1. August 27, 2014
Planning for Systems Management and Operations in the Phoenix Metropolitan Region
FHWA Webinar
June 16, 2016
Thank you Tamara and thank you for this opportunity to share...
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MAG Regional Council

2. What is TSMO and SM&O?
TSMO or Transportation Systems Management and Operations, is a relatively new subarea of transportation
TSMO and SM&O have identical meaning, SM&O has been a part of Regional Transportation Plans for many years
Refers to the collective effort to make traffic management and operations more efficient through infrastructure improvements as well as operational strategies
(Speak to first bullet)
Most of the planning and resources have been for infrastructure improvements; with fewer dollars and right-of-way available to build more lanes, our focus must now be on more efficiently and safely maintaining the infrastructure in place, with more emphasis on operations.
Many elements of TSM&O have been present in our planning program and funded thorough the Regional Transportation Plan for many years. It was originally called SM&O and has the identical meaning.
The MAG planning area includes 29 cities and towns as well as 3 tribal communities. Maintenance and operation of the arterial and freeway system falls to the State, County, and local agencies all with varying infrastructure, equipment, operational models and resources. So for the MAG region this refers to a collective effort for efficient management and operations through infrastructure and operational strategies.
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3. How is the Phoenix Metro Region Organized to Mainstream TSMO in Transportation Planning?
Since 1997, the Phoenix metro region has invested heavily in TSMO infrastructure projects, based on recommendations of the ITS Committee
Membership includes traffic engineers
The first MAG ITS Strategic Plan
2003 – Regional Concept of Transportation Operations (First urban region)
Regional Transportation Plan set aside nearly $200 million for SM&O infrastructure & $22m for Freeway Service Patrol
2012 – The second MAG ITS Strategic Plan >> focus on ICM, Safety
The first SM&O Plan with modifications to the TIP process – anticipated
I would like to provide some background as to how MAG is organized to mainstream TSMO:
(Speak to bullets through 2012)
Brining us to the present; in the next couple of months we will be kicking off the development of the first comprehensive SM&O Plan for the region.
Task 5 of the SM&O Plan scope will focus heavily on recommending individual SM&O projects to be programmed in the MAG TIP in consultation with the ITS technical Committee.
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4. How is MAG using TSMO to evaluate projects?
Short-Term Planning
Data
Analysis/Modeling – Dynus-T Model
Performance Measures/Management
Example: DPS officer co-location pilot project
In the next few slides I will be describing how MAG uses TSMO to evaluate projects in terms of...
(Speak to bullets to DynusT)
We use the DynusT model as it provides the ability to capture locations of bottlenecks and duration of congestion, as well as changes in congestion over time, which is key in planning scenarios for ICM. This model has the capability to simulate driving behavior and route choice behavior, or adaption to roadway conditions and determining alternative routes, to various network conditions.
(bullets 4 and 5)
DPS or Department of Public Safety is the freeway patrol enforcement branch of the State.
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5. Evaluation Study – DPS Officer Co-location Pilot
February 17, 2016
Evaluation Study – DPS Officer Co-location Pilot
ADOT & MAG funded 3-Yr Pilot Project
Co-location of DPS troopers at the TOC started in October 2014
3-months of staff training
The program fully operational in January 2015
All crash clearance data gathered using the DPS electronic reporting system - TraCS
Evaluation compared 9-months of BEFORE Vs AFTER performance data:
Regional Traffic Simulation Model -DynusT
Compared total traffic delay experienced by travelers in 2014 & 2015
Used observed crash numbers & actual time taken to clear crashes
This pilot project is a partnership between ADOT, DPS, FHWA and MAG to provide funding and staff to have an officer stationed at the ADOT TOC . A key factor in the approval for funding was the evaluation component.
This pilot program started in October of 2014, and after 3 months of staff training, was fully operational in January 2015.
The identification of this pilot project was actually part of another effort: to identify near term improvements that could be funded through the RTP.
So MAG Staff, in coordination with the ITS committee recommended this as the low hanging fruit, as it were, that could be implemented immediately and at a low cost.
The co-location provides the ability by DPS to monitor traffic incidents and mobilize an effective response, to help reduce the duration of closures, as well as secondary crashes, and serve as the POC coordinating updates to responders on the ground.
The data used was gathered using the TraCS , or electronic reporting system, and the evaluation itself employed the DynusT model to compare 9 months of BEFORE and AFTER data.
The model compared total traffic delay and used observed crash numbers and actual time to clear for both evaluation periods.
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6. Freeway Crashes with No Injuries
February 17, 2016
Freeway Crashes with No Injuries
Comparison:
2014(Jan–Sept) NO DPS Vs
2015 (Jan-Sept) DPS Present
Ill go through these next few slides rather quickly just to highlight what was evaluated.
You will note the horizontal axis indicates the measures evaluated for: response time, roadway clearance time, incident clearance time and incident duration; in this case for Freeway Crashes with No Injuries.
The BEFORE condition is in orange and the AFTER is in blue.
+ 63% % % %
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7. Freeway Crashes with Injuries
February 17, 2016
Freeway Crashes with Injuries
Comparison:
2014(Jan–Sept) NO DPS Vs
2015 (Jan-Sept) DPS Present
Here is the same evaluation for Injury Crashes
As I go through these you will notice that the only element increasing is the response time; this is probably due to the increase in volumes recorded on MAG region freeways from 2014 to 2015, therefore the average minutes for Response Time followed that increase.
