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, 07 May 2008 11:14:34 EDTimages/NTOC_logo.gif The application of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) offers benefits that reach across all aspects of transportation systems performance, from crash prevention and safety to roadway operations and maintenance. While some of these benefits are very prominent in supporting the widespread applications of ITS, others are often difficult to measure, such as environmental benefits. Leslie Bellas, who has been appointed to ITS America's newly created role of director of environmental affairs, recently spoke with NTOC Talks about her efforts to develop and implement a climate change program that will quantify and capture the environmental benefits of ITS. http://www.ntoctalks.com/articles/bellas.php 2008-05-07 11:14:34 Have you visited the NTOC Web site lately? This month, NTOC is focusing on the relationship between ITS/M&O and the environment. The Resources page contains follow up resources to this month's interview with ITS America's Leslie Bellas on her new role as director of environmental affairs. The Resources page has also been updated to include YouTube videos and blogs that are relevant to our readers. If you would like to submit a suggestion for a future NTOC focus area, or if you have a transportation-related blog or video to share, please contact NTOC Talks editor Michelle Birdsall at mbirdsall@ite.org. http://www.ntoctalks.com/resources/index.php 2008-05-07 11:13:37 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters had launched Fast Lane, the Department's new blog. Accessible at http://fastlane.dot.gov, Fast Lane will be an on-line community for all those interested in the nation's transportation system and its future. Fast Lane contributors will include Secretary Peters, Deputy Secretary Thomas Barrett, Administrators from the Department's operating agencies, and other senior officials. In addition, the site will welcome guest bloggers from government, industry, and the transportation community. The Department will also use the blog to break news and make announcements. 'Fast Lane will allow me and others here at the Department to speak directly with interested citizens, members of the transportation community and the blogosphere to engage in an earnest conversation about our nation's transportation future,' Secretary Peters said. 'I have made 21st century solutions a priority for our transportation system, and now I'm thrilled to be using a 21st century communications tool to reach Americans in a whole new way.' Fast Lane is an open forum, and visitors are encouraged to submit comments, contribute ideas, and bring to the Department's attention innovative and exciting transportation activities in their communities. All comments will be reviewed before inclusion, and a representative sample will be posted to the site. http://fastlane.dot.gov 2008-05-07 11:12:20 Separating trucks from cars on Interstate 70 sounds like a pretty good idea. But how would it work? A new video posted on YouTube explains what truck-only lanes could look like and how they might operate. You can find it at http://www.youtube.com/modotvideo. http://www.modot.mo.gov/newsandinfo/District0News.shtml?action=displaySSI&newsId=17543 2008-05-07 11:11:22 Washington state's first first-ever high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on SR 167 will give drivers more choices and cut congestion in the Seattle area, Acting Federal Highway Administrator Jim Ray announced today. "Traffic jams don't need to be a fact of life," Ray said. "For a small price, HOT lanes give drivers more options to get home to their families and to work on time." Today, SR 167 experiences significant congestion during both the morning and evening peak periods. The road carries approximately 120,000 vehicles a day and runs parallel to I-5 between Tacoma and Seattle. The four-year pilot project on lanes between Renton and Auburn in King County will allow solo drivers to pay a toll to use the HOV lanes when there is space available beginning May 3. At the same time, space will free up in the general purpose lanes for all drivers, keeping transit and carpools reliable. The price of the toll will rise and fall according to traffic levels. Electronic tolling will allow drivers to pay the toll without stopping. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa0809.htm 2008-05-07 11:10:34 The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has worked with several public transportation agencies and private sector vendors to develop a free Regional Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS) Product Demonstration Showcase. The primary goal of the Showcase is to encourage implementation of field-proven technologies and processes, such as MDSS. The showcase program was created to be a neutral information exchange environment that provides an opportunity for transportation agency decision-makers to gain practical, unbiased, well-rounded, hands-on experience with new and proven products and services. The first of three showcases will be held in Omaha, Nebraska on May 28, 2008 at the Scott Conference Center and hosted by Nebraska Department of Roads. There is no registration fee. For more information, click on the link