Office of Operations
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21st century operations using 21st century technologies

Current Program Activities Report

News

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Updated January 2008

This report has been updated and summarizes recent activity of selected programs within the Office of Operations. The revisions reflect program titles that are consistent throughout the Office of Operations. For additional information about these or other activities, contact the program manager noted in each section. Additionally, more information may be available on the Office of Operations' Web site: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov. This report will be updated quarterly.

Table of Contents

  1. Non-recurring Congestion
    1. 1  Traffic Incident Management
    1. 2  Planned Special Events Traffic Management
    1.     Work Zone Management
    2.     Road Weather Management
  2. Recurring Congestion
    1. 1  Arterial Management
    1. 2  Access Management
    1.     Corridor Traffic Management
    2.     Freeway Management
    3.     Tolling and Pricing Opportunities
    4.     Travel Demand Management
  3. Day-to-Day Operations
    1.     Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
    2.     Real Time Traveler Information
    3.     Traffic Analysis Tools
  4. Creating a Foundation for 21st Century Operations
    1.     Planning for Operations
    2.     Performance Measurement
    3.     Facilitating Integrated ITS Deployment
  5. Improving Global Connectivity by Enhancing Freight Management and Operations
    1.     Freight Analysis
    2.     Freight Infrastructure
    3.     Freight Professional Development
    4.     Vehicle Size and Weight
    5.     Freight Operations and Technology
  6. Improving Mobility and Security through Better Emergency Management
    1.     Emergency Transportation Operations

SAFETEA-LU Addendum

Current Program Activities Report

  1. NON-RECURRING CONGESTION
    1. 1.  Traffic Incident Management (TIM) (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/incidentmgmt/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Dave Helman (David.Helman@dot.gov) and Congestion Initiative TIM Program, Paul Sullivan (Paul.Sullivan@dot.gov) (note: Congestion Initiative TIM Program includes work on TIM Performance Metrics, Full-Function Service Patrols, Safe, Quick Clearance Laws & Policies, and CAD-TMC Integration)

      1. Secretary's Congestion Initiative: The secretary's "National Strategy to reduce Congestion on America's Transportation Network" contains four traffic incident management elements - 1) Full-function service patrols, 2) Driver removal (or "Move It") laws, 3) Policies for quick and safe clearance of incidents, and 4) Improved integration of transportation and public safety communications and data systems. The Office of Operations collected baseline performance metric data in the top 40 urban areas on items 1-3 in January and February and again in the Fall of 2007 to establish an FY 2007 and will be update the metrics data annually in the TIM Self Assessments beginning in 2008.
      2. National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (NTIMC): A National Unified Goal (NUG) Ratification Summit was held on November 20, 2007, to announce the adoption of the NUG by member NTIMC associations. FHWA Administrator Rick Capka participated as the keynote speaker. Several Task Forces—including Training and Preparedness and Plans—are meeting and working on NUG-related products. The NTIMC is developing a list of action items and an implementation plan for work needed to support the implementation of the 18 Strategies of the NUG. Funding from the Scan Trip Implementation Plan (2005 European Scan) is being used to develop a Business Model for longer term support of the NTIMC. At FHWA's request, NTIMC also is producing a Strategic Plan that will aid in the development of products and moving TIM forward in a measured way.
      3. TIM Performance Measures: Eleven FHWA Division Offices are participating in a Focus States Initiative (FSI) addressing TIM Performance Measurement. This Initiative also involves transportation and law enforcement representatives from each State. The purpose of the Focus States initiative is to identify appropriate measures of performance for TIM programs, identify who is now collecting and archiving the required data, and explore issues involved in fusing data from disparate public safety and transportation databases. The FSI States have developed two measures of incident clearance and incident duration and have been collecting and analyzing data or have been laying the process for doing so by addressing institutional barriers that have limited their ability to share information within their States. At a TIM FSI workshop on October 16-17, 2007 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Focus States also developed a safety performance measure for secondary crashes. Focus States participants are also involved in preparation of a TIM Performance Measure Conference Session at the January 2008 TRB Annual Meeting and were also the key participants in an NTOC Webinar on TIM Performance Measurement on October 10th. The findings' lessons learned and experiences from the FSI will be the building blocks for advancing TIM Performance Measurement in all States with special focus on the top 40 urban areas. In FY08, FHWA will work with one of the FSI States to host a TIM Performance Measurement Knowledge Management System on a State-hosted server.
      4. TIM Self-Assessment: The purpose of the Traffic Incident Management Self Assessment (TIM SA) is to provide a formal process for State and local transportation, public safety and private sector partners to collaboratively assess their traffic incident management programs and identify opportunities for improvement. Of the 80 originally identified assessment areas, only 62 were completed in 2007, down from 68 in 2006, representing an 8.8 percent decrease in the number of assessments completed. The National Summary report for the 2007 assessments was completed in September with an average score of 58.3% up from the average score of 57.1% in 200.
      5. Full-Function Service Patrol Handbook: FHWA began work to develop a handbook in support of the Congestion Initiative element for implementing "full-function" service patrols in the top 40 urban areas of the U.S. This Handbook will describe the range of functions that a service patrol can and should perform as a full emergency response partner with public safety agencies at incident scenes. The Handbook will also cover equipment and training issues and costs and benefits of service patrols. Since traffic control is the primary function of a service patrol, the Handbook will also address how this should be provided under different incident scenarios. Work began in October and will be complete in the summer of 2008.
      6. Full-Function Service Patrol Field Operations Guide and Checklists: As a companion to the FFSP Handbook, FHWA will produce a Field Operations Guide and Checklists to aid FFSPs conduct their operations during an incident.
      7. Traffic Incident Management Handbook - Revision: FHWA also began work to revise the TIM Handbook (2000) to update it within the context of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and to include information about the many significant changes in TIM over the last seven years. It will be complete in the summer of 2008.
      8. Traffic Incident Management Safe, Quick Clearance Information Series: Five informational documents on various aspects of traffic incident management are being prepared in support of the Congestion Initiative. The subjects covered are: (1) Effect of Traffic Incidents on Agency Operations, (2) Traffic Control Concepts for Incident Clearance, (3) Hazardous Materials Cargoes and Spills in Incident Clearance, (4) Information Sharing for TIM, and (5) TIM in Construction and Maintenance Work Zones. Work was begun in October and be complete in the summer of 2008. ETO staff developed the first, Incident Clearance Laws, which will be formatted and released as part of this series.
      9. TIM Safe, Quick Clearance Handbook: In FY08, FHWA will take the Information Series a step further to provide guidance to States on how to organize and conduct safe, quick clearances, using laws and policies and the myriad of State and local resources—law enforcement, fire, rescue, EMS, Full Function Service Patrols, TMCs and other Transportation resources—to get traffic moving while safeguarding travelers and responders following an incident. This should be available during the last quarter of FY08.
      10. Safe, Quick Clearance Driver Education Training Module: In FY08, FHWA will develop a training module that can be used by high school or DMV drivers education trainers that will help us change certain driver behaviors that will help responders clear incidents quickly. This should be available during the last quarter of FY08.
      11. LAWTOW - TRAA National Drivers Certification Outreach: We are supporting the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA), in an effort to increase awareness of its certification program for towers. An outreach package on the TRAA National Driver Certification Program will be sent to over 17,000 law enforcement agencies with a cover letter jointly signed by TRAA and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Four regional workshops for leaders of the towing and recovery industry and law enforcement are tentatively scheduled for early 2008 to promote the use of the NDCP by law enforcement as a contract requirement for towing and recovery at traffic incidents.
      12. NHI Course 133101 - Using the Incident Command System (ICS) at Highway Incidents: This new course has been developed by NHI and is targeted primarily at transportation responders. It covers ICS at highway incidents, describing what ICS is, its structure, and how it is used at highway incidents. The NHI contract included presentation of the course in 3 locations and these were concluded with a course in Harrisburg, PA, on December 3-4, 2007. It is anticipated that the course will be available for scheduling by others in the spring of 2008. TIM-PSE-ICS Certificate Program: NHI has developed a suite of complementary incident management courses: Managing Traffic Incident and Roadway Emergencies, Managing Travel for Planned Special Events, and Using the Incident Command System at Highway Incidents. Participants who complete all three courses receive certificates of accomplishments to recognize that they have learned, built, and refined their skills in specific topic area of incident management.
      13. 3rd Traffic Incident Management Conference: In conjunction with the Traffic Planned Special Events community and NTIMC, FHWA is beginning work to conduct a post-NUG adoption conference in early 2009.
      14. Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Community of Practice (CoP) Web site: As a component of the National TIM Coalition (NTIMC), this Community of Practice Web site connect and serve practitioners in the key communities involved in traffic incident management. The TIM Community of Practice Web site links to current and will linked to planned web sites in order to provide Community of Practice members with access to resources and references. The web site www.TIMexchange.org is now available. Additionally, the Office of Operations has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and their Lessons Learned Information Sharing Web site and is posting Traffic Incident Management, Managing Traffic for Planned Special Events and Emergency Transportation documents to this web site. It is our effort to reach the Public Safety and Emergency Management community through a mechanism that they are familiar.
      15. NIMS Compliance Guide for Transportation Professionals: FHWA will produce a guide to aid transportation organizations determine the level of NIMS training that they are obliged to comply with under Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5. This is being developed in-house and should be available for distribution during the 2nd quarters of FY08.

