1. October 27 th, 2010 Roger Browne, M.A.Sc., P. Eng. ITS Program Section Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Presented by Second Plenary

2. OUTLINE  Background - Project Scope  Key Issues and Challenges  Project Status and Next Steps  Questions

3. Transportation Border Working Group : Oct, 2010 3

4. BACKGROUND  Under the Intelligent Border Crossing study, a vision was established that identified three key areas of focus:  Traffic Management and Operations  Advanced Traveler Information  Public/Private Sector Needs

5. 5  Traffic Management and Operations  Providing real-time information en route  ITS to facilitate improved safety and efficiency at the border approaches  ITS to aid motorists and commercial vehicles in decision-making VISION – THREE KEY ASPECTS [1]

6. 6  Advance Traveler Information (ATI)  Providing information to motorists and commercial vehicle operators via the Internet  Combination of border wait-time plus traffic conditions along the route  Intended for pre-trip planning purposes  Provides real-time, historic log and prediction of traffic conditions and border wait-times VISION – THREE KEY ASPECTS [2]

7. 7  Additional Public/Private Sector Needs  Similar to ATI however, customized, value-added information  Real-time and historic information of significant value to:  Border crossing authorities CBP and CBSA  Commercial Vehicle Operators (CVO)  Border Crossing Operators – Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, Blue Water Bridge, Ambassador Bridge, etc. VISION – THREE KEY ASPECTS [3]

8.  Traffic Management and Operations  System to provide border wait-time information for motorists and commercial vehicles en route 8 Ambassador Bridge Detroit Windsor Tunnel Ambassador Bridge Detroit Windsor Tunnel 10 MIN 8 MIN Current Border Delay

9.  Border Advisory System is a key piece to meeting other requirements  Advanced Traveller Information  Information generated by system can be published on the web for pre-trip planning purposes  Balance border traffic demands on provincial level  Public/Private Sector Needs  Border delay combined with traffic delays to estimate travel times along selected routes  Information generated to be provided directly to CBP or CVOs 9

10. Transportation Border Working Group : Oct, 2010 10

11.  Project presents many challenges both logistical and technical  Logistical  What information and where?  Support from border crossing operators  Technical  Algorithm to determine border wait-time  Technology to collect data 11

12.  Concerns regarding the value in providing detailed information so far upstream  Addressed via:  Project team asks the question, “If I were a motorist or a commercial vehicle traversing this route, what information am I really looking for and where?”  Resolution of information to become more detailed the closer you get  Maybe need to supplement with real-time information regarding travel times to get to Windsor or Sarnia 12

13. BORDER DELAY INFORMATION (WHERE) (CONCEPTUAL MOCK-UP OF LOCATIONS BASED ON REST STATIONS)

14. BORDER ADVISORY SIGN (WHAT INFO) Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Ambassador Bridge Detroit-River Int’l Crossing CARS TRUCKS TRUCKS 5-100-5 5-100-515-200-5 5-100-515-200-5 CURRENT BORDER WAIT-TIMES (mins)

15.  Concern that the information provided may inadvertently cause a loss in revenue  Addressed via:  Generally motorists don’t divert from their set plan; commercial vehicles generally cannot divert from programmed crossing  Independent, unbiased historic information can be used for business forecasting  Becoming active stakeholder could result in new potential revenue stream 15

16.  Mathematical models or algorithms are required to take traffic data and calculate or predict border wait-times  Freeway vs Arterial Approach  Freeway to Inspection Lanes – Straight forward  Arterials to Inspection Lanes – Far more complex 16

17. ALGORITHM PRINCIPLE BORDER WAIT-TIME QUEUE LENGTH SERVICE RATE Service Rate = 5 veh/min; Queue Length = 10 vehicles; Therefore, Border-Wait-Time = 2 mins

18.  Traffic queues from primary inspection lanes directly onto freeway  Freeway spillback is the only queue/wait-time that needs to be measured  No other constraints on freeway 18

19.  Traffic queues from primary inspection lanes onto one or more municipal streets  Queuing also independently caused by high traffic volumes at signalized intersections  Driveways and other side-friction can also impose further queuing and delays 19

20.  Technology must be non-intrusive  Not possible to get inductive loops on bridges or tunnels given potential traffic impacts during installation and maintenance  Technology must cater to sensitivities  Video-based systems may not be permitted due to current or future re-hashed security concerns  Probe-based information must be anonymous 20

21. Transportation Border Working Group : Oct, 2010 21

22.  Official kick-off meeting held in September  Project Information Briefing Sessions held with Blue Water Bridge and Windsor-Detroit Tunnel border crossing operators  Significant progress made with respect to laying out the approach and tackling the issues 22

23. 23 Determine what information required and location Develop mathematical algorithm to generate this information from data collected Determine data needs to generate this information Select and test technologies capable of providing the data required Compare border wait-time calculated against ground truth Modify or calibrate algorithm based on findings

24. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE  Considering whether or not there is an overload of information to be provided  Consideration being given to whether or not there is a need to have additional information in the City of Windsor itself

25. 25 Ambassador Bridge Ambassador Bridge Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Travel Time to US via Ouellette Border Wait-Times Border Wait-Times Border Wait-Times Border Wait-Times Border Delay + Travel Times Border Delay + Travel Times Travel Time to US via Hwy 3 Possible Scenario

26.  Original Delcan proposal calls for calibration runs to confirm operation of algorithm  Now considering Bluetooth readers to establish database of ‘ground truth’ information for comparison and calibration of algorithm 26

27.  Concerns over microwave given inaccuracy of readings at lower speeds  Consideration being narrowed down to:  Microloops installed under bridge structures where it is easy to install and maintain without affecting traffic  Bluetooth Readers with some form of prediction model based on mapping current conditions with historic data  Smart phone GPS tracking application whereby an APP is developed and motorists volunteer their information in exchange for detailed traffic information on a whole 27

28.  Sarnia Approach  Currently negotiating arrangement with Blue Water Bridge to have additional micro-loop detection added to their ongoing contract  With detection installed, algorithm developed for freeway-to-inspection lane can now be tested and calibrated  Windsor Approach  Currently working on concept of operations and strategy for messaging  Developing detailed plan to gain support from Windsor- Detroit tunnel operator 28

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30. Roger Browne, M.A.Sc., P. Eng. Senior Project Engineer ITS Program Section Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Roger.Browne@ontario.ca 30