http://www.ntoctalks.com/ The NTOC Talks site is intended to provide information and resources to transportation practitioners, coalition members, and the general public on current news, upcoming meetings, and available products and documents. en-usWed, 25 Jan 2012 10:09:51 EDTimages/NTOC_logo.gif 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. http://hosting-source.bm23.com/458/public/MUTCD_0112_Memo.pdf 2012-01-25 10:09:51 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 http://www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting2012/AnnualMeeting2012.aspx 2012-01-25 10:07:28 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. http://www.secureenergy.org/policy/congestion-america 2012-01-25 10:06:55 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. http://www.discovery.com 2012-01-25 10:05:44 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. http://www.ite.org/conference/default.asp 2012-01-25 10:05:13 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) http://sites.google.com/site/trbrtsmocommittee/about-rtsmo-1/rtsmo-interest-areas 2012-01-25 10:04:12 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. http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/default.asp 2012-01-25 10:03:44 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. http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/11factsfigures/index.htm 2012-01-25 10:03:17 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. http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp 2012-01-25 10:01:58 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. http://www.trb.org/Conferences/WinterMaintenance2012.aspx 2012-01-25 10:01:19 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 http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=524 2012-01-18 10:34:31 This NTOC/FHWA Webinar will take place January 11, 2012 from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time. Description: 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 http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=525 2012-01-11 10:35:59 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 http://www.ntoctalks.com/web_casts.php 2012-01-11 09:17:11 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 http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webconfid=24083 2012-01-11 09:16:29 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. http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s120202_turbo.asp 2012-01-11 09:16:01 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. http://www.trb.org/AMDaily/AMDSubscribe.aspx 2012-01-11 09:15:30 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. http://itsa.org/component/content/article/1-general/1377-intersector-bicycle-detection-device-helps-improve-safety-for-cyclists- 2012-01-11 09:06:18 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 below. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=527 2012-01-05 10:39:45 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. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=526 2012-01-05 10:38:34 To have your agencies' score included in the 3rd National Traffic Signal Report Card, you now have until December 16, 2011 to submit your self assessment. With your submission, you will receive a certificate of completion and a copy of your completed self assessment. Keep in mind, this assessment can be used at any time to grade the performance of your system. You can access the assessment through the link above. The 2011 Traffic Signal Operations Self Assessment has been updated to reflect comments received following the previous self-assessments (2005 and 2007) and to better connect traffic signal management and operations activities to operations objectives. In addition, an effort was made to remove redundant questions and reduce the bias toward centrally managed traffic signal systems. The results from the 2011 self-assessment will continue to allow for some comparison to the results of the previous versions so that agencies can gauge changes over time. The Self Assessment should take no more than one hour to complete. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=517 2011-12-16 14:54:12 New T3 Webinar: Systems Engineering for Adaptive Signal Control Technology Date: December 15, 2011 Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET Click on the link below to register. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=521 2011-12-15 15:30:34 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. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=518 2011-12-15 09:22:47 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) http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=523 2011-12-15 06:16:49 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 titles below for course information and free registration. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=522 2011-12-15 06:14:23 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. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=519 2011-12-06 09:50:51 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 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. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=520 2011-11-30 09:51:52 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. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=515 2011-11-29 14:52:19 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. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=516 2011-11-15 14:53:22 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 below. http://ntoctalks.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=514 2011-11-15 14:51:29