    2. 2.  Planned Special Events Traffic Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/program_areas/sp-evnts-mgmt.htm)

      Program Manager, Laurie Radow, (Laurel.Radow@dot.gov)

      1. NHI Training Course No. 133099: Managing Travel for Planned Special Events is now available for delivery of the course.
      2. Planned Special Events: Checklists for Practitioners has been posted at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/psechecklists/index.htm. The checklists cover these key phases of planned special events - Initial Planning Activities, Feasibility Study; Traffic Management Plan; Implementation Activities; Day-of-Event; and Post-Event Activities. What is especially useful about the checklists is that they are provided in an MS Word format to allow users to save copies of each file under a new name, thereby keeping the original checklists in an unaltered state while using the renamed copies as working documents that can then be adapted to reflect each users' particular needs. CDs that include the checklists are currently being prepared.
      3. Managing Travel for Planned Special Events Handbook: Exective Summary: The executive summary of the "Managing Travel for Planned Special Events Handbook" is available electronically at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/program_areas/special_events_mgmt/mng_trvl_exsum/index.htm in both HTML and PDF files. This executive summary is designed to reach the decision makers and senior officials who need to be familiar with planned special events and who need to understand the importance of providing safe travel to and from these events; the value of regional coordination and collaboration to ensure the success of these events; and the merits of local, county and/or state agencies representing transportation, transit, public safety as well as private sector partners working together in the planning and implementation of these planned events. The publication will be available in early 2008.
      4. The 2nd National Conference on Managing Travel for Planned Special Events: Tools for Practitioners was held in Newport Beach, California, from November 29-December 1, 2006. The presentations at the conference showed that this field of non-recurring congestion and how best to manage travel for these events continues to mature. Topics of interest for the more than 110 attendees included presentations on cost recovery and models appropriate to manage travel for planned events of all sizes, including events with up to 100,000 attendees. The conference concluded with an "interactive" tabletop exercise that explained the "mystery" of such exercises to the attendees by walking them through the roles and responsibilities of the various agencies who participate in these pre-event exercises. Conference proceedings that will summarize the key points of the presentations will be available in early 2008.
      5. 3rd National Conference on Managing Travel for Planned Special Events. Planning is underway for a follow-up conference, held jointly with the TIM community, for early 2009.
      6. Tabletop Exercise Instructions for Planned Events and Unplanned Incident/Emergencies: Planned special events, when held, are very likely to increase traffic demands in or near the location of the event. In order to address this influx of traffic, transportation management plans are developed with the intent to minimize the effect the event has on the surrounding transportation system. For a transportation management plan to be successful, however, it is strongly recommended that the plan be tested and reviewed prior to the event. One of the most effective ways to test a transportation management plan is through tabletop exercises. The purpose of these instructions is to provide those involved in planned or unplanned events with the basics on how to conduct scenario-based exercises conducted in an informal stress-free environment. The instructions are expected to be posted to the web by the end of 2007.
      7. "ITS Best Practices Cross-cutting Study to Monitor and Mange Traffic Associated with Large-scale Special Events": This recently-initiated task through the ITS Joint Program Office is designed to conduct a cross-cutting study of Planned Special Events which employ Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies and other operational solutions to optimize the traffic movements associated with venue access and to manage the extraordinary traffic volumes associated with planned special events. The development of a cross cutting study highlighting the benefits of actively monitoring and managing special event traffic at select facilities across the country will be valuable to those in the traffic operations community and to those in the special event management community. The overall objective of the cross cutting study is to identify and evaluate the best practices employed at various Planned Special Event (PSE) venues; to seek situational commonalities; and to identify and evaluate best practices, ITS applications and repeatable solutions. Toward the successful completion of the cross cutting study, this data collection plan sets the guide and boundaries by which relevant information will be collected from 5 primary study sites.
      8. Planned Special Events - Role in the Economy and the Extent of PSE-Caused: The purpose of this recently initiated task is to delineate where planned special events fits within the national economy and to establish the magnitude of this sector. Particular attention is to be given to both the dollar value and number of events held annually. Once the economic value of the total number of planned special events held annually to the larger national economy is understood, the important role that transportation must play in managing the transportation aspects of these events can be better understood.
      9. Planned Special Events - Cost Recovery Primer: This primer will aid jurisdictions recover some of the costs associated with traffic planning and operations for PSEs. This should be available during the last quarter of FY08.

    3.     Work Zone Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/index.asp)

      Program Manager, Chung Eng (Chung.Eng@dot.gov)

      1. Work Zone Self-Assessment: (Lead, Tracy Scriba, Tracy.Scriba@dot.gov) - To support the congestion mitigation vital few areas of FHWA, a comprehensive work zone self assessment (WZSA) tool was developed and is distributed annually to all 52 FHWA Division Offices. The tool is intended to assist State DOTs in evaluating their existing work zone management practices and identifying areas for potential improvement. The WZSA process has resulted in increased awareness of, and communication on, work zone issues and has provided valuable insight on what DOTs are doing to reduce delay and crashes associated with work zones. The information is also being used to develop outreach, research, and deployment strategies within the FHWA work zone program. Each FHWA Division worked with their respective State to complete the WZSA in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. For the 2007 WZSA, the National average score was 9.0 (on a 15 point scale), which is a 7% increase from 2006. Reports on the National results for each year are available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/decision_support/self-assess.htm. Individual state results are not available.
      2. Work Zone Safety and Mobility Final Rule for 23 CFR 630, Subpart J: (Lead, Tracy Scriba, Tracy.Scriba@dot.gov) - FHWA published updates to this work zone regulation in the Federal Register on September 9, 2004. The Rule has a compliance date of October 12, 2007. Almost all States met the compliance deadline, with the remaining few nearing completion. To assist transportation agencies with implementing the Rule, FHWA has published an overall guide, Implementing the Rule on Work Zone Safety and Mobility, and technical guides on Work Zone Public Information and OutreachStrategies; Developing and Implementing Transportation Management Plans (TMPs); and Work Zone Impacts Assessment. The guides, a brochure, facts sheets, examples, and FAQs are available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/final_rule.htm. A Resource CD containing these materials is available and can be ordered by sending an email with your request and shipping address to workzonepubs@dot.gov.
      3. ITS and Work Zones Crosscutting Study: (Lead, Tracy Scriba, Tracy.Scriba@dot.gov) - Using ITS in work zones can help ease traveler frustration, manage congestion, and prevent crashes. This study looks to educate maintenance and construction engineers and public sector managers about work zone ITS technologies and how they can be used to address work zone mobility and safety challenges. A study report, brochure, and four case studies were previously published and can be obtained at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/its/index.htm. FHWA is currently finalizing an implementation guide that will provide information to practitioners on the considerations for selecting and implementing a work zone ITS application. Expected publication date is Spring 2008.
      4. Assessment of Work Zone ITS Effectiveness: (Lead, Tracy Scriba, Tracy.Scriba@dot.gov) - FHWA is conducting a study to collect and evaluate data from WZ ITS deployments to gather some quantifiable results of the effectiveness of ITS applications in work zones. Measures include elements of delay, queue length, and safety. Vehicle throughput and the delivery of information on work zones to travelers are also being considered. Data have been collected and analyzed for five sites. A results report is currently being prepared, with publication expected in winter 2007/2008.
      5. QuickZone Traffic Impact Analysis Tool: (Lead, Daniel Grate, Daniel.Grate@dot.gov) - Quick Zone is an Excel-based user-friendly software tool for estimating queues and delay in work zones. Through alternative analysis, the best staging/phasing plan and mitigation strategies can be identified to minimize user delay and queuing in work zones. Version 2.0 is available through McTrans (http://mctrans.ce.ufl.edu). Version 2.0 includes a graphical user interface for network development, an enhanced cost analysis tool, and two-way, one-lane operations modeling. Eight case studies are available that describe how QuickZone was used on a variety of rural and urban projects and documents the resulting benefits. QuickZone workshops have either been held or have been scheduled in several States in 2007. For 2007, an option was added for customizing QuickZone workshops by using data from actual projects provided by the host State.
      6. Advanced Work Zone Management and Design Course: (Lead, Chung Eng Chung.Eng@dot.gov) - A new work zone course (#380072) has been developed to add to the existing courses offered through the National Highway Institute (NHI). This course will provide learners with broad skills and knowledge of technical and non-technical aspects of work zone safety and mobility management practices. The course includes principles of planning, design, project management, traffic management, and contract techniques. It is designed for those that have an understanding of principles of engineering judgment and studies, have management or design experience in work zone traffic control, and have an understanding of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. A detailed description of the course including links for requesting the course can be found at the following NHI site: http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/course_detail.aspx?num=FHWA-NHI-380072&cat=&key=work+zone&num=&loc=&sta=%25&tit=&typ=&lev=&ava=&str=&end=&drl=.
      7. Work Zone Peer-to-Peer Program (WZ P2P): Lead, Chung Eng (Chung.Eng@dot.gov) - The WZ P2P was launched during April 2007 to help facilitate the sharing of knowledge on good work zone management practices among State and local practitioners. The intent is to provide agency personnel with convenient access to experienced peers who have implemented innovative work zone practices and can help others by sharing lessons learned from their experiences. Additional information on the program, including a brochure and instructions on how to use the program can be found at: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/p2p/index.htm.
      8. Work Zone Traffic Analysis Strategies: Lead, Chung Eng / Daniel Grate (Chung.Eng@dot.gov / Daniel.Grate@dot.gov) - Efforts have been initiated to develop guidance on the effective use of traffic analysis tools to assist in the planning, design, and operation of work zones. This guidance will take on several forms (print materials, web-based content, and seminars) and will target various audiences, ranging both in technical expertise in analysis as well as a range in organizations. The guidance will include the use of comparative case studies to illustrate differences in data collection requirements, analysis methodologies, as well as expected analytical precision and accuracy. This material will be designed to complement currently available information, including the recently published Work Zone Impacts Assessment Guide. The first deliverable, a WZ Analysis Primer, is anticipated to be available toward the end of 2007.

