Cross-cutting Issues

Priority control systems, whether vehicle, central control or intersection based, are all composed of hardware devices running software programs. These devices may include, but are not limited to, signaling emitters, signal detectors, intersection communications devices, and assorted associated supporting devices.

The traditional use of priority control has been to implement emergency vehicle preemption (EVP). Emergency vehicle priority preemption of normal traffic signal operation provides safe, rapid progress for authorized emergency vehicles through priority control equipped intersections. If an EVP request is forwarded to, and granted by the intersection controller, a green light is applied to the phase requested by the requesting vehicle or agency. Since this detection occurs in real-time, and by the nature of the request priority, there is little chance that emergency vehicles will be denied a green light.

Global Traffic Technologies

Presented at the 18th World Congress on ITS, October 2011, Orlando, Florida

Cellular networks are best known for the cell phones that they serve, but they also support a far larger – yet often overlooked – user base: machines with embedded intelligence that permits them to exchange specific information with other machines. Referred to as telemetry or machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, these devices and services cater to vending machines, truck trailers and utility meters, to name just a few common applications. M2M has been and will remain a growth market because it gives enterprises, government agencies and others a powerful way to cut costs, streamline their operations and improve their competitive position through real-time data dissemination.

PAUL DRYSCH

Presented at the 12th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, November 6-10, 2005, San Francisco, California

Within the next few months the Federal Highway Administration will release their draft rulemaking concerning the mainstreaming of intelligent transportation systems into the transportation planning process and the incorporation of the National ITS Architecture.

This paper provides three different perspectives on mainstreaming intelligent transportation systems into the transportation planning process. The first looks at "intended outcomes" of the rulemaking and notes the impact these outcomes will have on the transportation planning process.

The second perspective is on current issues surrounding the incorporation of ITS into the transportation planning process from the perspective of the Transportation Planning Division of the Virginia Department of Transportation. The third perspective provides an overview of the transportation planning in the Vermont Agency of Transportation and mainstreaming issues.

Rural ITS Planning

Vermont Agency of Transportation

Virginia Department of Transportation

Presented at the 10th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, May 1-4, 2000 Boston, MA

Mn/DOT has a systems interchange project at the I-494/TH 169 interchange in the southwest part of Minneapolis. The current interchange is experiencing backups of 3 miles in the northbound direction of TH 169 and 1.5 miles backup in the southbound direction during the peak hours on a daily basis and is one of the most congested locations in the Twin Cities. The current interchange is an odd mixture of a cloverleaf and a diamond interchange. TH 169 has three closely spaced traffic signals along the project segment, the last three signals on a highway that is designed as a full access-controlled facility for everywhere except the I-494 interchange area in the Twin Cities area. The three traffic signals and the weaving caused by the cloverleaf design are causing the majority of the daily traffic congestion.

Author: Joel K. Marcuson

Presented at the 18th World Congress on ITS, October 2011, Orlando, Florida

Predictive Cruise Control (PCC) is a system that enhances and works in combination with the existing Conventional Cruise Control. Based on a predictive algorithm and elevation information
captured in a 3D map, PCC allows the vehicle speed to vary around the cruise control set speed within a defined speed band in an effort to reduce fuel consumption. As fuel consumption is a major portion of a truck’s life cycle costs (LCC) and cruise control is used extensively in NAFTA regions, PCC can significantly reduce the truck’s LCC.

DaimlerChrysler AG
Research and Technology North America, Inc.

Eaton

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, April 26 - 28, 2004 San Antonio, Texas