NTOC Talks, a Newsletter of the National Transportation Operations Coalition
Categories > Breaking News :: January 25, 2012 (FHWA)
Jeffrey Lindley, Associate Administrator for Operations, FHWA, issued a Memorandum on January 20, 2012 on the status of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) Compliance Dates Rulemaking. The comment period for the Notice of Proposed Amendment that proposed to eliminate, revise, or extend compliance dates for traffic control devices in the MUTCD closed on October 31, 2011. FHWA is currently analyzing the comments received and expects to publish the final rule in the summer of 2012.
To read the complete memorandum, click on the link above. For more information about MUTCD, visit http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/res-notices.htm.
Categories > Breaking News :: January 25, 2012 (TRB)
The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Annual Meeting is taking place in Washington, DC this week. You can stay updated on highlights from the meeting through TRB’s new Annual Meeting Daily Newsletter.
Today’s Annual Meeting Daily features an exclusive interview with the Chairman's Luncheon keynote speaker Earl Swift, author of The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways.
January 25 Annual Meeting Daily: http://www.trb.org/AMDaily/AMD20120125.aspx
January 24 Annual Meeting Daily: http://www.trb.org/AMDaily/AMD20120124.aspx
January 23 Annual Meeting Daily: http://www.trb.org/amdaily/AMD20120123a.aspx
January 22 Annual Meeting Daily: http://www.trb.org/amdaily/AMD20120122a.aspx
January 21 Annual Meeting Daily: http://www.trb.org/amdaily/AMD20120121a.aspx
Categories > Now Available :: January 25, 2012 (NTOC)
In 2010, drivers in U.S. urban areas were estimated to have wasted 1.9 billion gallons of fuel. In the absence of substantial and effective policy intervention, estimates suggest 29 and 65 percent increases in wasted fuel, and equally large increases in travel delays, by 2015 and 2030 respectively.
Written by Securing America’s Future Energy, the policy report “Congestion in America” identifies flexible, multi-dimensional transportation infrastructure policies that address traffic congestion across the country, increase traveler mobility, and reduce wasted time and fuel. The range of options available to policymakers can be grouped into four primary categories:
Road Traffic Management
Accident/Incident Resolution
Public Transit and Other Alternatives
Urban Planning and Development
These strategies will achieve the greatest impact on U.S. oil consumption when designed and deployed in a cohesive and complementary fashion which emphasizes the use of appropriate technology, streamlined review processes, and rigorous cost-benefit analysis. Ultimately, effective policies to mitigate and reverse the negative impacts of congestion on the U.S. economy will help reduce wasteful oil consumption in the transportation sector and restore the mobility upon which our dynamic economy depends for continued future growth. To access the report, click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: January 25, 2012 (ITE)
Institute of Transportation (ITE) Past President Paul Eng-Wong, Principal, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., discusses dangerous roads on the new Discovery Channel show, Hell Roads. The show premieres tonight, January 25 at 9 p.m., Eastern Time. It will re-air the same evening and subsequent periods in the next few weeks. For additional dates and times visit www.discovery.com and/or check your local listings.
Road traffic congestion results in wasteful oil consumption in cities of all sizes, and severely threatens the potential future oil-saving benefits associated with more efficient vehicles and alternatives fuels.
Categories > Opportunity :: January 25, 2012 (ITE)
Exceed expectations with ITE March 4–7, 2012, in Pasadena, CA at the ITE Technical Conference and Exhibit. The conference is designed to support transportation engineering, planning and multidisciplinary professionals responsible for management and operations of transportation systems. The meeting content will address the application and performance of multimodal transportation management strategies to exceed customer expectations within today’s budgetary constraints. The program will also seek to link transportation operations with livability, sustainability and economic competitiveness. For complete information and to register, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: January 25, 2012 (TRB)
The Transportation Research Board RTSMO Committee is implementing a new page on its Web site to provide links to various reports and programs that are of interest to regional operations and Committee focus areas. Click on the link above to view the new page on the site. The first document posted under Performance Monitoring is WSDOT's 2011 Congestion Report, also accessible here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/49910195-CB08-4FE9-AFAD-6D543C0F2FCC/0/2011_Congestion_Report.pdf
You can also now link up with RTSMO through two new social media sites that have been established for members, friends, and anyone with an interest in RTSMO:
Find us on LinkedIn Groups under TRB RTSMO Committee (AHB10)
"Like us" on Facebook, also under TRB RTSMO Committee (AHB10)
Categories > Now Available :: January 25, 2012 (JPO)
The Intelligent Transportation Systems Professional Capacity Building Program (PCB) is now offering free training on ITS standards. The courses describe how to evaluate, procure, and implement standards-based ITS devices and systems. The 18-module series is aimed at ITS practitioners in state and local highway agencies and transit agencies who seek the skills needed to procure, implement, and operate ITS standards-based devices and equipment. Consultants, system designers and integrators, and system testers will also find the training informative and are welcome to view the modules. Modules are free and can be viewed anytime on the ITS PCB website.