    4.     Road Weather Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.asp)

      Program Manager, Paul Pisano (Paul.Pisano@dot.gov)

      1. Principles and Tools for Road Weather Management, NHI course No. 137030A: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - The course introduces transportation decision makers to the basics behind road weather management and the ways that various road weather management strategies can be applied to resolve a host of weather-related problems. This course was delivered three times since introduced and continues to be promoted. A web-based version of the course has been developed and will be available in February 2008. The Road Weather Management Program also completed an assessment of several relevant NHI courses to determine how they can benefit from incorporating weather elements in their curricula. Recommendations for those courses have been forwarded to their technical contacts.
      2. Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS): Lead, Paul Pisano (Paul.Pisano@dot.gov) - MDSS is a winter maintenance tool that combines advanced weather prediction, advanced road condition prediction, and individual DOT winter maintenance rules of practice enabling maintenance managers to make better decisions on when and how to deploy resources and treat roads. Version 4.0 of the MDSS software can be downloaded from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Web site www.rap.ucar.edu/projects/rdwx_mdss/. Version 5.0 was released in November 2007. Thirteen States have pooled funds to develop an operational version based on the MDSS prototype, while others have procured the software (82 public domain CDs of Version 4.0 have been requested and delivered) or have contracted with private vendors for MDSS-capable services. MDSS, which has been declared a FHWA "market-ready technology", is currently being promoted through a series of RoadShows, more than 20 of which have been given at various transportation agencies throughout the country. It has also been adopted by the AASHTO Technology Implementation Group (TIG), whose members have developed outreach materials in coordination with FHWA, including an "enhanced" PowerPoint Presentation and a CD/DVD of this presentation, updated information brochure, case studies/print testimonials, an MDSS Deployment Guide, and a series of regional workshops. An evaluation of a MDSS deployment in Maine has been completed and a second study is currently underway for the pooled fund version of MDSS. The possibility of conducting a cost/benefit analysis of a MDSS deployment in the City/County of Denver is currently being explored. The Road Weather Management Program is also working towards expanding decision support systems beyond winter maintenance ("Maintenance and Operations Decision Support System" or MODSS) to include traffic management and maintenance beyond snow and ice control (see #6 below for more details). MDSS is also being deployed on a global front, with systems being developed and deployed in several European countries.
      3. The Clarus Initiative: Lead, Paul Pisano (Paul.Pisano@dot.gov) - Clarus Clarus is an ITS R&D initiative to improve the quality (e.g., accuracy and timeliness) of road weather information made available to road users and operators, and to build the road weather observational database that supports the development of "anytime, anywhere road weather information". The Clarus system design, software development, and proof-of-concept demonstrations in three State DOTs (Utah, Minnesota and Alaska) were completed in 2005. Phase 1 of a 3 Phase Regional demonstration process was initiated in 2006 with the posting of a Request for Proposals. Several proposals for the development of " Clarus Multi-State Regional Demonstration Concept of Operations" were received and three cooperative agreements involving 13 States and 3 Canadian Provinces were awarded in May 2007. Phase 2 was initiated in July of 2007 with the announcement/posting of the Connection Incentives Program (CIP) to encourage and assist eligible transportation agencies to collect their Environmental Sensor Station metadata and connect their Road Weather Information Systems to the Clarus system. Phase 3: Request for Proposals (RFP), will be launched in early 2008 to enable the private sector to build out and test FHWA approved Concepts of Operations that were developed during Phase 1. Phase 3 also calls for an independent evaluation of the Clarus System. Testing and evaluation of Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) weather-related technologies are also underway. This included two workshops conducted in 2006 to further explore the link between the two initiatives, and the development of Clarus-related VII Day 1 Use Cases and participation in a VII proof-of-concept demonstration in Detroit, Michigan in early 2008. The FHWA continues to work very closely with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on the eventual transitioning of the Clarus system to an operational status under NOAA. Additional information about the initiative can be found at: www.clarusinitiative.org.
      4. Road Weather Resource Identification (RWRI) Tool: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - FHWA developed the RWRI database tool to help transportation professionals find the appropriate road weather documents for their needs. The tool enables the users to navigate the database resources using a guided search, a menu of topics search or a keyword search. Version 2.0 of the tool was posted on the Road Weather Management Program Web site last year. This version contains more than 650 resources, twice the materials found in Version 1.0. There have been more than 130 downloads of Version 2.0 from the FHWA Web site. An additional 250 resources will be added to the database early next year, and the access/links to all RWRI resources will be improved as well.
      5. Weather and Traffic Analysis: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - Early in 2007, the Road Weather Management Program completed a research project to analyze existing traffic and weather data to develop empirical models of traffic flow in inclement weather. Data from three cities – Seattle, Minneapolis, and Baltimore – were used to develop statistical models and adjustment factors for traffic capacity, speed and density as functions of precipitation intensities and visibility levels. The final report can be found on the Road Weather Management Program Web site. A complementary study that will analyze traffic flow at the microscopic level during adverse weather will be initiated shortly. Another research project to incorporate weather impacts in traffic estimation and prediction systems began in September 2007.
      6. Maintenance and Operations Decision Support System (MODSS): Lead, Paul Pisano, (Paul.Pisano@dot.gov) - The Road Weather Management Program is working towards expanding decision support systems beyond winter maintenance to include traffic management and maintenance beyond snow and ice control, leveraging and expanding upon the capabilities of MDSS. Stakeholder meetings with the traffic and maintenance management communities were held in February and March, 2007 to gather rules of practice for mowing, striping, herbicide spraying and surface repair (on the maintenance side) as well as traveler information, incident management and signal control (on the traffic side). A preliminary concept of operations for non-winter maintenance activities was drafted in the summer, 2007. The team is now working with the highway maintenance management experts within and outside FHWA to explore next steps beyond the concept of operations.
      7. Integrating Weather in TMC Operations: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - The Road Weather Management Team is undertaking a task to develop self-evaluation and implementation guidelines for integrating weather elements into Transportation Management Center (TMC) operations. This project is one of the recommendations from the TMC Weather Integration State of the Practice study conducted by FHWA in 2005. The guidelines are intended to help TMC's evaluate their weather information integration needs, and assist them in creating a plan to meet those needs. In addition to the printed guidelines, a computer-based self-evaluation tool is being developed to facilitate the process and help TMC's develop weather integration implementation plans. Two TMC's – Sacramento and Milwaukee -- have agreed to conduct the self-evaluation and assist FHWA in refining the guidelines and tool. The guidelines will be available in the Spring of 2008.
      8. Implementation and Evaluation of Environmental Sensor Station (ESS) Siting Guidelines: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - The Road Weather Management Program published the ESS Siting Guidelines in 2005, in partnership with AASHTO and the Aurora Pooled Fund Program. FHWA is now involved in a task to determine how well the guidelines are meeting the needs of the transportation agencies, and identify the changes needed to make the guidelines more useful and applicable in the field. Three States – Michigan, New Hampshire and Idaho – have agreed to work with FHWA in implementing and evaluating the siting procedures outlined in the guide. These States were visited in May and June to gather information about their ESS deployment experiences and plans. The results of this study will be used to refine the existing guidelines, which will be available in the Spring of 2008.
      9. Performance Metrics for Road Weather Management: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - The Road Weather Management Program is in the process of developing performance measures that can be used to communicate and evaluate the products, services, and activities of the program in relation to the performance objectives identified in Section 5308 of SAFETEA-LU titled Road Weather Research and Development Program. Both quantitative and qualitative measures of performance are being explored in consultation with the road weather management community. A literature review of relevant performance measures used in the transportation and weather communities was completed, and a preliminary set of output and outcome measures were developed and discussed in a workshop involving a select group of stakeholders. The preliminary performance measures were distributed to the general transportation and weather communities in June 2007 to gather input and feedback. The responses have been compiled and analyzed, and a select number of metrics have been identified for implementation.
      10. Baselining Road Weather Information: Lead, Roemer Alfelor (Roemer.Alfelor@dot.gov) - Existing sources of road weather information can be characterized by varying levels of quality, and oftentimes can paint an incomplete or inaccurate picture of conditions on or near the road surface. In 2007, the RWMP initiated a project to characterize and track both the availability and quality of road weather information. This will serve as a baseline for future comparisons of enhanced road weather information enabled by the Clarus system and other advanced road weather management technologies, which will help the RWMP evaluate the effectiveness of those products and technologies in meeting the needs of the transportation agencies and the traveling public.

