Safety

This paper examines possible roles that TMCs can play in the event of homeland security threats, and raises other questions that should be considered in the design and operations of existing and future TMCs. Procedures, policies, and communication protocols that should be in place between the TMC and the EOC during potential terrorist attacks are discussed. Information that should be monitored, and how that information is verified, shared, and disseminated is also discussed. Finally, the paper recommends improvements to the existing protocols to maximize communication and coordination between the EOC and TMCs during homeland security events.

Transportation Solutions, Inc. (TSI)

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, May 19-22, 2003 Minneapolis, Minnesota

The USDOT Federal Highways Administration and agencies throughout the United States have noted the increased need for safety in construction work zones. Because most of the work in these construction zones is viewed as temporary, many of the tools used for safety have been limited to traditional, low technology safety devices such as temporary barricades, barrels, and arrow boards.

The Internet and advancing wireless communications options now opens another excellent possibility for increasing safety and efficiency in work zones. Now, work zones can be home to fully operational transportation management systems using ITS devices. These systems can be deployed in a very short period of time, used for the duration of the construction project, and then dismantled or incorporated into a permanent traffic management system.

New Mexico State Highway & Transportation Department

ADDCO, Inc.

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

In this paper we introduce a system architecture general enough to encompass all intersection collision warning and gap advisory scenarios. We propose to use our architecture along with standardization of the subsystem interfaces in order to achieve efficiency, fast design and development, high subsystem reusability and high upgradeability.

The kernel of the proposed architecture is a “StateMap”, a data base of knowledge of all the dynamic components within and, to a reasonable range, approaching the intersection. A “state map generator” processes the inputs from a heterogeneous set of sensors into a standardized “state map”. The introduction of this subsystem makes faster and easier the development of safety application programs. At the same time it makes easier to reuse and upgrade applications.

University of California, Berkeley

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, May 19-22, 2003 Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) uses ramp meters to manage freeway access on approximately 210 miles of freeways in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Approximately 430 ramp meters have been installed by Mn/DOT, which uses them as a tool to help merge traffic onto freeways and to manage the flow of traffic through bottlenecks.

The study occurred in the fall of 2000, with the results presented to the Legislature and the public in early 2001. The goal of the study was to evaluate and report any relevant facts, comparisons, or statistics concerning traffic flow and safety impacts associated with deactivating system ramp meters for a predetermined amount of time.

The analysis of field data overwhelmingly suggests that ramp metering is a cost-effective investment of public funds for the Twin Cities area. This paper presents the evaluation conclusions, supporting evaluation findings, and recommendations contained in the Minnesota Department of Transportation Twin Cities Ramp Meter Evaluation report

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Cambridge Systematics

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

During the 1997-1998 school year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation completed a successful operational test of in-vehicle signing to warn school bus drivers when they were approaching highway-rail intersections (HRI’s). That test was done in partnership with Twin Cities and Western Railroad (TC&W), the Glencoe-Silver Lake School District, 3M and Dynamic Vehicle Safety Systems (DVSS). The results of that test have previously been reported at ITS America’s annual meetings. Building on the technologies and partnerships of that test, Mn/DOT is proceeding with a one year operational test of technologies that show promise of providing low-cost active warning systems for use at low-volume HRI’s. This paper describes the potential benefits of the technologies, the functional requirements, the proposed operational test and, finally, the results of a technology demonstration conducted on April 20,

2000.

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida