web Cast? Visit the Web Cast Archives page through the link above to access recordings, podcasts, and transcripts from these free, informative Web casts. Materials from the June 24 Web cast on the template for submitting dynamic mobility applications using Intellidrive are now online. If you missed the July 7 Talking Operations Webinar, “How to Implement a Congestion Pricing Project,” the archive materials will also be available later today on the NTOC Web Site.
Categories > Breaking News :: July 14, 2010 (FHWA)
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a report that explores the results of a December 8, 2009, peer exchange on current climate change adaptation activities and strategic needs. The report summarizes participant presentations and the key issues that emerged during the event. The exchanged was convened with the support of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Click on the link above to read the report.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 14, 2010 (ITE)
Submit an abstract for the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) 2011 Technical Conference and Exhibit Moving Toward Zero… and/or the ITE 2011 Annual Meeting and Exhibit at www.cornetser.com/ite. The submission deadline is August 23, 2010. If your abstract is accepted for presentation at the Technical Conference, you will be notified by December 30, 2010. If your abstract is accepted for presentation at the Annual Meeting you will be notified by January 31, 2011. Click on the link above for the call for abstracts overview and list of possible topic areas.
Categories > Now Available :: July 14, 2010 (TRB)
The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) have jointly released NCHRP Report 649/NCFRP Report 3: Separation of Vehicles—CMV-Only Lanes. The report examines major issues and concepts that should be understood in developing new applications of commercial motor vehicle-only (CMV-only) lane as a potential method for both easing congestion and reducing the number of traffic accidents on highways.
Categories > Positions Available :: July 14, 2010 (TRB)
TRB's second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has an opening for a Senior Program Officer with knowledge in highway operations and/or traffic management and experience related to the implementation of innovative technologies or practices within transportation-related agencies or enterprises. Experience in research management is also desired. SHRP 2 is a congressionally authorized research program that addresses critically needed research in highway transportation including highway safety, infrastructure renewal, and congestion relief. This Senior Program Officer will be responsible for managing multiple and/or highly complex research and innovation programs and projects. They will develop program and project strategies, budgets, and resource requirements; and ensure that programs and projects meet their stated objectives. They will also act as a liaison between and coordinate with internal and external groups, organizations, and agencies. A listing of minimum requirements, full job duties, and application information for the opening is available on the National Academies’ Office of Human Resources Web page.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 14, 2010 (ITE)
If you haven't registered for the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit in Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 8-11, the deadline has been extended to this Friday, July 16. Sign up today to take advantage of the low rate! The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has also extended their deadline for the discounted ITE Group Rate. Book today while rooms are still available. Information about the annual meeting is available through the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: July 14, 2010 (NTOC)
Almost 11 years have passed since the West Virginia Turnpike installed its computerized toll system, and many parts of it have seen better days. In fact, while the system hasn’t actually crashed, much of the software has fizzled, forcing the West Virginia Parkways Authority to go online in search of hard-to-come-by replacements.All that could change in about a year or less. In the interim, the authority is moving to make the ride safer and turnpike crews more responsive when crises develop.
Authority members Thursday agreed to empower turnpike manager Greg Barr to initial the final phase of a complex, four-part contract with Transcore, as outlined by general counsel A. David Abrams, in the installation of a new toll system. Abrams told the board the contract is broken down into four parts — implementation, maintenance, software licensing and an escrow agreement. Once operational, he said, the new system will make it easier for the motoring public to use the E-ZPass system.
Categories > Breaking News :: July 14, 2010 (NTOC)
Traffic slows to a crawl. There must be an accident ahead, you figure — but nope, all of a sudden the bumper-to-bumper snarl untangles and it’s free sailing. You crane your neck looking for a reason for the tie-up. There wasn’t one.
Only, yes, there was. Researchers have decoded the math behind these maddening “phantom jams.” They can’t fix them, but they do know when the slowdowns might happen. On an overloaded road, when one car brakes, the one behind it will, too — slowing down a little more. And then the car behind that one does the same, and the next one, and the next. Pretty soon you’re going nowhere fast. Click on the link above for the equation (developed at the University of Alberta and MIT) that can tell you when to prepare for frustration.