The new ITS for Students section will encourage students and faculty to explore the resources on the ITS PCB website and learn about careers in ITS. The section also includes information about university ITS research and educational programs.
Students and faculty can learn about a learn about the winning project from the Connected Vehicle Technology Challenge; they can explore ITS college credit courses offered by the Consortium for ITS Training and Education learn about ITS career opportunities, and check out other ITS Education and Career Resources.
For more information see the ITS PCB Website through the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: January 25, 2012 (FHWA)
The Federal Highway Administration's Office of Freight Management of Operations (HOFM) has released Freight Facts and Figures 2011. Among other topics, this publication reviews the volume and value of freight flows in the United States to assist decision makers, planners, and the public in recognizing the relationship between freight transportation and the economy.
Categories > Now Available :: January 25, 2012 (FHWA)
The Road Weather Informer is an informal communication that the Road Weather Management (RWM) program sends periodically to keep our public, private, and academia partners informed about events, recent publications, updates, and Federal and state news. To subscribe to the Road Weather Informer, e-mail Paul Pisano at paul.pisano@dot.gov. For more information on the RWM program, go to http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp.
Categories > Opportunity :: January 25, 2012 (TRB)
TRB is sponsoring the 2012 International Conference on Winter Maintenance and Surface Transportation Weather on April 30-May 3, 2012, in Coralville, Iowa. The meeting is designed to help improve snow removal and ice control operations and the application of weather information in transportation agencies by providing a forum for the exchange of information on the state of the art and state of the practice in winter maintenance research and technology applications. Advance registration expires April 1, 2012. For more information, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: January 11, 2012 (NTOC)
Date: January 11, 2012
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST
This course is an introduction to the methods and practices used in traffic signal maintenance programs. Course materials are developed from the recently released ITE/IMSA Traffic Signal Maintenance Handbook.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the importance of an effective preventive maintenance program and be able to develop such a program given the resources available.
• Understand the need for specialized staffing, training and development in light of prevailing and emerging advancements in technology and applications.
• Understand the concept of maintenance management, its components and benefits.
• Understand the concept of maintenance-specific performance measures and their significance in funding justification and overall agency accountability.
Instructor: David A. Ellis, Traffic Engineer, David A. Ellis, LLC, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
Categories > Opportunity :: January 11, 2012 (NTOC)
Date: January 18, 2012
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST
This course provides information on performance management techniques for organizations responsible for delivering traffic signal services to define measures of success and to integrate these into their program.
Learning Objectives:
• Describe the elements of performance management.
• Explain the selection process and key elements of measures of success (organization/system/customer).
• Identify data sources needed to support performance measures.
• Examine methods to integrate measures of success into decision making for resource allocation.
• Recognize and describe the factors that lead to successful performance management in signal systems:
• Tool for evaluation and continuous improvement;
• Method to engage staff and affect organizational culture;
• Opportunity to communicate with customers through reporting tools; and
• Sustainability for ongoing achievement of customer and organizational goals.
Instructor: Gary B. Thomas, Center Director, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX, USA
Categories > Opportunity :: January 11, 2012 (JPO)
This free T3 Webinar will take place February 2, 2012, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. EST. The purpose of this webinar is to introduce the National Highway Institute's (NHI) new Turbo Architecture Web-based course to potential users (students) in the ITS community. The webinar assumes that participants have a general knowledge of ITS concepts and terminology, including National ITS Architecture terms. For more information and to register, visit the link above.
T3 Webinars are brought to you by the ITS Professional Capacity Building Program (ITS PCB) at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (US DOT) ITS Joint Program Office, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). Reference in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by U.S. Department of Transportation.
Categories > New Resource :: January 11, 2012 (TRB)
New this year, TRB will be publishing the TRB Annual Meeting Daily. The AM Daily is a free, mobile-friendly electronic newsletter that will provide readers with Annual Meeting insights, news, and highlights, as well as links to each day’s schedule and more. Notices of the Daily’s availability will be distributed by e-mail each morning to Annual Meeting registrants. Non-Annual Meeting registrants are eligible to receive the Daily and are encouraged to subscribe today.