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  2. RECURRING CONGESTION
    1. 1.  Arterial Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/arterial_mgmt/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Eddie Curtis (Eddie.Curtis@fhwa.dot.gov)

      1. Traffic Signal Timing Manual: The Signal Timing Manual will serve as a concise, practical, user friendly and modular guide focusing on the principals of traffic signal timing. The manual will identify signal timing practices that promote efficiency and safety and in many aspects can be considered a synthesis of best practices. The manual is intended to be a practical and comprehensive tabletop resource for state, city and local individuals responsible for the day-to-day timing and coordination of traffic signals as well as planners and designers that desire to obtain a greater understanding of traffic signal timing and operations. The contract for the completion of the manual was extended with completion scheduled for March 2008.
      2. ACS-Lite is adaptive signal timing software designed to provide adaptive control capabilities for closed-loop traffic control systems. ACS-Lite was developed through a public private partnership which facilitates compatibility with a variety of existing systems. ACS-Lite uses the scheduled TOD plans as a starting point, then continually adjusts and improves signal timing based on current traffic conditions. It is capable of optimizing, offsets and splits. This effort is intended to make Adaptive Control Software (ACS) technology accessible to many jurisdictions without the upgrade and maintenance costs required to implement full ACS systems that provide optimized signal timings on a second-by-second basis. ACS-Lite was field tested at four locations corresponding to the four vendors currently providing the software: Quixote/Peek, McCain, Econolite, Eagle/Siemens. Information about ACS-Lite can be obtained by visiting http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/acs_lite/index.htm.
      3. Publications: Traffic Signal Timing On A Shoestring, Traffic Control Systems Handbook, Traffic Signal Training Assessment, Small Communities Handbook: These publications are available for download from the Arterial Management Web site by visiting http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/arterial_mgmt/pubs.htm. Each document is part of the tool box to improve arterial management and is intended to provide information on how to improve the operation and evaluation of an agencies traffic signal management and operations program.
      4. Signal System Life Cycle Costing: This investigation focuses on developing the techniques, and procedures needed to calculate total signal system costs per each system asset and develop a sound basis by which signal system options can be economically evaluated, consistent with practices learned from asset management. The study has identified a cost breakdown structure for signal systems, identified asset categories, and match types of assets to different life cycle costing techniques. Remaining work consists of applying the different life cycle costing techniques to the signal system asset types and documenting step-by-step procedures to calculate the life cycle costs of each signal system asset as well as the life cycle cost for the overall signal system.
      5. Signal Timing Under Saturated conditions: An ITE survey completed in 2004 revealed that 60% of the agencies that operate traffic signals do not shift signal timing strategies when saturated conditions develop. Under saturated conditions signal timing strategies that promote progression worsen the condition resulting in increased delays and congestion. This research project takes a three pronged approach to addressing how traffic signals should operate under saturated conditions. The first phase of the project focuses on identifying current practices to mitigate saturated conditions at signalized intersections to identify best practices. The second phase develops interim measures that agencies can apply immediately to address signal timing under saturated conditions. The third phase looks for long term technology solutions to alleviate the condition. The project kicked off in November 2006 and is scheduled for completion in June 2008. NCHRP 3-90 is a complementary effort that looks at over saturation from a network perspective.
      6. 2007 NOTC Traffic Signal Report Card (http://www.ite.org/reportcard/): The 2007 report card was released on October 9, 2007 the national score was D, a slight improvement over the 2005 score of D-. In addition to highlighting the need for additional investment in traffic signal operations; the report card shows how local jurisdictions such as cities, counties and states can reap large rewards, such as mitigating congestion and lessening fuel consumption, by making small changes in the way they manage and operate their traffic signal systems. The report also highlights several jurisdictions that have been successful in making changes since the 2005 report card was released. The results contained in the report card are based on the 2007 Traffic Signal Operation Self Assessment released by the National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) in the fall of 2006. A total of 417 agencies responded, representing 47 states.
      7. Signal Timing Workshop: Training addressing the fundamentals of traffic signal timing and the development of signal timing plans is currently under development. This training is intended to anchor regional traffic signal operations and maintenance training programs and will include background information that will allow the training to be taught by local practitioners. The workshop will be modular to allow an ongoing and persistent regional training program to be developed to increase the knowledge and expertise of engineers and technicians involved in the day-to-day operation and maintenance of traffic signals.

    2. 2.  Access Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/access_mgmt/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Neil Spiller, (Neil.Spiller@dot.gov)

      1. Access Management Course Update #133078: The course was piloted in November, 2006, and is now complete. NHI has reworked their "blue line" one-pager to incorporate the new course.
      2. A video and companion primer addressing business owners' concerns when their driveway is changed as the result of adjacent roadway corridor improvement projects is complete. The main message is that a change to their access (for example, the loss of lefts-in/lefts-out replaced by U-turns downstream) has much less effect on the success or failure of their business when compared to other, more important business determinants. There is very positive response to the message and its availability as a resource for public officials, et al.
      3. An access management (AM) domestic scan was completed in 2006. The scan tour visited Minnesota and Maine. This relatively small-scope scan targeted differing, regional AM strategies to coordinate multiple jurisdictions into one plan that works for all.
      4. Copies of a CD containing the video, the primer, and the domestic scan, are available through Neil Spiller.
      5. In July 2008 the 8th National Conference on Access Management will be held in Baltimore, Maryland. Contact Mr. Spiller for information or visit the Web site http://accessmanagement.gov.

    3.     Corridor Traffic Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/program_areas/corridor_traffic_mgmt.htm)

      Program Managers, John Halkias (John.Halkias@dot.gov) / Dale Thompson (Dale.Thompson@fhwa.dot.gov)

      Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) involves the coordination of transportation management techniques among networks in a corridor that together can collectively address congestion and improve overall corridor performance. Transportation corridors are usually characterized by a system of heavily traveled adjacent transportation networks that link major activity centers. Each of the networks provides an alternative means of mobility into, within, out of, or throughout the corridor. Each of the networks is usually operated in isolation except for pseudo coordination at facility junctions. This lack of coordinated operations among networks prevents effective use of the combination of these networks to address day-to-day congestion and congestion caused by work zones, incidents, weather, and special events. A coordinated effort among networks along a corridor can effectively manage the total capacity of a corridor and increase corridor trip performance by addressing corridor congestion. Developing, testing and evaluating the technology and strategies necessary to make this vision a reality is the subject of the ongoing major ITS initiative that forms the core of this program area.

      Foundational research activities for the ICM initiative are complete resulting in the development of an ICM Concept of Operations for a Generic Corridor; Corridor Types, Approaches, and Strategies; and an ICM Implementation Guide. A revised ICM Initiative Program Plan is available at www.its.dot.gov/icms/icms_workplan.htm.

      The ICM program has begun Phase 2, ICM Research and Tools Development, and Phase 3, Pioneer Sites selection and Concept of Operations development. ICM research is being conducted in the areas of Systems Integration and ICM Analysis, Modeling and Simulation. Eight Pioneer sites have been selected from metropolitan areas across the country to develop an ICM Concept of Operations for their individual corridors. An ICM demonstration and implementation project will begin in 2008 after the Pioneer sites have completed their Concept of Operations and System Requirements.


    4.     Freeway Management (http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Jessie Yung (Jessie.Yung@dot.gov)

      The  Freeway Management Program supports and promotes the use of integrated and coordinated freeway systems and proactive freeway management to improve the safety efficiency and reliability of travel on the nation's freeway facilities. The Freeway Management Program has been updated to reflect the continuing shift in emphasis from focusing on individual types of facilities/strategies to managing and operating the overall transportation system within a corridor or region. Consequently, the previous program's "HOV Facilities" has been integrated into Managed Lanes and the "Transportation Management Systems and Centers" focus area has been integrated into "Freeway Operations and Traffic Management." The updated program's focus areas are therefore (1) Freeway Operations and Traffic Management and (2) Managed Lanes and HOV Facilities.