Categories > Breaking News :: July 14, 2010 (NTOC)
Motorists in the San Joaquin Valley will soon have access to detailed traffic and transportation information through a Web site managed by a partnership of public agencies. The Council of Fresno County Governments, in cooperation with seven other Valley counties, plans to have the Web site fully operational by the end of August. For now, the framework of the Web site can be viewed at 511sjv.org Eventually, it will have much more information, officials said. "It's going to be a central clearing house for travel-related information," said Todd Sobrado, a planner with the council. The Web service is part of a traveler information system, also known as a 511 system, that the county governments have worked on for the last three years.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 14, 2010 (ITE)
This suite of six courses, taking place Tuesdays, August 31-October 5, 2010, from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, will introduce the participants to the basics of access management. The modules will evaluate ways in which to develop policies and apply design principles directed toward establishing system classification standards that address longitudinal operational impacts designed to preserve the functional integrity of the transportation system while effectively managing access to and from land developments. The series includes: Access Management Principles and Practices, Safety Impacts of Access Management, Economic Impacts of Access Management, Applying Access Management Principles to Existing Roadways, Access Management at Intersections Part I and Access Management at Intersections Part II. While the courses may be taken separately, participants are encouraged to attend the courses in the scheduled order. Click on the link above for complete details and to register.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 14, 2010 (JPO)
The U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, ITS Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) will hold a three-day workshop from July 20-22, 2010 at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook, Chicago, Illinois to present and discuss IntelliDrive(SM) safety technical and policy research roadmaps. The first day will provide a detailed discussion of the technical research activities in the major IntelliDrive safety program initiatives. Days 2 and 3 will focus on the policy issues as well as policy versus technical trade-offs with a focus on the V2V environment. The Tuesday session (IntelliDriveSM Safety Program Overview) will be broadcast live as a Webinar for those who are not able to attend in person. To register, visit http://www.itsa.org/itsa/files/Chicago%20Registration%206.16.10.doc.
The ITS JPO will also hold an ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Workshop on July 21, 2010 in conjunction with the IntelliDrive Safety Workshop. The PCB Workshop is designed to gather input from stakeholders and users of the ITS PCB Program. For more information about the PCB Workshop, please see the information below.
Categories > Opportunity :: July 14, 2010 (JPO)
July 21, 2010
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Hilton Chicago Northbrook, Chicago, Illinois
The ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) of the U.S. DOT is holding an ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Workshop on July 21, 2010 in Chicago, IL in conjunction with the IntelliDriveSM Safety Workshop. This workshop is designed to gather input from stakeholders and users of the ITS PCB Program. Activities will include:
• Engaging the audience in a discussion of how the PCB program can assist in attaining the goals of the new ITS Strategic Research Plan (View the ITS Strategic Plan and related documentation - http://www.its.dot.gov/strat_plan/index.htm)
• Gathering stakeholder input on learning needs
• Discussing purpose and goals of the ITS PCB Program from 2011-2014
This workshop will be a mix of presentation and discussion with the goal of exploring the next set of program strategies that best meet existing and future needs.
This workshop is free of charge. To register, complete the form at http://hosting-source.bronto.com/458/public/Chicago.doc and e-mail it to bwhitty@itsa.org, or fax it to 202-484-3483. Mark the form, “Attending ITS Professional Capacity Building Workshop.” Please contact Mac Lister at (202) 366-0375 or mac.lister@dot.gov if you have any questions.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 30, 2010 (JPO)
This Webinar, taking place July 7, 2010, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. EDT, will examine two different models for deploying congestion pricing projects. Lisa Castaneda, P.E., of the Harris County (TX) Toll Road Authority will discuss the new I-10/Katy Freeway. The Katy Toll way/Managed Lanes is the first multi-lane electronic tollway in the Nation with full design standards, and it was developed through a public-private partnership. Additionally, Paul A. Lampley, P.E., of Florida DOT District Four, will discuss how Availability Payments were used to finance the upgrade of a 10.5-mile segment of I-595 between I-75/Sawgrass Expressway and I-95 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Similar in concept to pass-through tolls, availability payments are a means of compensating a private concessionaire for its responsibility to design, construct, operate, and/or maintain a tolled or non-tolled roadway for a set period of time.