Designed to be viewable in the palm of your hand by various mobile devices, the Daily will also be able to be used by those accessing it on a desk-top or lap-top computer.
You are encouraged to register online now for the TRB 91st Annual Meeting, January 22-26, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Registration is required for all Annual Meeting attendees, including those who register to attend any workshop or utilize services provided onsite such as the shuttle and Employment Opportunities room.
Categories > Breaking News :: January 11, 2012 (ITS America)
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) recognized the City of Pleasanton, California for being one of the first cities in the country to procure and install a new traffic signal vehicle detection device that uses radar-like sensors to more easily detect bicycle traffic and make street crossings safer for cyclists and motorists.
“The ‘Intersector’ allows cyclists and vehicles to co-exist safely on the road and ITS America applauds the City of Pleasanton for working to become more bike friendly,” said ITS America President and CEO Scott Belcher. “The project is a perfect example of how using intelligent transportation applications can benefit the public and demonstrates how technology can be a cost-effective means to improve public safety. We think this project could be emulated in other cities across the country.”
The “Intersector” is a radar style detection device that is unique in that it uses microwave and presence sensors to identify and differentiate between different vehicle types including bicycles. The “Intersector” not only detects bicyclists anywhere on the roadway, it provides bicycle traffic signal timing only when bicycles are actually present at the intersection. The sensors, which cost between $4,000-5,000 per sensor, can either work in conjunction with existing vehicle detection technology or can be installed as a comprehensive detection device. The biggest difference between existing sensors and vehicle detection technologies and the “Intersector” is the ability to differentiate between vehicle and bicycle traffic.
Categories > Opportunity :: January 11, 2012 (NTOC)
Improving the efficiency of goods movement in and through an urban core is a high-priority for the U.S. DOT. The Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) is a bundle of three transformative applications that will provide operational solutions to this pressing issue. Being developed by FHWA and the Intelligent Transportation System Joint Program Office (ITS JPO), and in concert with the business community, the three applications are: (1) Freight Real-Time Traveler Information with Performance Measures: enhances traveler information systems to address specific freight needs and increase their use and effectiveness. (2) Drayage Optimization: Optimizes drayage operations so that load movements are coordinated among freight facilities - maximizes productive moves and seeks to eliminate unproductive ones. (3) Freight Dynamic Route Guidance: Utilizes real-time traveler information assets to provide best route options between freight facilities for carriers. For complete information and to register, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: January 11, 2012 (FHWA)
This document was developed to provide guidance to state and local transportation personnel on how to overcome barriers and challenges to implementation of localized congestion relief projects. It presents and describes examples of institutional, design, funding and safety challenges that agencies face when trying to develop unique solutions to localized congestion problems. (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-11-034)
Categories > Breaking News :: January 11, 2012 (NTOC)
Transurban, the company that will operate the high-occupancy toll lanes on the Capital Beltway, is about to launch a year-long education campaign designed to get drivers familiar with how the new lanes will work. In fact, the long-established custom of referring to them as “HOT lanes” will start to fade in favor of the designation that drivers will see on the highway signs: “Express Lanes.” The reference complies with Federal Highway Administration standards, which are fairly strict in establishing uniform rules for highway markings. Even as the construction project developed along 14 miles of Beltway in Virginia, Transurban has been building up to this education and marketing campaign. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: January 11, 2012 (ITE)
Exceed expectations with ITE March 4–7, 2012, in Pasadena, CA at the ITE Technical Conference and Exhibit. The conference is designed to support transportation engineering, planning and multidisciplinary professionals responsible for management and operations of transportation systems. The meeting content will address the application and performance of multimodal transportation management strategies to exceed customer expectations within today’s budgetary constraints. The program will also seek to link transportation operations with livability, sustainability and economic competitiveness. For complete information and to register, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: January 11, 2012 (TRB)
TRB is sponsoring the 2012 International Conference on Winter Maintenance and Surface Transportation Weather on April 30-May 3, 2012, in Coralville, Iowa. The meeting is designed to help improve snow removal and ice control operations and the application of weather information in transportation agencies by providing a forum for the exchange of information on the state of the art and state of the practice in winter maintenance research and technology applications. Advance registration expires April 1, 2012. For more information, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: December 29, 2011 (NTOC)
Save the dates for the following free NTOC Webinars in January. Registration will be available soon through the link above.
Maintenance Management for Signal Systems
Date: January 11, 2012
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST
This course is an introduction to the methods and practices used in traffic signal maintenance programs. Course materials are developed from the recently released ITE/IMSA Traffic Signal Maintenance Handbook.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the importance of an effective preventive maintenance program and be able to develop such a program given the resources available.
