Houston METRO Selects TransCore to Implement High Occupancy Vehicle Improvement Program
Will be Nation's Largest High Occupancy/Tolling (HOT) System
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 23 - Intelligent Transportation Society
of America member TransCore, a subsidiary of Roper Industries, has
been notified by Houston's Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris
County (METRO) that it has been selected as prime contractor to
design, furnish, install, operate, and maintain a high occupancy
toll and automated reversible gate operation system for 83 miles of
reversible high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. The total contract
is valued at an estimated $81 million and is 80-percent federally
funded. Final contract negotiations with the Authority are underway
and are expected to be completed in November 2009. The first
corridors will be operational by late 2010 and the entire system
will be completed in two years. TransCore will provide operations
and maintenance of the system for five years following the
installation.
The High Occupancy Vehicle Improvement Program will convert
five existing HOV corridors throughout the Houston metropolitan
area, including I-45 North and South, U.S. 290, and U.S. 59 North
and South, to allow single-occupant vehicles access to the HOV
lanes for a toll and the program will improve safety by providing
an automated reversible gate operation (ARGO) system to control
entry into the reversible roadway system. The conversion is
expected to increase utilization of the HOV system by up to 50
percent and decrease congestion in the general purpose freeway
lanes.
"We admire the innovation and leadership METRO continues to
demonstrate through the implementation of the HOV Improvement
Program - this project will expand the mobility options for the
traveling public, improve overall corridor efficiency, and provide
meaningful travel-time savings to customers," commented John
Simler, president of TransCore's Intelligent Transportation
Systems.
The HOV Improvement Program includes 156 lanes, a customer
service center, and back-office systems, as well as an interface
with the area's multi-agency traffic management center, Houston
TranStar. The system will be fully electronic and tolls will be
calculated using variable pricing. The program will incorporate
TransCore's radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that
is interoperable with all tolling agencies throughout the State of
Texas.
TransCore has been a system integrator, operator, and a
maintenance provider for some of Houston's largest transportation
initiatives over the past 20 years. TransCore's experience with HOT
lanes includes the nation's first deployment on I-15 in San Diego,
as well as Miami's I-95 Express, Seattle's SR 167, and the HOT lane
project recently started on Utah's I-15 in Salt Lake City.
About METRO
METRO is an innovative regional transportation organization of
dedicated employees committed to partnering with the public and
private sectors to provide the safest, highest quality services and
mobility solutions that exceed customers' expectations while
creating economic growth.
The Texas State Legislature authorized the creation of local
transit authorities in 1973, and by 1978, Houston-area voters
created the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
(METRO). The 1,285-square-mile METRO service area covers the City
of Houston, major portions of unincorporated Harris County, and 14
municipalities collectively known as the Multi-Cities. METRO is a
comprehensive transit system plan to help solve the Greater Houston
region's traffic congestion and air quality problems.
Communities that are part of the METRO area include the cities
of Houston, Bellaire, Bunker Hill Village, El Lago, Hedwig Village,
Hilshire Village, Humble, Hunters Creek, Katy, Missouri City, Piney
Point, Southside Place, Spring Valley, Taylor Lake Village and West
University Place. Major portions of unincorporated Harris County
are also included.
For more information visit, http://www.ridemetro.org.
About TransCore
With installations in 46 countries, more than 100 patents and
pioneering applications of RFID, GPS and satellite communications
technologies, TransCore's technical expertise is unparalleled in
the markets it serves. TransCore's 70-year heritage spans the
development of RFID transportation applications at Los Alamos
National Labs to implementation of the nation's first electronic
toll collection system. In 2009, Engineering News-Record (ENR)
ranked TransCore No. 145 out of the Top 500 Design Firms. TransCore
is a U.S. owned and operated company with products designed,
engineered and manufactured by TransCore's U.S.-based
workforce.
TransCore's extensive global experience with tolling systems
includes more than 7,400 installed electronic toll collection lanes
worldwide and 22 customer service centers. TransCore offers an
extensive suite of enterprise software applications, business
process outsourcing, system integration, and maintenance services
to provide complete solutions, configurable to customers'
requirements. TransCore operates as a subsidiary of Roper
Industries. For more information, visit www.transcore.com.
About Roper
Roper Industries is a diversified growth company and is a
component of the Fortune 1000, S&P MidCap 400 and the Russell
1000 Indexes. Roper provides engineered products and solutions for
global niche markets, including water, energy, radio frequency and
research/medical applications. Additional information about Roper
Industries is available on the Company's website at www.roperind.com.
Contacts
TransCore
Barbara Catlin, 972-740-7150
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or
Houston METRO Media Information
713-739-4040
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