For information about NTOC and other upcoming Webinars, please visit http://www.ntoctalks.com/.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 30, 2010 (JPO)
The U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, ITS Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) will hold a three-day workshop from July 20-22, 2010 at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook, Chicago, Illinois to present and discuss IntelliDrive(SM) safety technical and policy research roadmaps. The first day will provide a detailed discussion of the technical research activities in the major IntelliDrive safety program initiatives. Days 2 and 3 will focus on the policy issues as well as policy versus technical trade-offs with a focus on the V2V environment. The Tuesday session (IntelliDriveSM Safety Program Overview) will be broadcast live as a Webinar for those who are not able to attend in person. To register, visit http://www.itsa.org/itsa/files/Chicago%20Registration%206.16.10.doc.
The ITS JPO will also hold an ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Workshop on July 21, 2010 in conjunction with the IntelliDrive Safety Workshop. The PCB Workshop is designed to gather input from stakeholders and users of the ITS PCB Program. For more information about the PCB Workshop, please see the information below.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 30, 2010 (JPO)
July 21, 2010
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Hilton Chicago Northbrook, Chicago, Illinois
The ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) of the U.S. DOT is holding an ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Workshop on July 21, 2010 in Chicago, IL in conjunction with the IntelliDriveSM Safety Workshop. This workshop is designed to gather input from stakeholders and users of the ITS PCB Program. Activities will include:
• Engaging the audience in a discussion of how the PCB program can assist in attaining the goals of the new ITS Strategic Research Plan (View the ITS Strategic Plan and related documentation - http://www.its.dot.gov/strat_plan/index.htm)
• Gathering stakeholder input on learning needs
• Discussing purpose and goals of the ITS PCB Program from 2011-2014
This workshop will be a mix of presentation and discussion with the goal of exploring the next set of program strategies that best meet existing and future needs.
This workshop is free of charge. To register, complete the form at http://hosting-source.bronto.com/458/public/Chicago.doc and e-mail it to bwhitty@itsa.org, or fax it to 202-484-3483. Mark the form, “Attending ITS Professional Capacity Building Workshop.” Please contact Mac Lister at (202) 366-0375 or mac.lister@dot.gov if you have any questions.
Categories > Positions Available :: June 30, 2010 (FHWA)
This position is located in the Federal Highway Administration Resource Center and is established to serve as the technical authority in the operations analysis of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Freight and Transportation Management Strategies. The primary function of this position is to advance the application of analytical methods to ensure efficient operational performance of the transportation system. This includes the identification and application of techniques and tools to analyze systems operations and traffic flow. The areas of emphasis will draw upon the skill sets associated with traffic forecasting, dynamic traffic assignment, highway capacity and quality of flow, simulation and other complementary traffic analysis techniques. This position is responsible for supporting national policy formulation, national problem solving, and developing, promoting, and demonstrating state-of-the-art technology within the fields of transportation management. To see the full announcement and to apply, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 30, 2010 (FHWA)
The FY 2010 Appropriations Act appropriated funds for National Infrastructure Investments (TIGER II Discretionary Grants). Funds for the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area or a region. TIGER II also allows U.S. DOT to make Planning Grants for activities related to the planning, preparation or design of eligible projects, including transportation corridors or regional transportation systems. Join Beth Osborne, US Department of Transportation Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, along with representatives of the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Maritime Administration as they discuss the program, selection criteria, evaluations, and application process for TIGER II Planning Grants. If U.S. DOT and HUD move forward with a joint solicitation, a representative from the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development will join this presentation.