• Understand the need for specialized staffing, training and development in light of prevailing and emerging advancements in technology and applications.
• Understand the concept of maintenance management, its components and benefits.
• Understand the concept of maintenance-specific performance measures and their significance in funding justification and overall agency accountability.
Instructor: David A. Ellis, Traffic Engineer, David A. Ellis, LLC, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
Performance Management for Signal Systems
Date: January 18, 2012
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST
This course provides information on performance management techniques for organizations responsible for delivering traffic signal services to define measures of success and to integrate these into their program.
Learning Objectives:
• Describe the elements of performance management.
• Explain the selection process and key elements of measures of success (organization/system/customer).
• Identify data sources needed to support performance measures.
• Examine methods to integrate measures of success into decision making for resource allocation.
• Recognize and describe the factors that lead to successful performance management in signal systems:
• Tool for evaluation and continuous improvement;
• Method to engage staff and affect organizational culture;
• Opportunity to communicate with customers through reporting tools; and
• Sustainability for ongoing achievement of customer and organizational goals.
Instructor: Gary B. Thomas, Center Director, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX, USA
Categories > Opportunity :: December 29, 2011 (I-95 Corridor Coalition)
The I-95 Corridor Coalition will be conducting the third offering of the highly acclaimed Freight Academy, an Immersion Program for Public Sector Transportation Professionals, from April 15-20, 2012. The Freight Academy classroom program will be conducted at the Center for Advanced Infrastructure Training (CAIT) at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. The program is open to public sector agency personnel from throughout North America.
The application period has been extended thru January 3, 2012. A limited number of scholarships are available for award to selected applicants from I-95 Corridor Coalition member/affiliate agencies.
The Freight Academy is a unique, week-long immersion program designed to efficiently train public sector agency staff involved in planning, operational, and/or management activities that impact goods movement decisions, investments and interactions. Participants will have opportunities to see and learn from the perspectives of predominantly private sector instructors/ hosts about the inner workings of the goods movements system, including marine terminals, warehouse and distribution centers, air cargo operations, trucking operations, and rail operations.
To submit an application visit www.freightacademy.org. Questions on the Academy (including if applicants are having difficulty meeting the deadline for applications due to the need for internal agency approvals or other scheduling contacts) should be directed to I-95 Corridor Coalition Freight Program Coordinator, Marygrace Parker at i95mgp@ttlc.net or 518-852-4083.
Categories > Opportunity :: December 29, 2011 (ITS America)
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) today announced that it will sponsor a session entitled “New Applications Using Vehicle-to-X Technology” at the 2012 International CES®, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, scheduled January 10-13, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The International CES® attracts more than 140,000 of the top executives, retail buyers, content providers, entertainment executives, venture capitalists, engineers, government officials and media from more than 140 countries.
The session is Tuesday, January 10, 2012 from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), North Hall, Room N258. There is a nominal fee to attend this session. To register for this session, please click on the link above.
Categories > Breaking News :: December 29, 2011 (AASHTO)
For most Massachusetts workers, commuting is a slow, solitary task. Even in towns and cities best served by trains and buses, more people get to work by car or truck than by public transportation, and most drive alone. It takes them longer to arrive at their destination, an average of 27.3 minutes, than workers in 46 other states.
New Census figures detail these and other aspects of the lengths to which we go to get to work. The longest trips are not always where they might seem most likely, partly a result of commuting patterns that have shifted along with the growth of jobs along Route 128 and I-495, transportation analysts said. “Now we’re seeing a lot of journeys that are not the traditional journey from a suburb into Boston,” said Joseph Sussman, a professor and interim director of the Engineering Systems Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
The new information on commutes will play a role in planning transportation projects and development in the region, said Eric Bourassa, transportation manager at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Read the complete article through the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: December 29, 2011 (TRB)
Housing reservations for the TRB 91st Annual Meeting, January 22-26, 2012, will be accepted through January 5, 2012, or until the TRB room block is sold out. Please act quickly if you are planning to attend the meeting-some hotels are already sold out. Annual Meeting registration is required to secure a hotel reservation. At the time of registration, you will have the ability to make your hotel reservation. For complete information about the meeting, click on the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: December 29, 2011 (ITE)
Exceed expectations with ITE March 4–7, 2012, in Pasadena, CA at the ITE Technical Conference and Exhibit. The conference is designed to support transportation engineering, planning and multidisciplinary professionals responsible for management and operations of transportation systems. The meeting content will address the application and performance of multimodal transportation management strategies to exceed customer expectations within today’s budgetary constraints. The program will also seek to link transportation operations with livability, sustainability and economic competitiveness. For complete information and to register, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: December 29, 2011 (TRB)
The Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation at the University of Florida has released a report that explores how cost and congestion influence supply chain location and distribution decisions through the use of game theory. To read the report, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: December 29, 2011 (AASHTO)
Just in time for the holidays, the Kansas Department of Transportation has released new features for KanDrive (www.kandrive.org), the traveler information gateway for Kansas and surrounding states. Specifically, several new features have been added to the 511 map page (http://511.ksdot.org).
