Cross-cutting Issues

This technical paper describes one potential method of assigning mileage-based user fees to vehicles participating in the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) sponsored Connected Vehicle demonstration called Minnesota Road Fee Test (MRFT). Under this proposed approach, Mileage-Based User Fees (MBUF) would be determined by first establishing a Base MBUF Rate depending on the type of vehicle and then adding an Incremental MBUF Rate that would vary by roadway classification, defined in terms of geographic location, roadway jurisdiction, and time of day for travel.  MBUF are intended to provide jurisdictions responsible for building and maintaining roads and bridges with an alternative source of revenue to the gasoline tax currently assessed to gasoline distributors and passed on to motorists at gas stations based on the amount of gallons of fuel consumed.  An alternate approach to assessing MBUF fees during the demonstration will be implemented based on input gathered from focus group meetings conducted in early 2011.

Authors: Cory Johnson, PE., Dan Nelson, AICP

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

The Florida Department of Transportation District Four Intelligent Transportation Systems Unit
is creating a first-of-its-kind training program for transport professionals. The Transportation
Management Academy will train current Transportation Management Center operators on traffic engineering and incident management principles, empowering them to manage events with the utmost confidence in their decisions. The Academy is part of District Four’s effort to create a paradigm shift to proactive/adaptive management of a transportation system.

Authors: Daniel Smith, Sarah Stanley

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

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has begun implementation of the
FDOT’s first dynamically priced managed lanes, known as 95 Express. 95 Express is part of a
series of operational improvements along the I-95 Corridor in Southeast Florida that will
improve the safety, passenger throughput, and travel reliability. 95 Express combines express or High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes with carpool and transit incentives, ramp metering, rapid
incident detection and enhanced operational management strategies. 95 Express is sponsored by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the FDOT, and the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) through the Miami Urban Partnership Agreement. For the project, an Intelligent
Transportation System (ITS)/Toll Equipment/Operations Team was formed that included FDOT
District Six (FDOT D6), FDOT District Four, FDOT Central Office ITS and Operations staff,
and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) toll operation personnel.

Authors: Gregg N. Letts, P.E., Rory Santana, P.E.

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

March 2009, The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) signed a public-private
partnership (P3) agreement with I-595 Express, LLC, to serve as the concessionaire to design,
build, finance, operate and maintain reversible lanes along the I-595 corridor for a long-term
commitment of 35 years. A single set of tolled express lanes added to the existing roadway will
help relieve traffic congestion by being designed to safely reverse. The system must support
emergency access in the event of a traffic incident in the system and support future changes in the roadway and traffic flow patterns. Figure 1(1) shows the layout of the Reversible Lanes
along with the general purpose lanes.

Authors: Jesus A. Martinez, Amit Misra, Tom Dietzel

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

Because Vermont is a rural state with limited resources and funding for implementing and maintaining ITS initiatives and infrastructure, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) in collaboration with ITS vendors Vaisala, Ver-Mac, and WorkSafe have utilized innovative ideas to implement and sustain ITS infrastructure in Vermont. This latest initiative of allowing Road Weather Information Stations (RWIS) to automatically control and display messages on Variable Message Signs (VMS) when adverse weather conditions are detected will result in increased public awareness to adverse weather road conditions, reduced crashes, and provide more data for Public Safety and Motor Vehicle Enforcement to aid in investigating and assessing possible tickets when motorist crash due to excessive speed and/or irresponsible driving during weather events. Because the RWIS automatically turn on the VMS and display appropriate messages when adverse weather events are detected and turn them off when the event and roads are clear, it allows VTrans’ personnel to concentrate on other job duties and maintenance activities. VTrans road maintenance crews also receive the information and can proactively respond to a weather event versus waiting on the event to happen and reacting. VTrans believes this new application can be a model for all states to help in their daily winter maintenance activities with no need for additional resources or human intervention.

Vermont Agency of Transportation

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