      The TMC and HOV Pooled Fund Studies assist the FHWA in programming, funding, and monitoring the activities in their associated focus areas. The program also includes cross-cutting efforts that apply to all of the focus areas such as: coordinating with ITS Deployment Tracking; updating the FHWA Operations Web site and/or outreach material; following through on recommendations on changes to the MUTCD; and developing the Traffic Management Toolbox.

      1. Freeway Management & Traffic Operations: Overall freeway operations, traffic operations and traffic management involves managing travel and controlling traffic through the application of the appropriate policies, strategies, and actions to mitigate any potential impacts resulting from the intensity, timing, and location of travel and to enhance mobility on highway and freeway facilities.
        • The Freeway Management & Operations Training Course (National Highway Institute (NHI) Course #133075 for 2-Day or 133075A for 3-Day) is now available through NHI. The course provides participants with a general appreciation and understanding of the key policies, challenges and barriers, institutional issues, technical and other issues to consider in the planning, design, implementation, management, operation, evaluation, and marketing of freeway facilities. The course is based upon the Freeway Management and Operations Handbook, September 2003 (FHWA-OP-04-003, EDL Number: 13875). Unlike the 3-day course, which covers all of the information in the Handbook, the 2-day course allows a host to tailor the course to the particular needs of the participants. Details and scheduling for this course are available at http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/default.asp.
        • The Ramp Management and Control Handbook, is now available at the Freeway Management Program Web site at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/freeway_ops.htm. The Ramp Management and Control Handbook presents all the processes and issues an agency should consider and/or complete before, during and after ramp management strategies are developed and implemented. Specifically, the handbook focuses on the needs of transportation professionals charged with the responsibility of implementing, operating, and maintaining ramp management strategies. In addition to the Handbook, the URL above also provides access to supporting outreach materials developed over the course of this project. Outreach materials include: fact sheets, tri-fold brochure, list of frequently asked questions and answers, primer, and presentation (subject and project).
        • TMC Pooled Fund Study (PFS): Program Manager, Raj Ghaman (Raj.Ghaman@fhwa.dot.gov) - The Transportation Management Center (TMC) PFS is a forum of regional, State and local transportation agencies, and FHWA to identify issues that are common among public agencies, suggest, select, and initiate projects and initiatives to address these issues. Agencies are encouraged to join now, to participate with the 29 current members in the activities of the TMC PFS for 2007. The latest information on the following current projects, initiated or completed over the past five years, can be accessed at: http://tmcpfs.ops.fhwa.dot.gov.
          1. The TMC PFS Quarterly Newsletter, TMC Update, provides featured articles, project status information, and latest news about TMC PFS members and activities.
          2. The Transportation Management System Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Handbook project has reached final stages and is currently undergoing 508 compliance review. The project develops a handbook that provides guidance on how to develop, implement, improve, and sustain a continuous performance monitoring, data management, evaluation and reporting program or initiative for TMCs and transportation management systems.
          3. The TMC Business Planning and Plans project has reached final stage and is scheduled for 508 compliance review in February 2008. This project will develop a technical document and primer providing guidance and recommended practices on the need for, how to develop, outlines various processes, identify types of business plans, supporting management systems, and use of business planning processes for TMCs. This project will also address various business planning models that have been successfully employed by transportation agencies to ensure the long-term sustainability of applications similar to TMCs.
          4. The TMC Clearinghouse Development project establishes a central clearinghouse located on an internet web site that houses a comprehensive database of TMC related resources and provides resources at one central location. The web site is now available at http://tmc-clearinghousedev.tamu.edu/. A second phase of this project will identify and implement enhancements to the clearinghouse and provide support and update to the web site. The second phase is anticipated to start in the spring of 2008.
          5. The Regional, Statewide, and Multi-State TMC Concept of Operations and Requirements project develops a document providing guidance and recommended practices on what are regional/statewide/multi-state TMCs, pros and cons of the concept; how to develop and use a concept of operations and requirements for regional, statewide, and multi-state TMCs; policy, institutional and technical issues to consider; resources required, stakeholders to involve; process to develop and implement a statewide/multi-state TMC; and operations and maintenance considerations. This project has reached final stages and is scheduled for 508 compliance review in February 2008.
          6. The Redundancy and Mitigation for TMCs project will develop a technical document that synthesizes current practice and state of practice as related to TMC redundancy and recovery; and highlight technical issues to considered, lessons learned, and recommended practices on the concepts, methods, and procedures for planning, designing, developing and implementing recovery plans and redundancy of TMCs. This project has reached final stages and is scheduled for 508 compliance review in the spring of 2008.
          7. The Procuring, Managing, and Evaluating the Performance of Contracted TMC Services project will develop guidance and recommended practice to managers, planners, and operators of TMCs in making decisions related to outsourcing portions, or in entirety, of their operation to a private contractor(s). The final guidance document will be available in the fall of 2008.
      2. Managed Lanes and HOV Facilities

        "Managed Lanes" are defined as highway facilities or a set of lanes where operational strategies are proactively implemented and managed in response to changing conditions. Conceptually, Managed Lanes are based upon flexible operating strategies and active management of the transportation system and provide the perspective needed for integrated operations leading to improved performance. However a number of issues critical to advancing managed lanes require greater understanding (e.g., legislative authority, demand forecasting, revenue use, design, management, traffic management and operation).

        • The managed lanes resource CD toolbox, "Moving Forward with Managed Lane"will be available in February 2007. This toolbox will include a 10-minute video on an overview of managed lanes concept including highlights of real world applications.
        • The update of the Federal-Aid Highway Program Guidance on High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes will supersede previous guidance dated March 28, 2001. The program guidance was revised based upon feedback received and issues identified during the past five years and the requirements stated in the Section 1121 of SAFETEA-LU. It will be published in early 2008.
        • HOV PFS - The HOV PFS provides a forum for regional, State and local agencies, transportation service providers, and FHWA to identify the key issues and challenges that are common among agencies, and propose, prioritize, and initiate projects and initiatives to address these challenges. The HOV PFS will focus on the critical program, policy, technical, and other issues that arise throughout the life cycle of an HOV facility. Agencies are encouraged to join the ten current member-agencies, to comment on projects selected and to propose new projects. Information about the current HOV PFS activities below can be accessed at http://hovpfs.ops.fhwa.dot.gov.
          1. The HOV Lane Enforcement Handbook has reached final stages and is scheduled for 508 compliance review in the spring of 2008. Associated products include a primer and brochure. Together, these products will provide guidance, recommended practices, and lessons learned on how to successfully enforce HOV lanes, integrate these needs in the design of HOV facilities and HOV program.
          2. The Safety Considerations of HOV Facilities Handbook reached final stages and is scheduled for 508 compliance review in the spring of 2008. This project will develop a technical reference, primer, and brochure to provide guidance and best practices on the key issues, considerations, and potential impacts on safety related to various HOV facility issues, including roadway design features (e.g., facility type, shoulder widths, and types of ingress/egress), transit facilities, enforcement area and traffic incident management provisions, and signing or pavement marking.
          3. The HOV Performance Monitoring, Evaluation, & Reporting Handbook has been recently completed and is scheduled for 508 compliance review in the spring of 2008.
          4. The HOV Hours of Operation and Eligibility Requirements task order was revised to develop additional outreach materials (primer, brochure, and presentation) that were not originally included due to the limitation of available funding. These outreach materials will assist the practitioners in communicating the key themes and concepts contained in the technical document to a broader audience. These outreach products would also identify key issues for their agencies to consider, identify the benefits and/or value, recommend practices and lessons learned, profile successful practices. These products are undergoing 508 compliance review at this time and will be available in the spring of 2008.
          5. The Web site Clearinghouse and Facility Database project will create an interactive database of Arterial and Freeway HOV facilities with up to date information on selective parameters including length, age of facility, # of lanes, measures of effectiveness, hours of operation, vehicle eligibility, and where available, history of the facility. The web site and inventory database are undergoing 508 compliance review at this time and will be available in the spring of 2008.
          6. The Implications on Lane Pricing project will develop a handbook that identifies technical, institutional, and organizational implications and provides guidance and recommended practices on planning and implementing pricing techniques on converting existing HOV lanes into HOT lanes. This project will build off of the FHWA HOT Lane Development Guide and provide more detailed guidance, procedures, and processes to assist practitioners in implementing pricing techniques on existing HOV lanes. The handbook will be available in the spring of 2008.
          7. The Automated Vehicle Occupancy Technologies "State of the Practice" project develops a white paper that identifies, compiles, and systematically evaluates concepts, methods, and technologies for automated vehicle occupancy detection, verification and enforcement. Findings of this project will assist in identifying, developing, and implementing cost-effective, automated techniques for verifying and enforcing vehicle occupancy to continue offering HOV preference in an effective way. The products of this project are undergoing 508 compliance review at this time and will be available in the spring of 2008.
      3. Bottlenecks Initiative, http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/bn/index.htm

        Program Manager, Neil Spiller (Neil.Spiller@dot.gov)

        The Localized Bottleneck Reduction Program (LBR) was established in FY07. The purpose of the program is to bring attention to mitigating local, operationally influenced bottleneck locations; e.g., lane drops, merge areas, poorly functioning signals, ramp metering, and peak hour shoulder use. This program seeks to address these problem areas in the short term, and hopefully using less structurally-intensive means, as opposed to waiting for a more expensive mega project or corridor sized improvement. In short, this program is to local, spot improvements, as tolling and HOV lanes are to corridors, and as urban partnerships are to regional solutions.