RSS feeds and GeoRSS feeds are now available for roadwork activities and weather conditions. By selecting the RSS links located in the lower left corner, you will see text reports for roadwork projects and weather-related road conditions. You may also subscribe to the feeds that are automatically downloaded to your computer. GeoRSS feeds provide the same information as the RSS feeds but shows a geographic location, such as a Google map. In order to view, users must have a GeoRSS reader, which can be downloaded from the Internet.
Categories > Training :: December 15, 2011 (NTOC)
NTOC is pleased to announce the December Talking Operations Webinar series on Traffic Signal Program Management. There will also be a series of Webinars on additional topics in January. Please click on the link above for course information and free registration.
Categories > Breaking News :: December 15, 2011 (FHWA)
This document was developed to provide guidance to state and local transportation personnel on how to overcome barriers and challenges to implementation of localized congestion relief projects. It presents and describes examples of institutional, design, funding and safety challenges that agencies face when trying to develop unique solutions to localized congestion problems. (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-11-034)
Categories > Now Available :: December 15, 2011 (NTOC)
This Webinar covered how work zone process reviews are used to help agencies assess their work zone policies and procedures and how they are working in practice. FHWA and State DOT representatives from Colorado, Iowa, and Louisiana shared how they worked together to conduct a review, what worked well and what did not, actions taken as a result of the review, and lessons learned that other States can apply to their process reviews. A recording of the Webinar, transcript, and the presentations are now available.
Categories > Breaking News :: December 15, 2011 (NTOC)
Peek, Imtech’s provider of intelligent mobility solutions, will be launching the first commercially available cooperative ITS platform – a platform for cooperative intelligent transport systems – during “Verkeer & Mobiliteit 2011,” the Dutch trade fair for traffic and mobility. Its application will not only considerably increase road safety and reduce CO2 emissions but will also cut fuel consumption by 20% and enable highly reliable travel times in urban areas. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > Now Available :: December 15, 2011 (US DOT)
This new report presents information on the benefits, costs, deployment levels, and lessons learned regarding ITS deployment and operations obtained since the 2008 report.
The report is based upon four related Web-based databases, known collectively as the ITS Knowledge Resources (KRs). The Knowledge Resources were developed by the U.S. DOT’s ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) evaluation program to support informed decision making regarding ITS investments by tracking the effectiveness of deployed ITS. The Knowledge Resources contain over fifteen years of summaries of the benefits, costs, lessons learned, and deployment status of specific ITS implementations, drawn primarily from written sources such as ITS evaluation studies, research syntheses, handbooks, journal. To access the report, visit the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (TRB)
You are encouraged to register and make your hotel reservation online now for the TRB 91st Annual Meeting, January 22-26, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Early bird registration rates end today, November 30. Registration is required for all Annual Meeting attendees, including those who register to attend any workshop or utilize services provided onsite such as the shuttle and Employment Opportunities room.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (NTOC)
Register now for a free NTOC Webinar on Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations/ITS, taking place December 6, 2011 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. EST. This is part of the planning for operations Webinar series sponsored by FHWA. Registration is free and available through the link above.
Effective transportation systems and sound decision making result from using the right analysis tools and conveying information effectively. The term tools in this context applies not only to software and analytical applications, but also to basic analysis methods and procedures. This Webinar will help planners and operations professionals systematically choose transportation analysis tools and methods and formulate analytic approaches. The Webinar will highlight several case studies ranging from sketch planning to advanced travel modeling. The common thread among the case studies is the use of analytic approaches scaled to the scope of the problem at hand. The Webinar will promote the use of analysis tools to improve the linkage between planning and operations/ITS; provide participants with information and guidance on readily available analysis tools and methods; and discuss the pros/cons of various analytic methods.
