Commercial Operations

TransLink® is the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest Intelligent Transportation System initiative,
and first regional smart card system. It promises to integrate all fare structures and simplify the
method of fare collection across 26 transit agencies. In the near future, this regional smart card
system will be expanded to include other types of payment transactions including parking.
TransLink® reduces the agencies dependence on time-consuming cash collection systems and
has the ability to streamline travel for Bay Area commuters, especially those who use multiple
transit systems during a commute or trip. This paper presents the technical and institutional
challenges of the TransLink® system observed during the first phases of implementation,
including the challenges of launching, operating, and maintaining the system. Finally, the paper
will discuss the various steps taken to ensure the success of this regional smart card system.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Kimley-Horn and Associates

Paper submitted for publication and presentation at the ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

New York City traffic and transit agencies wanted to expedite bus travel and
considered assessing signal priority strategies that extend the green signal, or truncate the red, to get to the next green. A study was conducted with computer simulation software, followed by
implementation of a pilot field test. The project, on Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, included
several studies, including 1) just transit signal priority, 2) just signal timing optimization, and
then 3) both measures: inbound (to a major ferry terminal) in the morning and outbound in the
evening. With both optimization and transit signal priority, travel time for buses was reduced by
17% in the morning and 11% in evening. It was concluded that signal priority can expedite
transit vehicles without impacting non-transit traffic. Benefits are best achieved if bus stops are
located on the far side of an intersection and if adequate efforts are made at optimization of the
signal settings.

Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.

New York City Department of Transportation

Paper submitted for publication and presentation at the ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) strategies have been proposed as a composition of solutions for improving safety and optimizing vehicular and person throughput along an entire corridor. A portion of I-75 located in southeast Michigan is scheduled for extensive construction and rehabilitation. To prepare for the anticipated loss of capacity on I-75, MDOT performed a study to evaluate ICM solutions that could improve multi-modal throughput on the designated corridor located in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. The stakeholder representation included agencies responsible for the roadway networks, transit, and public safety within the designated study area. Facilitated by a transportation consultant, the stakeholders identified corridor needs, assessed the corridor infrastructure, and identified opportunities to improve travel outcomes for users of the corridor through improved inter-agency coordination and the application of technology and traveler information.

Kimley-Horn and Associates

Paper submitted for publication and presentation at the ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

Active Traffic Management (ATM) integrates the use of numerous traffic management and
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) tools to manage traffic flow as a means to mitigate
traffic congestion under recurring and non-recurring conditions. These tools may include
dynamic lane assignment, variable speed limits, part-time utilization of shoulders as traffic
lanes, queue warning and contra-flow operations. ATM has most frequently been deployed in
Europe, as well as some bridges and tunnels in the U.S., but is increasingly being investigated
for U.S. freeway applications, both for permanent and work zone applications. Benefits
include reductions in accidents along with reduction in congestion due to optimization of
traffic flow. This paper provides a current overview of ATM applications in the U.S. and
abroad, as well as an overview of suggested next steps in ATM deployment.

HNTB Corporation

Paper submitted for publication and presentation at the ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

An Arterial Travel Time solution has been developed that provides high vehicle match rates
while maintaining complete user privacy. The system re-identifies the magnetic signatures
from vehicles as they pass over in-pavement sensor arrays at different points of interest. The
system outputs the complete and accurate distribution of travel times for the arterial, even in
the presence of signalized intersections.
This paper presents the theory of application of this Arterial Travel Time solution, a review
as to the importance of vehicle match rates, the ground truth methodology used to verify
performance and a review of its deployment by San Diego Association of Governments
(SANDAG) in Chula Vista, California.

Sensys Networks

Paper submitted for publication and presentation at the ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition