1. Southwestern Ontario Border Wait Time Project Update Mike Barnet, P.Eng Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Ministry of Transportation of Ontario April 8, 2014

2. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 2 Background  Part of a province-wide initiative, supported by Transport Canada to provide border-wait time information on the approaches to all border crossings  Goal To promote safe, secure, and efficient border crossing operations that support economic and social prosperity of the province and mitigate the impact of international trade on local communities  Strategy To provide border wait-time information on dedicated roadside signs on the Ministry freeways destined for the US/Canada border To improve upon the detail and accuracy of border wait-time information provided on the Ministry web site  Approach described today is really for border crossing scenarios whereby there can be dynamic changes in queuing that warrants advance notification via roadside signs i.e. High volume border crossings

3. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 3 Priority Deployments  New ATMS Border Advisory System design to be implemented for: Windsor and Sarnia Gateway Niagara Falls Thousand Islands Ambassador Bridge Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Blue Water Bridge

4. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 4 Hybrid Approach (Bluetooth and Vehicle Detectors)  Use of Bluetooth Readers & Vehicle Detectors  Vehicle Detectors Service flow rate Volume of cars in the queue  Bluetooth Detector Historical travel time information Vehicle detectors installed at border crossing in BC, Canada Bluetooth reader installed off highway shoulder, Ontario

5. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 5 Hybrid Approach Primary Inspection Lanes Closed System (NOTE: Could be a tunnel or bridge approach) Bluetooth Reader ‘B’ Direction of Travel Cars EnteringCars Exiting Vehicle Detectors ‘A’Vehicle Detectors ‘B’ Bluetooth and Vehicle Detectors co-located (in principle) Vehicle Detectors A gives real-time service flow rate Vehicle Detectors B gives number of cars in the queue Bluetooth reader provides historical travel times

6. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 6 Blue Water Bridge Crossing

7. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 7 Challenges  Large, multi-jurisdictional team MTO, MDOT Bluewater Bridge CAN / USA City of Windsor 2 Consulting teams  Design of Hybrid Approach requires equipment on both sides of crossing  Development of signing / messaging strategy Size of sign Roadside Vs. Overhead Bilingual Requirements  Privacy Concerns raised by media  Uncertainty related to construction of DRIC

8. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 8 Border Delay Information

9. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 9 Next Steps  Blue Water Bridge: Installation of Loop Detectors / Bluetooth equipment will be completed by Spring 2014 Testing and fine tuning algorithm expected to be completed by Summer 2014 System to be operational by late Summer / Fall 2014, in time for ITS World Congress in Detroit  Windsor – Detroit Crossings: Operating Agreement with City of Windsor under development Field Equipment expected to be in place by late 2014 / early 2015 System to be operational by Summer 2015  Border Advisory Signs Expected to be in place by Summer 2015

10. Intelligent Transportation Systems Program 10 QUESTIONS? Mike Barnet Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Ontario Ministry of Transportation mike.barnet@ontario.ca 416-235-5110