        In FY08 the program will continue to pursue site visits, webinars, and guidance products.



    5.     Tolling and Pricing Opportunities (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tolling_pricing/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Wayne Berman (Wayne.Berman@dot.gov)

    1. The Tolling and Pricing Team was formed consisting of representatives from all of the responsible program offices – Operations, Policy, and Infrastructure – plus representatives from other stakeholder offices in the United States Department of Transportation. The Team will serve to coordinate all tolling and pricing requests. It does not act to approve any requests. All approvals and program oversight rest with the respective responsible program offices.
    2. A Web site was developed to serve as an information clearinghouse of all of the eligible programs, as well as to solicit and collect Expressions of Interest that State and other candidate authorities will submit. The Web site address is http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tolling_pricing/index.htm.
    3. In mid-August, the Department of Transportation, announced the designation of five metropolitan areas (Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle) as "Urban Partners," based on the results of a comprehensive and competitive review process. Each Urban Partner has agreed to implement a comprehensive policy response to urban congestion that includes what we refer to as the "4 Ts": (1) a tolling (congestion pricing) demonstration, (b) enhanced transit services, (c) increased emphasis on telecommuting and flex scheduling, and (d) the deployment of advanced technology. The approaches taken vary between Partner jurisdictions (e.g., HOV-to-HOT lane conversion in Miami vs. area pricing in downtown Manhattan), but in each case we anticipate that the projects will yield substantial reductions in urban congestion. To learn more about the Urban Partnership Initiative and the progress of each "Urban Partner" please go to the following USDOT Web site: http://www.fightgridlocknow.gov.
    4. Value Pricing Pilot Program (VPP): Program Manager, Angela Jacobs (Angela.Jacobs@dot.gov), http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tolling_pricing/value_pricing/index.htm
    1.     Travel Demand Management (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tdm/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Wayne Berman (Wayne.Berman@dot.gov)

      1. TDM Reference Guide - Update: This project updated the 1993 Reference Guide based upon a new "operations –oriented" model for TDM in a contemporary environment. The updated Reference Guide entitled "Mitigating Traffic Congestion – The Role of Demand-Side Strategies" contains two principal sections – one to address TDM for commute trips and one to address TDM for non-commute trips. Each section is developed based on five to ten case examples that illustrate contemporary enablers of TDM, such as information, technology, and financial incentives. The Reference Guide is available electronically on the Office of Operations Web site: www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov. Hard copies are available by contacting Wayne Berman at Wayne.Berman@dot.gov.
      2. Managing Demand Through Traveler Information Services: The objectives of this project are: 1.) To compile existing information on how, where, and under what circumstances traveler information services are affecting or managing demand and 2.) To package the information compiled into a colorful, easy-to-read, 25-page brochure. The brochure highlights the opportunities and benefits for using traveler information services to manage demand during periods of recurring and non-recurring congestion, including special events and emergencies. The brochure is available electronically on the Office of Operations Web site: www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov. Hard copies are available by contacting Wayne Berman at Wayne.Berman@dot.gov
      3. Managing Travel Demand: Applying European Perspectives to U.S. Practice: This report is now available electronically on the Office of International Programs Web site: www.international.fhwa.dot.gov. Hard copies are available by contacting Wayne Berman at Wayne.Berman@dot.gov. The new report presents the findings of an FHWA/AASHTO/NCHRP. The scan team visited the following cities throughout Europe that are pursuing policies and programs to reduce automobile demand: Rome, Italy; Stockholm and Lund, Sweden; Cologne, Germany; the Netherlands; and London, England. The visit focused on both local and national research, policies, and programs to integrate demand management into planning, management, and operations of the transport system.
      4. Managing Travel Demand to Mitigate Congestion Field Training: This training course, launched at the end of 2007, is offered on an as-request basis. Local organizers are asked to bring together a good mix of transportation professionals to learn the latest about the documented congestion-reduction benefits of a broad array of travel demand management techniques, including some unique strategies that have been implemented in Europe but are generally unknown in the United States. As part of the course, participants attempt to solve a limited number of local congestion challenges through the use of a variety of demand management strategies. Information about this course can be obtained by contacting Wayne Berman at Wayne.Berman@dot.gov.

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  3. DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS
    1.     Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov)

      Program Manager, Hari Kalla (Hari.Kalla@dot.gov)

      1. Rulemaking for the Next Edition of the MUTCD: Scott Wainwright, (Scott.Wainwright@dot.gov) - HOTO plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Amendments (NPA) to the MUTCD in the Federal Register by December 2007. The NPA will propose a variety of new and updated uniform traffic control device designs and practices, reflecting advances in technology and successful research. A period of at least 6 months will be provided for public review and comments. After analysis of docket comments, a final rule to adopt a new edition of the MUTCD is anticipated in 2009.
      2. 23 CFR 655 Update: Hari Kalla, (Hari.Kalla@dot.gov) - 23 CFR 655 prescribes the policies and procedures of the FHWA to obtain basic uniformity of traffic control devices in accordance with the provisions contained in the MUTCD. FHWA published a final rule on December 14, 2006 to make some minor changes to the wording and remove outdated references. It also clarifies the meaning of the terms "substantial conformance" and "open to public travel."
      3. Worker High Visibility Clothing: Ken Wood, (Ken.Wood@fhwa.dot.gov) - SAFETEA-LU section 1402 establishes a requirement for workers on or near Federal-aid highways to wear high visibility clothing. A final rule was published on November 24, 2006.
      4. Traffic Control Devices Pooled Fund Study: Scott Wainwright, (Scott.Wainwright@dot.gov) - The experimentation process has been used by jurisdictions for on-road testing and evaluation of innovative traffic control devices. This process for updating the MUTCD is time-consuming and involves evaluation reports, which can be a burden for jurisdictions. FHWA has established a pooled fund study for traffic control devices that is intended to provide a quicker way to assess low risk new traffic control devices and applications. Eighteen (18) States have become members of the pooled fund, which has completed 4 projects and has 5 additional projects underway, which are:
        • Evaluation of 11 potential new symbols (final report being prepared)
        • Enlarged pedestrian signals (final report being prepared)
        • Diagrammatic freeway guide signs (final report being prepared)
        • Arrows for roundabout signs and markings (final report being prepared)
        • Stutter flash for overhead warning beacons (expected completion is Summer 2008)
      5. Developing Traffic Control Strategies at Toll Booth Plazas: Hari Kalla, (Hari.Kalla@dot.gov) - The FHWA distributed CDs of this best practice report in September 2006. The purpose of this report is to have a consistent strategy for guiding and controlling the movement of vehicles through toll facilities in an orderly manner so that safety and operations are enhanced, better efficiency and economy of design are achieved, potential points of conflict are minimized, and motorist recognition and comprehension are improved.
      6. General MUTCD Training Course: Ken Wood, (Ken.Wood@fhwa.dot.gov) - This 8-hour workshop includes modules on human factors, positive guidance and the history of the MUTCD. The workshop also highlights basic information from each part of the MUTCD that is helpful for novice users of the MUTCD to know. Currently there are 5 sessions scheduled for fiscal year 2006. We plan to put this training on CD and make it available as a classroom training tool or as a self-instructional tool to interested persons upon request.
      7. MUTCD Strategic Planning Initiative: Scott Wainwright, (Scott.Wainwright@dot.gov) - HOTO has identified the need for a strategic long term plan for the MUTCD, to define a strategic direction for the MUTCD's future scope, content, and format. Consensus answers to longstanding questions such as, what things are or are not traffic control devices and thus are regulated or not regulated by the MUTCD, need to be developed, to guide future decision making. It is necessary to develop an MUTCD strategic plan with a 20-year vision. A meeting was held with a group of respected leaders from the NCUTCD in 2006 to discuss the issues. It is anticipated that the NCUTCD will take a leadership role in this effort, which will take several years to complete.