Categories > Now Available :: June 30, 2010 (NTOC)
A new blog is now available called MobileSynergetics.com. It was created to further the understanding of technologies such as ITS and Cooperative Mobility, and of their potentially beneficial impact on our global transportation ecosystem and worldwide environment. We will accomplish this by providing timely news, analysis, and information on a broad range of relevant topics, including:
• On-board, roadside, and centralized control and computing hardware and software
• Wireless technologies for short, medium, and long range vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications
• Industry standards and standards bodies
• Local, regional, and international policies, programs, and initiatives
• New products, technologies, and services offered by ITS stakeholders
• Market and industry trend data
To visit the blog, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 30, 2010 (NTOC)
Architects, engineers, and safety and security managers are invited to attend this short course on Modern Protective Structures, sponsored by the University of Florida and the Center for Infrastructure Protection and Physical Security (CIPPS) and co-sponsored by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) and the Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP). Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, and defending society against this form of rapidly evolving type of warfare will remain a challenge throughout the 21st century.
Professor Ted Krauthammer, Director of CIPPS at the University of Florida, will be conducting a comprehensive, five-day, short course titled: Modern Protective Structures, at a state-of-the-art training center in Arlington, VA, from July 19 through July 23, 2010. This updated course includes information on protecting our critical buildings, infrastructure facilities, and various other structural systems. Participants will receive the book Modern Protective Structures, a CD with extensive technical references, and hands on practice on several computer codes that will be included with the CD. For additional information please use the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 30, 2010 (NTOC)
With the advent of express, ticketless payment booths across the country, parking facilities are looking for ways to show the benefits of these systems to frequent visitors.
Several top North American airports have recently installed variable message centers which have proven to be an effective solution for sorting travelers into the correct exit lanes as they approach parking exit plazas.
“It’s a great technology with great benefits for our facility,” said Jeff Courteau, Manager of Parking Systems at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP). In 2003, MSP introduced an express credit card payment system called ePark® – allowing travelers to swipe a credit card on the way into the facility and then again on their way out – reducing wait times and greatly reducing the need for tickets or cashiers. “The challenge was to get them into the correct lanes and send them on their way as efficiently as possible. We saw a dramatic decrease in frustrating wrong-lane activity in our exit plazas and I credit it mostly to our full-color LED displays.”
In addition to mitigating wrong-lane entries, full-color text and graphics allow motorists to recognize messages and choose exit lanes in a timelier, safer manner. According to a recent University of Rhode Island study, enhancing text-based messages with images improves reaction time by an average of 35 percent. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 30, 2010 (NTOC)
Drivers stuck in traffic won't be seeing red for long. That's the goal of a proposed $36.8 million project that would connect Columbus' 1,000 traffic lights to a central command station. Then, traffic engineers could adjust the timing of lights throughout the city whenever they see crashes or other problems that could snarl traffic. Controllers at the Traffic Management Center already can monitor Downtown streets and adjust signals to keep vehicles moving. But outside the central city, many lights are pre-programmed and can't be changed on the fly. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 30, 2010 (NTOC)
Companies worried about drivers trying to sneak a squealing wheelie with their commercial vehicles now have a way to instantly track and prevent such maneuvers without having a traffic cop ride shotgun. Offering a product that some critics say reminds them too much of Big Brother, a California company has been outfitting vehicles with devices that warn drivers when they've suddenly swerved or slammed on the brakes and then post the information online for managers to see.
The company that developed the devices, GreenRoad Technologies Inc., said the system helps slice risky driving behavior in half and is eco-friendly. Executives said clients are saving as much as $4,000 per vehicle per year, and on average crashes have been reduced by 54 percent, crash repair costs slashed by 49 percent and fuel costs cut by up to 15 percent. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (JPO)
As part of the IntelliDriveSM Dynamic Mobility Applications Program, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is soliciting ideas for transformative applications that would leverage IntelliDriveSM data and communications capabilities to improve the performance of the transportation system and to improve the nature, accuracy, precision and/or speed of dynamic decision making by transportation system managers and travelers. Dynamic Mobility Applications are real-time monitoring and management tools enabling transportation system efficiency and mobility between and across modes (of freight, transit, and passenger vehicle). This is not a request for proposals.
A template has been created for stakeholders to submit ideas for development of future transformative applications to improve Intelligent Transportation Systems. The blank template, instructions and a sample completed template for reference is available online at: http://www.its.dot.gov/intellidrive/app_template/DMA_template.htm.