+ 58% % % %
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8. Fatal Crashes on Freeways
February 17, 2016
Fatal Crashes on Freeways
Comparison:
2014(Jan–Sept) NO DPS Vs
2015 (Jan-Sept) DPS Present
As you can see, on all other measures evaluated are significantly decreasing.
Here for the Fatal Crashes on Freeways, Roadway Clearance times reduced by nearly 50 percent for average minutes than those reported for 2014.
+ 20% % % %
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9. All Freeway Crashes Comparison: 2014(Jan–Sept) NO DPS Vs
February 17, 2016
All Freeway Crashes
Comparison:
2014(Jan–Sept) NO DPS Vs
2015 (Jan-Sept) DPS Present
So this is a summary of All Crashes, in average minutes, for an overall reduction in Roadway Clearance Time of 54 minutes or 63 percent.
The benefits seen as a result of this evaluation will be covered in the next few slides as I discuss...(next slide)
+62% % % %
Reduced by 54 minutes
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10. What benefits has MAG realized from TSMO strategies?
Freeway Service Patrol Program
I-10 ICM Project – Most commuter and commercial route in State
US-60 ICM Project
Traffic Signal Optimization Program – MAG Planning funds
DPS Officer Co-Location at TOC
(Read slide title)
To highlight the benefits I’ve chosen a few of our programs to detail. These are projects fall under our Traffic Signal Optimization Program funded on an annual basis through our planning work program.
The first is not part of the TSOP, however: the Freeway Service Patrol program was launched in 2000 and due to the clear demonstration of safety benefits in the first two years, the program is currently fully funded through the year through the RTP.
MAG ICM projects under the TSOP, use analysis, modeling and simulation objectives, under full freeway closure, to minimize queues on the freeway and to develop and assess various diversion strategies on surface streets;
As part of part of a broader effort: the Integrated Corridor Management System (ICMS) has the benefit of establishing communication, strategies, and a decision support system.
The benefits of the Phoenix I-10 project was the development of well-defined, multi- tiered diversions routes and signal plans, prescribed by location and peak period.
The Town of Gilbert US-60 project benefits from comprehensive signal plans developed to divert traffic from the freeway, and work for multiple locations at peak periods.
So what are the benefits demonstrated for the DPS co-location project?...
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11. The success of this pilot project was the focus of several media segments and articles highlighting the benefits which I will review in the next couple of slides.
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12. Estimated Economic Benefit to MAG Region
February 17, 2016
Estimated Economic Benefit to MAG Region
Estimated Traffic Delay on Regional Road System
In 2015, the total traffic delay experienced by travelers was reduced by nearly 8.4 million vehicle-hours; despite 23% increase in crashes
Equivalent to $165 million in savings
Does not include potential savings from secondary crashes reduced
Cost of the program: $450,000 in Year 1, $425,000/Yr in Years 2 & 3
Year-1 Benefit:Cost = 368:1
To demonstrate the benefits we looked at the economic benefit in terms of estimated traffic delay.
Here you can see that the delay experienced reduced by nearly 8.4 million vehicle-hours in 2015, despite a 23 percent increase in crashes.
This was calculated at an equivalent of 165 million dollars in savings which does not include potential savings from secondary crashes reduced. AND With the first year cost of 450 thousand dollars, the calculated Benefit-Cost demonstrated was 368 to 1.
When this pilot was presented to the MAG regional council for approval of funding it was anticipated that there would be nearly 7 million dollars savings. So you can see that it benefitted the region much more than anticipated.
I’d like to point out that the timing of development of the SM&O Plan was perfect in terms of having recently seen the benefits of this pilot project. The justification for SM&O Plan development was in part based on the first annual reporting of the performance, highlighting how the SM&O Plan will help identify additional strategies and go much further.
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13. How is the relationship between MAG and Operating Agencies?
The relationship is excellent
Arizona DOT and all local operating agencies are members of MAG
Arizona DOT and all local operating agencies receive MAG RTP funds for TSMO projects
TSMO infrastructure on freeways and in local operating agencies comply with the MAG Regional ITS Architecture
MAG provides technical assistance to local operating agencies in support of TSMO efforts
Anticipated further in internal/external relationships realized with SM&O Plan being kicked-off
Due to how MAG is structured with a designated ITS Committee, together with all MAG member agencies produces an excellent relationship.
The Arizona DOT and all local operating agencies are members of MAG, including the Maricopa County DOT, and they all have the opportunity to receive MAG RTP funds for TSMO projects.
TSMO infrastructure funding on freeways and local agency arterials comply with the regional ITS Architecture I mentioned earlier; as a previous employee of a MAG member agency applying for funds to build a local TOC, I had do demonstrate compliance with the architecture. This actually part of the application.
MAG also provides technical assistance to local agencies in support of their TSMO efforts.
AND, with the upcoming SM&O Plan development we anticipate realizing enhancements to the relationships between MAG, ADOT, County and local agency operators.
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14. August 27, 2014
Planning for Systems Management and Operations in the Phoenix Metropolitan Region
Margaret Boone, P.E.,
ITS & Safety Engineer III
Sarath Joshua, P.E., PhD.,
Senior Program Manager - ITS & Safety
Maricopa Association of Governments
(602)
That concludes my presentation and I would be happy to answer questions. I have also listed the Senior program managers contact information here as well, in case anyone would like to forward questions to Sarath.
Thank you.
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MAG Regional Council