Speakers include: Doug Laird, FHWA; Krista Jeannotte, Doug Sallman, and Chris Hedden, Cambridge Systematics; and case study presenters. Register now through the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (NTOC)
Registration is now available for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Offices of Operations and Innovative Program Delivery Webinar on Update on the Urban Partnership and Congestion Reduction Demonstration Programs on December 15, 2011 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm EST. This Webinar is part of the FHWA series entitled “Overcoming the Challenges of Congestion Pricing.” These Webinars are aimed at state and local agencies that are currently in the process of implementing or would like to implement congestion pricing; decision-makers/political leaders who want to better understand the benefits of congestion pricing; metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) that may be interested in incorporating pricing into their planning activities; and others who just want to learn more about congestion pricing strategies.
There is no cost to participate in this Webinar and it is open to everyone who is interested. You must register in advance through the link above. Once you register you will receive an email with login instructions.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (US DOT)
Following a year when 21 Utah Highway Patrol troopers were injured while assisting motorists after freeway crashes, new signs and a recently passed law aim to make state roadways safer.
The Utah Department of Transportation and UHP have unveiled new signage and reiterated the significance of a law that took effect in July that asks drivers that are involved in minor "fender–bender" collisions to move their vehicles off the interstate, to the nearest exit, before calling law enforcement. The signs will be posted along highways statewide. The new concept is a departure from what Utah drivers have practiced for decades, said the law's author, Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns.
"This is going to be a major educational process," he said. "It's going to be very hard (at first)." Hutchings said the idea for the change came during the last legislative session when seven troopers were struck and injured during the six-week period. He said it was then that he decided, "We've got to do something different. This procedure that we've created (of waiting for an officer after a crash) is going to get somebody killed."
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (US DOT)
Date: December 7, 2011
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET
Transportation systems are becoming increasingly complex and integrated systems, ones that incorporate numerous intricate control systems and sub-systems that work in tandem. The deepened use of communications and information technology has increased the efficiency and functionality of transportation systems. With this expanded functionality, however, comes a corresponding increase in potential vulnerabilities to transportation technologies. To ensure the safety of the traveling public, transportation agencies will need to learn about cyber security issues and how to develop and implement solid cyber security programs. This T3 Webinar will introduce the issues and concerns related to today's connected transportation environment and lay out best practices to help mitigate some of the potential vulnerabilities. The webinar will be hosted by Michael Dinning of the U.S. DOT John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.
This free Webinar is planned to be the first in a series of webinars aimed at addressing the growing tide of cyber security issues related to the transportation sector. Future sessions will focus on particular transportation modes, case studies, and insight for what is being done in those sectors to remediate issues now, and in the future. For complete information and to register, click on the link above.
T3 Webinars are brought to you by the ITS Professional Capacity Building Program (ITS PCB) at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (US DOT) ITS Joint Program Office, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (US DOT)
The Cooperative Transportation Systems Pooled Fund Study (CTS PFS), a group of 10 state and local transportation agencies and FHWA, is focused on research and application development to prepare agencies for the deployment of connected vehicle technology. As infrastructure owners and operators, the CTS PFS team is leading a project entitled “Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System” in cooperation with U.S. DOT’s Dynamic Mobility Applications Program. This project will conduct the foundational analysis and design necessary to prepare for the development and field testing/demonstration of a Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System, which will leverage the connected vehicle environment for multiple transportation modes, including pedestrians and passenger, transit, emergency, freight vehicles. For more information and link to the request for proposal, visit http://www.procurement.virginia.edu/pagerfp.
For more information about the Cooperative Transportation System Pooled Fund Study and their ongoing work please see visit the CTS PFS website, hosted by their technical and administrative support team at the University of Virginia: http://cts.virginia.edu/CTSPFS_1.html.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 30, 2011 (US DOT)
This Talking Freight Seminar will take place on December 14, 2011 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET. Click on the link above for complete information and to register.
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) proposes reauthorization of the nation's transportation programs for two years. MAP-21 includes a number of freight elements that address the need to improve goods movement. This session will highlight the sections of MAP-21 which have direct or indirect consequences for freight followed by a discussion of potential impacts to goods movement from this legislation and possible approaches to implementation.
Talking Freight seminars are eligible for 1.5 AICP Certification Maintenance Credits (for AICP members). In order to receive credit, you must attend the full seminar and login to the seminar with your full name or type your full name into the chat area during the seminar if you are in a room with a group of people. Visit the AICP web site for more information about AICP Certification Maintenance Credits.
If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Symoun, SAIC, 703-676-6849 or jennifer.e.symoun@saic.com.
Categories > Breaking News :: November 30, 2011 (NTOC)
Holiday shoppers will have several new tools to plot their travel strategy this season and more high-tech help is on the way. The Ohio Department of Transportation has installed 18 of 21 message boards planned for the Akron area. About 30 cameras of major traffic areas are working, with a total of 66 planned. A Web site that shows freeway speeds is already up and running.
