Personal Mobility

The general public often has two complaints regarding the use of variable message signs
(VMSs): they are blank (no message) all the time, or they only provide obvious and
vague information (i.e., “Congestion Ahead.”)  One potential solution to both of these
complaints is to display travel time messages on a regular basis, such as during the
weekday peak periods.  For example, a VMS might display the message: “TRAVEL
TIME TO/ I-10 TUNNEL/ 8-10 MIN” (with a backslash representing a new line.)
The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a system of travel time
messages on freeway VMSs in Phoenix, Arizona.  This paper can be used as a framework
for the development of travel time message systems in other cities or, at the least, shed
light on the numerous issues to consider when displaying a travel time message.   
Specifically, this paper identifies and evaluates various travel time message formats
currently used in other areas across the nation, reviews the process used for selecting
specific travel time messages in Phoenix, and analyzes the benefits and costs of the
recommended travel time message system in Phoenix.

Federal Highway Administration

Arizona Department of Transportation

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

More than five years ago, Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) launched its Real-time Traffic web site and since then, the focus has been on providing comprehensive real-time traffic information to Oakland County travelers in the most effective manner. Advanced Internet technology features have been used to present real-time data on the traffic web page, and have made the web site more user-friendly, efficient, and accessible. This web site (http://www2.rcocweb.org) is one of the first in the nation that integrates freeway and arterial traffic information on one web page. The real-time traffic web pages include a freeway and arterial street map overlaid with traffic information:
Freeway data such as speeds, roadwork events, incident events, Changeable Message Sign messages, and video snapshots collected from Michigan Department of Transportation’s  Michigan ITS Center, and
Arterial data such as signal congestion data, Road Weather Information System data, roadwork events, and video snapshots provided by RCOC. This paper presents different technologies that were used in enhancing the Real-time Traffic web site and focuses on the enhancements and lessons learned during its development.  Latest technology such as eXtensible Markup Language (XML) was used to improve the system performance and enhance the traffic information distribution capability.  Geographic Information System (GIS) was used in the presentation of congestion information on the roads.   All these enhancement efforts are responsible for making the RCOC’s Real-time Traffic web site as one of the most integrated and advanced arterial ATIS (Advanced Traveler Information Systems) web site in the nation. This paper also discusses the future opportunities that exist for providing real-time and archived traffic data through the web for research and other purposes.

Road Commission for Oakland County

Iteris, Inc.

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

This paper explores the possible transportation and property value impacts of a new  congestion management policy called credit-based congestion pricing (CBCP). Integrated land usetransportation models provide short- and long-term estimates of travel demand, network operations, location choice, and land use patterns. Using destination, mode and departure time choice models sensitive to changes in travel times and costs, household travel demands were simulated in order to appreciate the transportation effects of a CBCP policy for Austin, Texas. Changes in land use, locational accessibility and property values as a result of CBCP also were simulated. The trip-based welfare impacts of such a policy were compared for three scenarios (full network pricing, major highway pricing only, and no pricing), in order to identify households and neighborhoods that will benefit most and least from such policies. The results corroborate prior results and hypotheses about the potential of a CBCP policy to alleviate congestion and generate benefits across the region income groups and traveler types.

Key words: Credit-based congestion pricing, travel demand modeling, welfare, property value
models, transportation policy

The University of Texas at Austin

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

VIA in San Antonio, Texas is completing the conceptual design process for a comprehensive upgrade of their revenue management system. This paper provides an overview of the decision process VIA used to select a conceptual design alternative, which involved the following fundamental decisions:

• Whether to introduce smart cards or rely solely on magnetic stripe farecards; and

• If using smart cards, whether to complement these with magnetic stripe farecards.

Based on an assessment of VIA operational and maintenance issues, a set of screening criteria and weights were developed and used to evaluate alternative revenue management technologies. As a result of this assessment, a shortlist of alternative conceptual designs was defined. These alternatives were distinguished primarily on the basis of the mix of advanced technology fare media involved. A smart card only alternative was selected as the basis for the more detailed conceptual design development

.TranSystems Corporation

VIA Metropolitan Transit

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

In the winter of 2002, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT)
began pilot testing a Mobile Data Acquisition and Reporting System (MDARS) as an
expanded module of its Condition Acquisition and Reporting System (CARS).  Seventy-
five plow operators in southwestern Minnesota used web-enabled cell phones to enter
road condition information through MDARS.  Over 500 situations were entered during
the pilot.  Based on the success of this pilot a second phase is planned, during which
other forms of mobile and potentially automated reporting will be explored.

Minnesota Department of Transportation

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