above. http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/mitigating_impacts/mdss/showcase/index.htm 2008-05-07 11:09:48 The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County, Nevada is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to conduct a study to evaluate the implementation of a set of intelligent transportation system technologies, including GPS-based Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) system for RTC's fixed-route (RTC RIDE) and paratransit (RTC ACCESS) fleet. The purpose of this evaluation study is to transfer technologies and knowledge to other transit agencies. The final product should showcase lessons learned and best practices at a national level for other transit agencies to learn from and emulate as directed by Federal Transit Administration. http://www.findrfp.com/gov/detail.aspx?id=87689&guid=2E112486B3F9461281C9DBC6527D26F0 2008-05-07 11:09:06 The Institute of Transportation Engineer's (ITE) 2008 Annual Meeting and Exhibit will take place August 17–20, 2008 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, USA. Nearly 2,000 transportation professionals are expected to attend. The meeting, which is divided into six tracks, offers 53 technical sessions. The tracks are Traffic Engineering and Design; Safety; Planning; Management and Operations; Discussion Sessions; and Seminars. Attending this growing annual event will give you access to dynamic paper presentations, technical tours and professional development seminars. You can earn IACET Continuing Education Credits (CEU) and Professional Development Hours (PDH) by attending ITE's high-quality, in-depth seminars and technical sessions taught by field experts. Also, stay abreast of the newest technologies and services at ITE's Transportation Products and Services Exhibit where displays from the public and private sectors—from computer software displays to planning service providers and much more—will be on hand. For more information or to register, visit http://www.ite.org/annualmeeting. http://www.ite.org/annualmeeting 2008-05-07 11:08:04 You are invited to submit a paper abstract or sponsored session to be considered for presentation at the ITE 2009 Technical Conference and Exhibit, 'Transportation Operations in Action,' or the ITE 2009Annual Meeting and Exhibit. Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words. Papers chosen for the technical program and published on the conference/meeting compendium earn 10 professional development hours. The deadline for submittal is August 25, 2008. • Suggested topics are available at http://www.ite.org/meetcon/abstract09.pdf. • The abstract/sponsored session submittal Web site is http://www.cornetser.com/ite/. http://www.ite.org/meetcon/abstract09.pdf 2008-05-07 11:06:36 ITS America is pleased to announce the availability of the 'Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) Equipment and Operations Training Course.' The course is being offered with the assistance of ITS Rocky Mountain, a chapter of ITS America, and is available upon demand. The RWIS training course was first offered in 2007. A course description, outcomes, and agenda can be found online at http://www.itsrm.org/downloads/RWISUpfrontSecmod.pdf. Interested organizations needing additional information or wanting to request a course can do so by e-mailing ITS Rocky Mountain at admin@itsrm.org or ITS America's Larry Schulman at lschulman@itsa.org. http://www.itsrm.org/downloads/RWISUpfrontSecmod.pdf 2008-05-07 11:04:35 Congestion pricing is far from dead (IN New York City) and will likely resurface, possibly in the form of adding tolls to free bridges, city officials and advocates predicted Friday. City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said it's too soon to eulogize congestion pricing, which died behind closed doors in Albany last month. "Most big things in New York don't go through the first time around," Sadik-Khan said at a panel discussion at the Regional Plan Association's annual conference. "At the end of the day, the failure on congestion pricing that occurred last month was just a setback," said a fellow panelist, former Deputy Mayor Marc Shaw. "I think it will be reconsidered in the near future." He predicted congestion pricing would come back in a somewhat different and "purer" form: tolls at the East River bridges and across 60th St. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/04/19/2008-04-19_congestion_plan_returns_as_bridge_tolls.html 2008-05-07 11:03:43 Title: Traffic Signal Audit Guide Web Seminar Date: 05-15-08 Time: 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET Background and Learning Objectives: The purpose of this course is to provide the traffic engineering manager with an overview of the traffic signal system audit process, which is used to evaluate the effectiveness of a traffic signal system and associated programs (management, design, operations and maintenance). General information will be provided on the types of questions that may be asked, and the records and information that will be reviewed by the audit team, to assist in the improvement of an agency's management of their traffic signal systems, and associated programs. At the conclusion of the course, participants should be able to: • Identify the goals, benefits, and objectives of a traffic signal system audit • Identify key steps in the audit