    2.     Real Time Traveler Information (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/travelinfo/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Bob Rupert (Robert.Rupert@dot.gov)

      1. The ATIS / 511 Guidance, Lessons Learned and Technical Assistance activity provides a means to share information with others that may be planning to develop traveler information systems. An assessment of the current state of Traveler Information Business Models is available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/rtis_busmodels, and a document on communicating with the public using ATIS during disasters is available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/atis. The main repository of information from the 511 Deployment Coalition is Resource 511 (www.deploy511.org) and includes version 3.0 of Guidelines, "Quick Tips" report on interoperability, usage statistics, marketing information, and contacts for all the 511 systems.
      2. The AMBER Alert Guidance, Support and Implementation Program includes the AMBER Plan Implementation Assistance Program that provides up to $400,000 to States for implementing motorist information systems to notify motorists when child abduction alerts are issued, and a total of $14,748,000 in grants had been provided to 38 States and the District of Columbia, with another State approved to receive funds.
      3. Travel Times on Dynamic Message Signs activities encourage and assist states and metropolitan areas in posting travel time messages on dynamic message signs (DMS). Many DMS across the country are often blank or show messages that have little use to drivers, but cities that currently post travel time messages enjoy wide public support for their efforts. Case studies on four cities (Chicago, Houston, Nashville and Portland) that post travel time messages are available on the Operations web page at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/travelinfo/resources/publications.htm. Thirty-six (36) locations currently provide travel time messages on DMS. The Resource Center or headquarters are available to conduct workshops, share successful practices and facilitate peer-to-peer assistance to assist with travel time messaging. For more information, please contact Jimmy Chu at Jimmy.Chu@dot.gov.
      4. Transportation Technology Innovation and Demonstration Program / Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure Program (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/travelinfo/ttidprogram/ttidprogram.htm): Program Manager, Bob Rupert (Robert.Rupert@dot.gov) - This is a 2-part intelligent transportation infrastructure program (ITIP) to advance the deployment of an operational intelligent transportation infrastructure system, aid in transportation planning and analysis; and provide a basic level of traveler information. The program addresses national, local, and commercial data needs through enhancement of surveillance and data management. On the national level the program measures the operating performance of the roadway system. Locally, such roadway system performance data can be used to assist in local system planning, evaluation, and management activities. Section 5508 of SAFETEA-LU expanded the original ITIP program to 35 cities that are eligible to potentially participate in either Part 1 or Part 2 of the program. Part 1 of the program uses the existing private partner under the current ITIP contract and funding remains for 10 additional cities. To date, deployment has been completed in the initial cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and in the expansion cities of Chicago, Providence, Tampa, Boston, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, and San Francisco. Based on an FHWA solicitation of eligible Transportation Technology Innovation and Demonstration (TTID) metropolitan areas and previous agreements, eighteen (18) other cities are in the design or deployment stages. For Part 2, a competitive process will be used to choose a private sector partner with Requests for Proposals from the private sector. Funding is available for two cities under Part 2, and locations will be selected based on their congestion rankings. An initial RFP for the first Part 2 city was issued June 25, 2007. The RFP was subsequently canceled and will be re-advertised for 2 cities in 2008.
      5. iFlorida Model Deployment: The iFlorida model deployment will demonstrate and evaluate how the safety, security and reliability of the surface transportation system can be enhanced through the widespread availability of real-time information. The project was awarded May 1, 2003, deployment of the iFlorida field hardware was completed in April 2005, and acceptance testing for most components was completed during the summer of 2005. iFlorida was publicly launched November 2005 with a kick off and press event in Orlando. The 511 system and system software components were redesigned and deployed in 2007. FDOT launched a revised traveler information web site (fl511.com) that allows users to input personal subscription preferences. The final evaluation report for the iFlorida Model Deployment will be released in early 2008. For more information on the iFlorida model deployment, contact James Pol at James.Pol@dot.gov.
      6. Vehicle Infrastructure Integration: Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) initiative is about wirelessly connecting vehicles with each other and roadside equipment in order to enable a host of safety, mobility and commercial applications. The VII Web site (www.vehicle-infrastructure.org) was launched to share information about the initiative. Public sector applications for the initial deployment of VII are currently under development, as is Proof-of-Concept (POC) testing that will begin in the Detroit area and in the San Francisco Bay area in early 2008. The Volpe National Transportation Center is leading an effort to establish an operational demonstration of certain VII functions by December 2008.

    3.     Traffic Analysis Tools (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/index.htm)

      Program Manager, John Halkias (John.Halkias@dot.gov)

      1. Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) Core Algorithms and Data Sets: This effort is to develop a core of open behavioral algorithms in support of traffic simulation with supporting documentation and validation data sets that describe the interactions of multi-modal travelers, vehicles and highway systems. These products will be openly distributed and made freely available to the broad transportation community. For more information, please visit the NGSIM web site at http://ngsim.fhwa.dot.gov.
      2. Traffic Analysis Tool Primer - is an overview of traffic analysis tools, available through the Web site at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/toolbox.htm.
      3. Decision Support Methodology for Selecting Traffic Analysis Tools: This is an on-going project to assist traffic engineers and traffic operations professionals in the selection of the correct type of traffic analysis tool for operational improvements. In addition, this document will assist in creating analytical consistency and uniformity across State Departments of Transportation and Federal/regional/local transportation agencies. The report is available through the Web site at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/toolbox.htm.
      4. The Guidelines for Applying Traffic Micro-simulation Modeling Software are designed to provide practitioners with guidance on the appropriate application of micro-simulation models to the estimation of traffic performance for freeways, highways, rural roads, and city streets. These guidelines aid practitioners in the development, calibration, and application of micro-simulation models, and are available through the Web site at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/toolbox.htm.
      5. The CORSIM Application Guidelines describe the proper use of the CORSIM tool in analyzing real-world transportation problems, building upon the generic FHWA simulation guidelines as a framework and adding CORSIM-specific guidance. In addition, these guidelines will aid the CORSIM user in applying the software to more "advanced" problem applications. The report will be available in the Winter of 2008 through the Web site at http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/toolbox.htm.
      6. Definition, Interpretation, and Calculation of Traffic Analysis Tools Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) will serve as information and guidance on which MOEs should be produced, how they should be interpreted, and how they should be defined and calculated in traffic analysis tools. It will also develop innovative approaches to interpret these MOEs when conducting traffic analysis studies. The report will be available in the Winter of 2008.
      7. DYNASMART-P represents a new generation of tools to support transportation network planning and operations decisions in the ITS and non-ITS environments. It combines dynamic network assignment models with traffic simulation models. DYNASMART-P has been packaged with DSPED (the Network Editor) and is being released to the public through McTrans Center. DYNASMART-P has been identified as a market ready technology for FY 2007 and deployment goals of 10 State DOTs and MPOs have been established. An extensive program of marketing activities to help achieve these goals is being finalized.
      8. ITS Deployment Analysis System (IDAS) operates as a post-processor to travel demand models, enabling the user to import data from a travel demand model into the IDAS software to recreate the transportation network under evaluation. IDAS is designed to assist in integrating ITS/Operational improvements in the transportation planning process. It offers the capability for a systematic assessment of ITS/Operations with one analysis tool and is used for determining the benefits and costs of various deployments. IDAS is being released to the public through McTrans Center. IDAS has been identified as a market ready technology for FY 2006 and deployment goals of 20 State DOTs and MPOs have been established. An extensive program of marketing activities to help achieve these goals is being finalized.
      9. FHWA R&D initiated a Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) research project to develop advanced network-wide traffic models to address complex traffic control and management issues in the information-based, dynamic ITS environment. Under this project, two prototypes of Traffic Estimation and Prediction System (TrEPS) for real time traffic management and two prototypes for offline Operations Planning (TrEPS-P) were developed. All prototypes can be used for corridor traffic management analyses, both online and offline analyses. The two TrEPS prototypes are being field-tested.