Next year, a smart-phone application will receive traffic advisories for your commute every day before you leave home, three AM radio stations will broadcast up-to-the-minute traffic updates and you will be able to call a telephone number to plan your path. To read the complete article, click on the link above.
Categories > New Resource :: November 16, 2011 (NTOC)
Register now for a free NTOC Webinar on Developing and Reaching Agreement on Operations Objectives, taking place Tuesday, November 29, 2011, from 1:00 – 2:30 PM EST. This is part of the planning for operations Webinar series sponsored by FHWA.
This Webinar will assist operators and planners in applying an objectives-driven, performance-based approach to planning for operations in metropolitan areas. It will focus on the critical step of developing agreed-upon regional operations objectives. It will discuss the process of developing operations objectives, including how multiple agencies can work together to agree on these measurable objectives as part of the metropolitan transportation planning process. It will include presentations from two MPOs that will highlight their operations objectives, the process of developing them, and lessons learned.
Speakers will be Wayne Berman, FHWA; Deena Platman, Metro Portland, Oregon; and Mike Swearingen and Laura Brunn, San Joaquin Council of Governments, California. Register now through the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 16, 2011 (NTOC)
Register now for a free NTOC Webinar on Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations/ITS, taking place December 6, 2011 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. EST. This is part of the planning for operations Webinar series sponsored by FHWA.
Effective transportation systems and sound decision making result from using the right analysis tools and conveying information effectively. The term tools in this context applies not only to software and analytical applications, but also to basic analysis methods and procedures. This Webinar will help planners and operations professionals systematically choose transportation analysis tools and methods and formulate analytic approaches. The Webinar will highlight several case studies ranging from sketch planning to advanced travel modeling. The common thread among the case studies is the use of analytic approaches scaled to the scope of the problem at hand. The Webinar will promote the use of analysis tools to improve the linkage between planning and operations/ITS; provide participants with information and guidance on readily available analysis tools and methods; and discuss the pros/cons of various analytic methods.
Speakers include: Doug Laird, FHWA; Krista Jeannotte, Doug Sallman, and Chris Hedden, Cambridge Systematics; and case study presenters. Register now through the link above.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 16, 2011 (TRB)
You are encouraged to register and make your hotel reservation online now for the TRB 91st Annual Meeting, January 22-26, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Registering by November 30th will allow you to take advantage of the lower fees, help ensure that you obtain a hotel guest room, and provide access to the Interactive Program containing full session and individual presentation information. Advance-registered attendees—those who register by November 30th—will also receive access to all the papers included in the Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers. Access to the papers will be available through the Annual Meeting Online portal about three weeks before the meeting.
The TRB 91st Annual Meeting, January 22-26, 2012, in Washington, D.C., covers all transportation modes, with more than 3,000 presentations in nearly 650 sessions and workshops addressing topics of interest to all attendees—policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. Registration is available here: https://show.jspargo.com/trb2012/reg/default.asp?idmember
Categories > Now Available :: November 16, 2011 (NTOC)
The inaugural 2011 Congested Corridors Report is the first nationwide effort to identify reliability problems at specific stretches of highway responsible for significant traffic congestion at different times and different days. Analyses are performed along 328 specific (directional) freeway corridors in the United States. These corridors include many of the worst places for congestion in the United States, and the detailed data allow for more extensive analysis and a better picture of the locations, times and effects of stop-and-go traffic.
Categories > Now Available :: November 16, 2011 (I-95 Corridor Coalition)
Travelers from Maine to Florida this Thanksgiving holiday will be able to save time and better plan their trips thanks to a Web site that provides them with real-time traffic information and estimated drive times for roadways in and between major metropolitan areas along the East Coast.
Covering 15 states and 24 metropolitan areas along the I-95 corridor, www.i95travelinfo.net offers travelers speed and congestion information on the I-95 corridor, including I-95, the beltways surrounding each major city, and all associated routes that together make up the corridor. Visitors to the Web site can manipulate the map to zoom to any of the 15 states and Washington D.C. Traffic congestion information is presented using various color codes: green to indicate free flow; yellow for moderate congestion; red for heavy congestion; maroon for stop-and-go; and black to indicate a closed road.
Visitors to the www.i95travelinfo.net are able to choose from a list of predefined locations to set an origin and a destination point. The system then provides the estimated travel time, typical travel time at that time of day, distance between the two points, and a time stamp showing when conditions were last updated. Sample origin and destination locations include Portland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut ; New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Orlando, Florida
To learn more about the I-95 Corridor Coalition's work, see the projects profiled AT http://www.i95coalition.net/i95/Projects/tabid/81/Default.aspx. The site http://www.i95travelinfo.net was developed through the partnership of the I-95 Corridor Coalition, Atkins Global, and INRIX through funding received by FHWA.