U.S. DOT would like to hear from you about how wireless applications linking travelers, vehicles, transportation management systems and other infrastructure can provide safe, reliable and secure transport of people and goods. Any and all suggestions would be helpful to this program. Share your ideas by completing the Dynamic Mobility Applications Program template by July 31, 2010. They can be submitted online or sent to DMA-Template@dot.gov. Also, see the notice below about the upcoming Webinar to introduce and explain the template.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (JPO)
As part of the IntelliDriveSM Dynamic Mobility Applications Program, the U.S. DOT is soliciting ideas of transformative applications that would use IntelliDriveSM –its data, communications, devices, infrastructure – to improve transportation system performance and the nature, accuracy, precision or speed of dynamic decision making by both system managers and system users. A template has been developed as an aid to the stakeholders and others that wish to submit ideas, and provide a level of consistency for the submittals.
This Webinar, on June 24 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. EDT, will introduce and describe the template, its availability as well as availability of related resources, and the planned next steps. Presenter: Robert Rupert, FHWA Office of Operations, and Kate Hartman, ITS-JPO. To register, please click on the link above. To learn more about IntelliDriveSM, please visit http://www.its.dot.gov/intellidrive/.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (JPO)
The ITS Cost Database (see link above) provides both unit costs (Capital, O&M, and Lifetime) for individual ITS components, and System Cost examples of different ITS system deployments. These costs are available to help state and local agencies plan and program new projects, perform cost benefit analyses, and compare their experiences with others.
In 2010, the ITS/JPO Evaluation Program is conducting a review and update of the Costs database in order to collect and enter new sources of cost information and to account for new/emerging services and technologies. The Evaluation Program is also interested in user feedback and input on ways to make the information and the ITS Costs web site more relevant and usable in meeting their needs.
Consequently, the ITS Joint Program Office is requesting any information that you may have on sources and contacts for both new unit cost data and/or system cost estimates.
Examples of information that would be useful:
• Databases maintained by states or local agencies used for independent cost estimates
• State contract schedules, actual bids and proposals
• Cost/benefit studies and plans and evaluation studies where costs are documented
• Project progress or evaluation reports, research reports, or other documents that contain recent information on ITS costs at the system or component level.
• Costs may be actual, bid, estimated, or forecast. They may also be contained in larger construction or operations projects.
• Contact information for follow through, clarification, or additional data on any specific sources provided above.
•
We are also interested in hearing your feedback, and welcome your input. If you know of others that may have ITS cost information, please let them know about this request.
Please send responses or questions regarding this request to ITSCosts@Noblis.org.
Feel free to contact Cheryl Lowrance (202-863-2986, Cheryl.Lowrance@noblis.org) or Jim Bunch (202-863-2984, JABunch@noblis.org) of Noblis for additional clarification, questions, or comments on the ITS Costs Database.
If you have questions regarding this request for information or the ITS Evaluation Program please contact me at 202-366-4374 (James.Pol@dot.gov).
Categories > New Resource :: June 16, 2010 (FHWA)
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has released a report that explores regional information on projected climate change effects that are most relevant to the U.S. highway system. The report is designed to help inform assessments of the risks and vulnerabilities facing the current transportation system, and to assist in planning and project development activities.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 16, 2010 (NTOC)
Audi demonstrated in Germany its "travolution" technology that enables cars to communicate with traffic singles using wireless LANs and UMTS links so drivers can better time the lights and reduce fuel consumption. It's not just the flow of traffic that's improved by missing red lights--a 2006 study revealed that reducing waiting times at traffic lights could cut fuel consumption by 17 percent. In Germany, this calculation would save almost 185,000 gallons of fuel each year. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 16, 2010 (NTOC)
With his jeans, white trainers and stripy top, Bob is every inch the well-dressed 6-year-old. He's standing in the middle of a hotel parking lot and, scarily, I'm driving straight at him. Instead of hitting the brakes, I put my foot down on the accelerator. With only about 10 yards to go, a row of red lights flashes across my windshield, and there's an urgent, high-pitched beeping sound. An instant later, I am jerked forward as the brakes slam on automatically and the car screeches to a halt just short of Bob's stomach. This is what Bob is for. The child-size dummy has just helped me test the first in-car system that can sense an imminent collision with pedestrians and brake automatically if the driver doesn't. It is being tested by Volvo Car Corp. in its new S60 model.