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  1. CREATING A FOUNDATION FOR 21ST CENTURY OPERATIONS
    1.     Planning for Operations (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/travel/plan2op.htm)

      Program Manager, Wayne Berman (Wayne.Berman@dot.gov)

      1. Demonstration projects on "Regional Transportation Operations Collaboration and Coordination": Work continues for demonstration projects in three cities to serve as laboratories to develop and showcase Regional Transportation Operations Collaboration and Coordination. The three demonstration sites are Detroit, Michigan; Tucson, Arizona; and Portland, Oregon. For more information on this initiative, please contact Wayne Berman (Wayne.Berman@dot.gov).
      2. Development of Reference Guidebooks on Operations in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the Congestion Management Process (CMP): The FHWA Offices of Operations is working with the FHWA Office of Planning and the FTA Office of Planning to develop and support guidance on SAFTEA-LU transportation planning provisions that integrate operations into the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the CMP. The thrust of this effort is to advance objectives-based, performance-driven planning for operations. Interim guidebooks have been prepared and are being posted on the joint FHWA-FTA site: http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov. For further information, contact Rick Backlund (Rick.Backlund@dot.gov).
      3. Advancing Transportation Systems Management and Operations Training Course and Executive Session: This course and Executive Session are intended to provide instruction on concepts, principles, and experiences needed to advance a regional perspective for Transportation Systems Management and Operations. The course is available through the National Highway Institute Web site. The Executive Session is available by contacting Rick Backlund (Rick.Backlund@dot.gov).
      4. Regional Concept for Transportation Operations: A Primer is now available on the "Regional Concept for Transportation Operations (RCTO)" as a management tool for guiding regional transportation operations collaboration and coordination. The Primer articulates the benefits and importance of an RCTO, and identifies the steps necessary to make it an accepted and valued action for transportation operators and public safety managers in metropolitan areas. To download a copy, go to http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov. For more information on this initiative, and to get obtain hard copies of the report, please contact Wayne Berman (Wayne.Berman@dot.gov).
      5. Improving the Application of Existing Methods to Advance Transportation Operations: The FHWA Office of Operations and the Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty are collaborating on a project to improve the way existing analysis tools are used to plan for operations in the planning process. The overall goal of this project is to develop reference and resource materials that will enable planners and operations professionals to use existing transportation planning and operations analysis tools and methods in a more systematic way to better analyze, evaluate, and report the benefits of needed investments in transportation operations. For more information on this initiative, please contact Wayne Berman (Wayne.Berman@dot.gov) or John Halkias (John.Halkias@dot.gov).
      6. Plan4Operations Web Site: A new web site, developed joint between the FHWA Office of Operations and the Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty, is available to serve as a resource for information related to planning for operations. The address is http://www.plan4operations.dot.gov/.

    2.     Performance Measurement (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/perf_measurement/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Rich Taylor (Rich.Taylor@dot.gov)

      1. Mobility Monitoring Program (MMP): FHWA is working closely with the Texas Transportation Institute and Cambridge Systematics to develop and calculate area wide, travel-time based performance measures using archived data from freeway management systems. This program has grown to include 31 cities in 2007, including 23 that produce monthly data reports. The program tracks congestion measures (travel time index, congested hours) and a reliability measure (planning time index). For more details, visit the mobility monitoring program Web site at http://mobility.tamu.edu/mmp.
      2. Monthly Urban Congestion Reporting: This on-going program acquires travel time data from the MMP from 23 metropolitan areas and uses it to calculate key travel time reliability performance measures on a monthly basis. The information is used to develop performance measures for internal FHWA use and will soon be available publicly on the FHWA Web site (January 2008).
      3. Developing reliability measure outreach materials: This on-going program develops materials for an outreach campaign to advance the state of the practice in travel time reliability performance measurement and to broaden acceptance of its use by public agencies. A guidance document is available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/perf_measurement/reliability.htm. Six workshops have been held in 2007 with more to follow in 2008. Another good source of information on the reliability and other operations performance measures is the National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) Performance Measures report: http://www.ntoctalks.com/ntoc/ntoc_final_report.pdf. A follow-on NCHRP study has piloted some of the NTOC measures - the resulting report and guidance will be available in Spring 2008.
      4. FHWA Focus State Initiative: FHWA is planning a Focus State Initiative for FY 2008 to assist 5-7 states in jump-starting operations performance measures programs. FHWA Division Office staff will be primary contacts for this effort.
      5. Freight Performance Measures: Program Manager, Crystal Jones (Crystal.Jones@dot.gov) - HOFM is developing performance measures for freight-significant corridors and border crossings. Data collected from commercial vehicles equipped with tracking and communications technologies are used to derive measures of speed and reliability along freight-significant corridors and delay measures at border crossings. Two years of data are now available for 5 corridors. In April 2006, data collection was expanded to 20 additional corridors, bringing the total to 25. Data are available (May 06 - October 07) for 5 U.S.-Canada border crossings: Blaine (Pacific Highway), Washington; Pembina, North Dakota; Ambassador Bridge (all Detroit crossings), Michigan; Peace Bridge (all Buffalo-Niagara crossings), New York; and Champlain, New York and for the added 20 corridors.

    3.     Facilitating Integrated ITS Deployment, (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/int_its_deployment/index.htm)

      Program Manager, Steve Clinger (Stephen.Clinger@dot.gov)

      1. Regional ITS Architecture Implementation, (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/its_arch_imp/index.htm)

        Program Manager, Emiliano Lopez (Emiliano.Lopez@dot.gov)

        On April 8, 2005 the FHWA "Final Rule on Architecture and Standards Conformity" went into effect. The Final Rule/Policy requires States and metropolitan areas to have a regional ITS architectures in place and follow a systems engineering process for ITS project development if there is intent to spend Federal-aid dollars on ITS deployment. Under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) support for this policy is continued. Training, technical guidance and best practices are currently available on the architecture conformity web site (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/its_arch_imp/index.htm).
        1. ITS Architecture Training and Technical Assistance Program: To help those states and metropolitan areas still developing Architectures, FHWA will continue to sponsor a variety of training and technical assistance activities. However, the program is now focusing more on application of regional ITS architectures in the planning and deploying of ITS projects. In addition, maintenance of ITS Architectures will be a focal point. To facilitate these activities, a two-day workshop and one-day seminar titled "Using and Maintaining Your Regional ITS Architecture" is being offered throughout FY07. Assistance in either Architecture development, or on Use and maintenance will be available through the Division Offices.
        2. Regional ITS Architecture Guidance: Version 2.0 of the "Regional ITS Architecture Guidance Document" was released in July 2006. As of May 2007 Version 6.0 is now available. The principal changes include increasing consistency with the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) initiative, added support for additional DSRC applications, and updates addressing CVISN, the Clarus initiative, the Border Information Flow Architecture, transit, and incident management standards. Version 6.0 can be downloaded at: http://www.its.dot.gov/arch/index.htm. The "Regional ITS Architecture Maintenance White Paper" (EDL # 13957) is still available and provides guidance on what should be contained in a regional ITS architecture such as the configuration management and process of maintaining a regional ITS architecture. The "Regional ITS Architecture Maintenance Technical Advisory" provides further information on resources needed to effectively maintain a regional ITS architecture including: estimated resources needed, variables that influence resource allocation, and situations where substantially more resources may be needed.
        3. ITS Architecture Process Improvement Reviews: To enhance the Regional ITS Architecture Guidance Document and assist stakeholders better understand how to use and maintain Regional Architectures, a number of process improvement reviews will be conducted looking at how well project deployer's business process and practices facilitate use and maintenance of Architectures. These reviews will be conducted throughout FY08 and a final report on best practices will be available late FY08 at: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/its_arch_imp/resources.htm.
      2. Systems Engineering, (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/int_its_deployment/sys_eng.htm)

        Program Manager, Emiliano Lopez (Emiliano.Lopwz@dot.gov)

        The clear requirement within the Final Rule/Final Policy is that all ITS projects must be developed based on a systems engineering analysis. At a minimum the analysis should include: portions of the regional architecture being implemented, identification of agencies and their roles/responsibilities, the system requirements, identification of applicable standards, alternative analysis, procurement options, and system operations and management.

        1. Systems Engineering Training Series includes:
          • Introduction to Systems Engineering
          • Applied Systems Engineering for Adv. Transportation Projects
          • Managing High Technology Projects in Transportation
          • ITS Procurement/ITS Software Acquisition
          • Regional Planning for Operations
          • Recommended Practices for Operations of Advanced Transportation Systems
        2. ITS Systems Engineering Guidance: A comprehensive introductory guide on Systems Engineering (SE) for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) was completed in November 2006. It is an excellent educational tool and outreach resource on the SE process. The Handbook leads you step-by-step through the project life cycle and describes the systems engineering approach at each step in the life cycle. It provides a general understanding of the major process tasks, intended to introduce the reader to systems engineering and provide a basic understanding of how systems engineering can be applied to planning, designing, and implementing ITS projects. This Handbook is designed for transportation professionals who may be ITS project managers, system owners, operators, maintainers and anyone else in need of a quick, approachable primer on the basics of systems engineering for ITS. To better articulate the systems engineering elements, the document also provides working examples for deployers to follow. This document can be downloaded at: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/int_its_deployment/sys_eng.htm.
        3. Systems Engineering Process Improvement Review Workshops: To enhance the Systems Engineering Guidance Document and assist stakeholders better understand how to properly conduct systems engineering during project planning and implementation, five process improvement reviews will be conducted looking at how well project deployer's business process and practices facilitate systems engineering analysis. These reviews will be conducted throughout FY08. Final reports on the review findings and recommendations will be available late FY08 by going to http://rc.fhwa.dot.gov/processreviews/category.cfm and selecting "Operations and ITS" in the drop-down menu.
        4. The following are current ITS Systems Engineering Guidance documen