Categories > Now Available :: November 16, 2011 (ITS America)
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is accepting submissions for papers and presentations for consideration for its 22nd Annual Meeting & Exposition, “Smart Transportation: A Future We Can Afford.” The three-day event will be held from May 21-23, 2012 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, just outside Washington, DC. ITS America’s 22nd Annual Meeting program will focus on affordable strategies to create smart cities and communities that are safer, cleaner, more livable and less congested.
Papers and presentations should expand upon the theme, “Smart Transportation: A Future We Can Afford” and be based on the following topics: Policy and Strategy; Next-Generation Traveler Information; Infrastructure, Traffic and Congestion Management; Public Transport; Freight and Commercial Vehicles; Cooperative Mobility; Vehicle Systems and Electronics; Environment; and Training and Education. Papers and presentation can now be submitted online at http://itswc.confex.com/itswc/AM2012/cfp.cgi.
The deadline for paper and presentation submissions is December 1. To download the call for papers, click here: http://www.itsa.org/images/cttdocs/11125%20its%202012%20mtgexpo%20call%20for%20papers.pdf.
For more information on ITS America’s 22nd Annual Meeting & Exposition, visit http://www.itsa.org/events/majorconferences/2012-meeting.
Categories > New Resource :: November 16, 2011 (AASHTO)
With the start of winter three weeks away, motorists, highway maintenance personnel, public officials, and journalists now have a new Website to turn to for information on safe winter roads. The site, http://www.safewinterroads.org/, was launched last week by the Salt Institute with a focus on two statistics: More than 116,000 Americans are injured and 1,300 killed every year on snowy or icy pavement, and snowstorms cost state economies as much as $700 million per day if roads become impassable.
"When a snowstorm hits, it's more than just an inconvenience to motorists," Lori Roman, the institute's president, said in a statement. "Lives are at risk if drivers must travel roads that are inadequately salted and cleared. State and local economies take big hits as commerce slows to a winter crawl."
The Salt Institute scoured its archives, boiled down research to the most essential points, and presented the information in a central place online. The new Website has sections on safety, commerce, the environment, and sensible salting. In a home-page video, Salt Institute Vice President Morton Satin visits a salt storage facility to explain how salt is not only about safety, but "dollars and common sense." He also emphasizes the need for best practices that protect the environment.
More than 70% of the nation's roads are located in snowy regions, those areas that receive more than five inches average snowfall annually, according to the Federal Highway Administration. FHWA notes that winter road maintenance accounts for roughly 20% of state DOT maintenance budgets. State and local agencies spend more than $2.3 billion on snow and ice control operations annually.
Categories > Opportunity :: November 16, 2011 (NTIMC)
The 2012 Lifesavers Annual National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities will take place June 14-16, 2012 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Please join fellow traffic incident and planned special events practitioners to learn the latest in: National Initiatives & Resources; Training; Planning; Safety First: Technologies for Traffic Incident and Planned Special Events; Traffic Incident & Planned Special Events Performance Measurements - and how best to tie to Financial/Budget Needs; Research/Data Needs; Cross-Cutting Issues; Communications; and Making the Roads Safer.
With the goal of improving partnerships among transportation and public safety in the areas of the management of planned special events and traffic incident, the June 2012 conference brings together both communities and will address the needs and concerns of both. The 2012 conference is the place to be to learn how to increase the knowledge among all practitioners involved in transportation operations for planned special events and traffic incident management and to promote and share ideas on how best to manage different applications such as contingency planning, site management planning, operational strategies, incident command, interagency communications, emergency management, planned special events and traffic incidents.
Visit the link above for the proposed schedule of events and hotel details. Registration will open December 15. Questions? Call 703-922-7944.
Categories > Now Available :: November 16, 2011 (FHWA)
The Regional Concept for Transportation Operations: A Practitioner's Guide is a collection of the observed successes and lessons learned from four metropolitan regions as they developed Regional Concepts for Transportation Operations (RCTOs), a management tool used by planners and operations practitioners to define a strategic direction for implementing effective regional transportation management and operations in a collaborative manner. This document provides information on how to develop and implement an RCTO effectively and efficiently by highlighting practices that have been used successfully to overcome challenges by the four implementing regions that forged ahead into this new territory. This guide offers lessons from these pioneering sites that can help other implementing regions to select the methods that are most effective in improving regional transportation system performance.