The system is the latest in a line of developments made possible by sophisticated sensors based on cameras, radar and lasers. These sensors already provide drivers with adaptive cruise control, which alters a car's speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, as well as technology such as semi-autonomous parking systems.
Yet according to Jonas Ekmark, a researcher at Volvo headquarters near Gothenburg, Sweden, this is just the start. He says we are entering an era in which vehicles will also gather real-time information about the weather and highway hazards, using this to improve fuel efficiency and make life less stressful for the driver and safer for all road users. "Our long-term goal is the collision-free traffic system," says Ekmark. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (JPO)
The U.S. Department of Transportation's ITS Joint Program Office, part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, will hold a three-day workshop to present and discuss IntelliDriveSM safety technical and policy research roadmaps on July 20-22, 2010 at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook, in Chicago, Illinois. The first day will provide a detailed discussion of the technical research activities within the major IntelliDrive safety program initiatives. Days two and three will focus on the policy issues as well as policy vs. technical trade-offs with a focus on the V2V environment. There will be a free Webinar available for the July 20 presentations only. This workshop is for all parties interested in IntelliDrive safety related activities.
DATE
Tuesday-Thursday, July 20-22, 2010
TIME
Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (IntelliDrive Safety Program)
LOCATION
*Please make your hotel reservations under the room block "Intellidrive".
Hilton Chicago Northbrook
2855 North Milwaukee Avenue
Northbrook, IL 60062-6103
Phone: 847-480-7500 Fax: 847-480-0827
REGISTRATION
This workshop is free of charge using the online ITS America registration process. The registration page can be found here: https://webportal.itsa.org/LogIn/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Conference/RegistrationProcessOverview.aspx?id=50&id=50
Categories > Breaking News :: June 16, 2010 (NTOC)
Trapeze Group announced their Demand Response Software is a go-to standard for transportation scheduling software within Kansas. From call taking to dispatching, the browser-based dispatch software is an easy-to-use application for many aspects of demand response operations.
As a third-generation transit software product from Trapeze, NOVUS for Demand Response (DR) is based on years of experience in delivering demand response solutions. Trapeze gives one of their most recent installation sites, Kansas Department of Transportation, the tools they need for their dial-a-ride, community transportation and coordinated service to communicate more efficiently, productively, cost-effectively and securely from any location to any operator on route. From vast open rural areas with rolling wheat fields to urban areas as complex as any -the goals of KDOT are to meet the needs and challenges of transit and provide the citizens of Kansas with a basic level of mobility including essential health and social services.
To download a case study on Kansas' Coordinated Transportation, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 16, 2010 (NTOC)
Minnesota construction companies pay an estimated $150 million in added costs and lose 77,000 days of worker productivity annually because of traffic congestion, according to a survey of construction firms released Thursday by an industry associate.Eighteen percent of Minnesota construction companies — the highest level among the states and twice the national average — report their costs are boosted 11 percent or more by traffic snarls.
Those conclusions were released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) at a manufacturing plant in Brooklyn Park that makes Caterpillar road-paving equipment. With construction industry employment hard hit by the current recession, the industry association is kicking off a lobbying campaign to put transportation funding on the front burner in Washington.
The nationwide survey of nearly 1,200 companies, conducted in late April and May, found traffic congestion and the delays it causes are costing the nation’s construction firms an estimated $23 billion in added expenses and 3.7 million days of lost productivity industry-wide each year.
