1 Benefits of ITS During Hurricane Evacuations Hurricane Evacuation Transportation Workshop April 5, 2003

2 Gene Glotzbach Florida Department of Transportation ITS Office (850) dot.state.fl.us/IntelligentTransportationSystems

3 A successful Hurricane Evacuation is Dependent on: Information

4 What Information is Needed? Storm related parameters Evacuation time estimates Traffic conditions

5 Storm Related Parameters Size Wind Speed (Hurricane Category) Track Arrival Time (storm speed) Tidal Surge

6 Evacuation Time Estimates Based on past experience Based on modeling

7 Traffic Conditions Traffic Volume Traffic Speed Traffic Incidents

8 What Does ITS Provide? Traffic sensors to determine volumes and speeds Cameras to verify sensor information Cameras to assist in incident detection and response Weather sensors to provide wind speeds/direction and rain fall amounts Dynamic Message Signs to provide information to the motorist Highway Advisory Radio to provide supplemental information.

9 Existing Sources of Roadway Congestion Information Regarding Hurricane Evacuation FDOT Statistic Office’s permanent count stations and cameras Field personnel Limited number ITS deployments

10 Future Sources of Roadway Congestion Information Regarding Hurricane Evacuation FDOT Ten-Year ITS Cost Feasible Plan $700 Million available to deploy ITS Deploys ITS on approximately 60% of limited- access facilities in the State Missing limited-access facilities –I-10 –I-75 north of Tampa –Limited number rural miles of I-95

11 Additional ITS Efforts Construction of new regional transportation management centers Creation of statewide TMC software Advanced travel information systems Development of a center to center communications network 11

12 Benefits of ITS for Hurricane Evacuation Provides information about traffic conditions Provides means to disseminate information to the evacuees Provides zone specific weather Provides traffic managers the ability to share control and data

13 Goal Regarding Hurricane Provide real-time traffic information to the Emergency Operations Center In Tallahassee for use in making hurricane evacuation decisions and to provide other means for dissemination information to the public.