Incident Response, Parking Management, and Maintenance Management Systems

Incidents Could be anything, outhouses to Christmas trees

Incidents in Washington

Incident Management / Emergency Response Urban legend: 60 percent of delay is related to non-recurring congestion – incidents Solution: –Identify and remove incidents –Speed removal by sending the correct equipment as quickly as possible

Incident Management Incident detection Incident verification Incident response Management Motorist information

Traffic Management Center

Incident Detection Now, primarily by cellular phone –Overwhelming 911 call centers –E-911 (location information) Also –Traffic surveillance systems –CB radio –Motorist call boxes

Motorist Call Boxes Used to be expensive, now easy to install because of cell service

Incident Verification Notification of an incident is not detection Where is it really? What is the problem? Does it really exist?

Incident Verification Usually requires visual confirmation –CCTV –Personal visit Service patrol Police Airplane Maintenance staff

Service Patrols

Incident Verification - Response Verification allows call out of response The faster the proper response, the faster clearance takes place

Level of Response

Incident Response Proper response requires an understanding of the incident –Basic assistance (gas / a push) –Tow truck –Large tow truck –Fire truck –EMT –Hazardous material spill recovery –Fatal accident investigation team (Police use technology to record and clear scene, e.g. photogrammerty)

Incident Response - Management Communications are key –Between respondents –Call for additional assistance –Coordination of efforts Turf wars used to be a big issues ITS provides many new cost effective communication options

Incident Management – Motorist Information Motorist information is a big part of management –Routing information Manage facility demand Provide better travel alternatives to customers Reduce frustration / poor driving behavior –Manage traveler expectations

Motorist Information Information needs to be delivered to customers –Radio –VMS / CMS –New electronic devices –Other

HAR

VMS – CMS

VMS / CMS/ DMS

Parking Management Maximize space utilization (if demand is not evenly distributed) Reduce VMT caused by searching for a space One estimate is up to 30% of urban traffic is “search traffic”

Parking Management Requires –Monitoring of space availability –Communication with drivers –Connection between monitor and communications –Funding to pay for the system

Parking Management Methods for monitoring space availability –Counting in/out movements –Checking individual space availability Communication with motorists (guidance systems) –VMS / CMS (location?) Reservation Systems

Parking Management Message Signs –Where do you place them? At the garage Prior to the garage At decision points –What do they say? Numbers versus directions –How do you update them? –When do they get updated?

Parking Technologies Automated parking systems –Robopark Electronic or wireless reservation/payment –Similar to electronic tolls –Use mobile phone or transponders Advanced parking meters –Provide real time information if space is occupied

Parking Management Who pays for the system? –What’s the incentive to do this? Who participates in the system? Where are the benefits? –The public? –The private parking companies?

EU’s e-Parking Project On-going European Union program Uses wireless networks, cell phones, PDAs to: –Get advance information on parking space –Make a reservation –Open barrier at facility –Pay for service Can all be completed in vehicle

e-Parking Project

Smart Parking at Baltimore Airport Signs indicate number of free spaces

Ultrasound sensor checks each space for a vehicle. Green/Red light above space indicates if space available.

Green arrows point direct drivers to floors with open spaces

Signs point to open spaces

Open Stall Changeable signs indicate spaces in rows

Robopark Space saving modular parking systems Driver parks and pushes button Car is automatically moved to a space Use access card or code to retrieve car

Seattle Center Parking New system at three parking lots and garages Loops at entrance/exit tally cars and determine occupancy Linked to VMS signs on streets in area

Maintenance Management Real time (predictive) knowledge of weather conditions Real time knowledge of the position and status of assets 22% of vehicle crashes in U.S. occur under adverse road weather conditions

Snow Control / Removal Less expensive to prevent snow/ice accumulation than to remove it Place anti-icing chemicals prior to ice formation –Only saves money if it actually snows / ices over

Snow Prediction Requires extensive weather monitoring system Must track micro-climates Need forecasting capabilities But can be save money

Smart Snowplow Technologies Finding and staying on roads –GPS with accurate road database, magnetic paint strips, embedded magnetic markers Detect hidden objects –Collision warning radar Rear end collisions –Strobes Driver fatigue –Devices designed with driver comfort in mind Friction measurement (for performance info)

Smart Snowplows

Smart Snowplow

Washington Roadway Weather Forecasting RWIS (Remote Weather Information Systems) Linked stations from a number of agencies –Airport –Universities –Cities –Military Bases –On Ferries 570 stations across state

Forecasting Grids Resolutions 36 Kilometer 12 Kilometer 4 Kilometer

Public Page - Statewide View

Public Page - Regional View

Public Page - Local View

Route and Road Surface Conditions

ARROWS Automated Real Time Weather Information Systems Used by WSDOT (not public) to manage weather related maintenance Forecasts snow, road icing, etc

Road Surface Forecast

Maintenance Decision Support