process • Identify the key items that should be considered during an audit • How to structure a traffic signal system audit for your agency Intended Audience: Traffic Engineers, transportation engineers and consultants Instructor: Woody Hood, Chief, Traffic Engineering Design Division, Maryland State Highway Administration, Hanover, MD, USA Title: Red Light Camera System Development And Placement for Intersection Safety Web Seminar Date: 05-20-08 Time: 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET Background and Learning Objectives: This course will instruct engineers on the basics of considering a red light running camera enforcement program to enhance intersection safety. Students should realize that the scope of the course does not include the details of camera operation or program administration. These details are important but vary widely by vendor and jurisdiction. At the conclusion of the course, participants should be able to: • Recite basic statistics of red light running • Discuss the major reasons that drivers run red lights and cause collisions • Recall general findings from the literature on camera effectiveness • Recite other countermeasures for red light running collisions besides cameras that may be effective in some places • Discuss the basic criteria that guide effective choices of intersection approaches to receive cameras • Argue the key aspects of effective camera systems such as grace periods, signing, public information, and driver versus vehicle citations • Discuss the need for camera system oversight and periodic effectiveness evaluation Intended Audience: Traffic Engineers, transportation engineers and consultants Instructor: Joseph E. Hummer, Professor of Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA Title: Current Practice for Signing and Marking Near Schools Web Briefing Date: 05-29-08 Time: 2:00-3:30 PM ET Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the course, participants should be able to: • Identify current trends and practices with respect to traffic control devices near schools • Provide state-of-the-practice information on signing and marking in school zones • Provide information and guidance on when to install a school speed zone • Provide information on the proper placement and location of school zones Intended Audience: Safe Routes to Schools State Coordinators, traffic Engineers, transportation engineers and consultants Instructor: Kay Fitzpatrick, Research Engineer, Texas Transportation Engineer, College Station, TX, USA http://www.ite.org/education/webinars.asp 2008-05-07 11:02:57 The 2008 ITS New York meeting will take place June 12-13 in Saratoga Springs, New York. For complete details and to register, click on the link above. http://www.its-ny.org/pdf/announc2008FIN2-28-08.pdf 2008-05-07 11:02:14 What is a Wiki? It is a Web site that provides an opportunity for collaborative input. The ITE Wiki is an avenue for members to participate in the shaping of future ITE positions. The current discussion focuses on how we can improve or mitigate the impact of transportation on society. The discussion will be used to seed the development of an overall ITE green policy. This discussion topic will conclude on June 30, 2008. It is open to all ITE members. Visit http://www.ite.wikispaces.net. http://www.ite.wikispaces.net 2008-05-07 11:00:45 On May 16, 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced its new National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America's Transportation Network, a bold and comprehensive initiative to reduce congestion on the nation's roads, rails, runways and waterways. One major component of the National Strategy is the Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA). Under a UPA, U S. DOT's partner metropolitan areas will commit to pursue aggressive strategies under the umbrella of the 'Four Ts': tolling, transit, telecommuting and technology—a combined approach to reducing traffic congestion. The goal is to demonstrate success of this approach in reducing congestion in the short term. The two Urban Partners, Minneapolis and Seattle, will experiment with selected Active Traffic Management (ATM) applications, such as dynamic use of shoulder, variable tolling and speed harmonization. These applications have already shown success in reducing congestion in Europe, such as in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. This Webinar, taking place April 30, 2008 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET, will provide an overview of the ATM and the highlights of the ATM components in the Minneapolis and Seattle UPA projects. ATM is the ability to dynamically manage recurrent and non-recurrent congestion based on prevailing traffic conditions with the focus on trip reliability. It increases throughput and safety through the use of integrated systems with new technology, including the automation of dynamic deployment to optimize performance quickly. This congestion management approach consists of a combination of operational strategies that, when implemented in concert, fully optimize the existing infrastructure and provide measurable benefits to the transportation network and the traveling public. To register, click on the link above. https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webConfID=14088 2008-04-23 11:21:58