Categories > New Resource :: June 16, 2010 (FHWA)
In the past, much, or all, of recurring congestion was felt to be a systemic problem ("not enough lanes") but much of the root cause of recurring congestion is in fact subordinate locations within a facility; i.e., "bottlenecks" and chokepoints. Elsewhere on the same facility and during the same hours, the facility runs free. This document is meant to discuss when, where and how to study small, localized sections of a facility (e.g., on/off ramps, merges, lane drops, intersections, weaves, etc.) In cost-effective means. Some chokepoints are (or seem) obvious in their solution; add a turn lane, widen a stretch of highway, retime a signal, or separate a movement by ramp. However, the solution can often lead to hidden or supplementary problems; hidden bottlenecks, disruptions upstream, or undue influence on abutting accesses, etc Analyzing localized sections of highway is different from analyzing entire corridors or regions. Micro simulation analysis products vary in their target applications and purported results. This document will provide guidance that specifies the choice of analysis tools and inputs necessary to analyze localized problem areas. It also provides some guidance as to when analysis it warranted, and what data inputs are required. (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-09-042)
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (TRB)
TRB is now accepting papers for consideration as part of the program for the TRB 90th Annual Meeting, January 23-27, 2011, in Washington, D.C, and for publication in the Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board (TRR). The spotlight theme for the 90th Annual Meeting is Transportation, Livability, and Economic Development in a Changing World. The recent global economic downturn combined with a growing emphasis on more livable communities are changing the context within which transportation programs are planned and implemented. Spotlight sessions at the 2011 TRB Annual Meeting will examine the synergies among transportation, livability, and economic development, including how their coalescence can contribute to a more sustainable future. In addition to the general calls for papers produced by many of TRB's standing committees, authors are invited to submit papers related to the spotlight theme. Unsolicited papers are always welcome.
Authors planning to submit papers receive password-controlled, limited web access to individual papers published in the Transportation Research Record (TRR): Journal of the Transportation Research Board since 1996. Access will be provided after submission of an abstract for a paper via the paper submission website. This feature allows authors access to some of the latest research in their areas of interest. Papers will be accepted only in PDF format. All papers must be submitted via TRB's Paper Submission website prior to 11:59 p.m. EDT Sunday, August 1, 2010.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (TRB)
TRB is sponsoring a Workshop on Research Needs for IntelliDrive Applications for the Public Sector on September 20-23, 2010, in Irvine, California. The workshop is designed to focus on the public-sector needs associated with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s IntelliDrive program. Topics expected to be explored include the safety, operational, financial, and staffing impacts of IntelliDrive.
Categories > Opportunity :: June 16, 2010 (FHWA)
FHWA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Washington DOT, and the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) are sponsoring a Regional Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) Product Demonstration Showcase on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at the Talaris Conference Center in Seattle. This one day event if FREE and is hosted by the Washington DOT; additional information can be found through the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: June 10, 2010 (JPO)
Dear Colleagues:
The ITS Cost Database (see link) provides both unit costs (Capital, O&M, and Lifetime) for individual ITS components, and System Cost examples of different ITS system deployments. These costs are available to help state and local agencies plan and program new projects, perform cost benefit analyses, and compare their experiences with others.
In 2010 the ITS/JPO Evaluation Program is conducting a review and update of the Costs database in order to collect and enter new sources of cost information and to account for new/emerging services and technologies. The Evaluation Program is also interested in user feedback and input on ways to make the information and the ITS Costs web site more relevant and usable in meeting their needs.
Consequently, we are requesting:
Any information that you may have on sources and contacts for both new unit cost data and/or system cost estimates
ITS unit cost or system cost data.
Examples of information that would be useful:
Databases maintained by states or local agencies used for independent cost estimates
State contract schedules, actual bids and proposals
Cost/benefit studies and plans and evaluation studies where costs are documented
Project progress or evaluation reports, research reports, or other documents that contain recent information on ITS costs at the system or component level.
Costs may be actual, bid, estimated, or forecast. They may also be contained in larger construction or operations projects.
Contact information for follow through, clarification, or additional data on any specific sources provided above.
We are also interested in hearing your feedback, and welcome your input. If you know of others that may have ITS cost information, please let them know about this request.
Please send responses or questions) regarding this request to ITSCosts@Noblis.org.
Feel free to contact Cheryl Lowrance (202-863-2986, Cheryl.Lowrance@noblis.org ) or Jim Bunch (202-863-2984, JABunch@noblis.org ) of Noblis for additional clarification, questions, or comments on the ITS Costs Database.
If you have questions regarding this request for information or the ITS Evaluation Program please contact me at 202-366-4374 (James.Pol@dot.gov).
