SunGuide^SM Disseminator

FDOT to Pursue "Infostructure" Model Deployment

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will soon submit an application to participate in a highly innovative field operational test or model deployment with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This project is commonly called the "infostructure" because it will provide an information infrastructure. The formal name of the program is the Surface Transportation Security and Reliability Information System Model Deployment. The objective of the model deployment is to demonstrate the wide variety of operational functions that are enabled or enhanced with a surface transportation security and reliability information system. The model deployment will:

• Expand and integrate existing data collection and monitoring systems,
• Collect and share data,
• Use the data operationally to improve transportation system security, safety, reliability and performance, and
• Where appropriate, distribute the data to the traveling public.

The model deployment will demonstrate today's best practices and innovative approaches in the collection, processing, use, dissemination, sharing, and archiving of transportation information. As part of this model deployment, existing surveillance and monitoring will be augmented to fill gaps, and coverage will be enhanced with new sensor types, increased data rates, or increased coverage density. Existing institutional arrangements will be expanded to provide additional operational functionality and integration.

Additional information is available on-line at Surface Transportation Security and Reliability Information System Model Deployment, Solicitation 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOT/FHWA/OAM/DTFH61-02-X-00089/listing.html

FDOT's response will be a collaboration of the ITS Office, District 2 and District 5. In addition, several private sector companies have expressed an interest in pursuing this solicitation as a partner to FDOT. Discussions are underway with three firms at this time.

For further information on how to participate in the application process, please contact Mr. Gene Glotzbach, ITS Deployments, at the FDOT ITS Office in Tallahassee, (850) 410-5616.

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ITS Florida Reaches Out to the ITS Community and Beyond
(This is the first in a series of articles from ITS Florida highlighting new initiatives of the organization and the people who are leading those activities for us. ITS Florida President - Bob McQueen)

Outreach

Everybody does it, right? Well, not exactly, according to Jill Schultz, the new Outreach Committee Chair of ITS Florida.

"ITS Florida is like every other organization. We have a story to tell and we want people to become involved in our organization and in the ITS industry. But making that happen involves asking the right questions and supporting your goal with a strategy," said Schultz, who is president of JMS Communications & Research in Bradenton.

This year outreach has been moved to the frontburner at ITS Florida. Schultz is working with the Outreach Committee and the rest of the ITS Florida Board on efforts that include developing:

• an overall outreach/marketing strategy for the organization;
• a strategic plan for the organization;
• web site policies and editorial efforts; and,
• a marketing strategy for the upcoming Transpo 2002 Conference in December.

"At the heart of what we are doing is stepping back for a moment and asking who we are, what we have to offer our members and the ITS Florida community, in addition to many others outside the ITS world," said President Bob McQueen. "When we effectively answer these questions from their perspective and ours, we've got the foundation for an outreach strategy."

Schultz has been involved in transportation outreach and marketing since she began her public involvement/marketing firm in 1993. She specializes in working with transportation agencies and communities. Before moving to Florida from Wisconsin in December 2000, Schultz worked on numerous ITS projects in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Most recently, Schultz assisted FDOT and PBS&J with the design and development of FDOT's exhibit for the ITS America 2002 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Long Beach, California.

"I love working in transportation, and especially in ITS. It's really about people and the way we make their lives better, and that's exciting," said Schultz.

For further information, please contact Ms. Jill Schultz, Outreach Committee Chair, ITS Florida, (941) 794-9930 or email her at jmscomres@aol.com.

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Microwave Communications System Improvements/Reconfiguration Project

In continuation of an on-going four-phase project, the FDOT has recently entered into the project's second phase to upgrade its 70+ site statewide microwave communications system. The upgrade is being performed to accommodate changes to the Motorist Aid Call Box System as well as to provide support to the FDOT's ITS projects. This phase, the Microwave Communications System Improvements/Reconfiguration Project, is responsible for the upgrade and reconfiguration of the microwave communications network, network synchronization, power systems, and network management systems. Concurrent with this phase of the project, the FDOT will be implementing a new statewide network management system as well as upgrading the 12-channel analog Alligator Alley microwave communications system.

The Microwave Communications System Improvements/Reconfiguration Project consists of the reconfiguration of the statewide microwave communications network to accommodate changes to the Motorist Aid Call Box System as well as provide flexibility in the event future changes are required. The project also includes the installation of a route-redundant data network to support the network management system being installed as part of another phase. Lastly, the project includes the upgrade of the communications system's power systems to industry standards as well as improving the digital network's timing and synchronization.

The contract for this project was awarded to Radian (Bothell, WA) for a value of $9.8 million. The project is scheduled for a two-year construction period to be completed by July, 2004.

For further information, please contact Mr. Nick Adams, ITS Telecommunications Consultant Coordinator, at the FDOT ITS Office in Tallahassee, (850) 410-5608.

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Editorial Corner

It's No Wonder Our Roadways Are Getting More Congested
Florida's beaches, major tourist attractions, and gateway status for the Americas attract nearly 60 million visitors each year. The demand for transportation services resulting from these visitors and Florida's 16 million residents is outpacing the ability of state and local governments to build new highways to meet this demand. For example, on the Florida Intrastate Highway System (FIHS), travel demand [measured in vehicle-miles traveled (VMT)] increased 43 percent and the percent of travel during the peak period (5:00 pm to 6:00 pm) increased 40 percent from 1990 to 1999, as determined by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Statistics Office. During the same period, the FDOT invested over $3.1 billion in construction on the FIHS, which resulted in only a 10.3 percent increase in the number of lane miles.

By the year 2020, more than 21 million residents are expected to be living in Florida and another 80 million visitors are expected to sample the state's attractions each year. The 2020 transportation system must also respond to an anticipated three-fold increase in Florida's imports and exports. VMT is expected to increase 60 percent, transit trips by 40 percent and air travel will more than double.

Combined and Coordinated Approach
It has become painfully evident that traditional roadway expansion and infrastructure management will be insufficient to keep pace with traffic demand. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) offer some measure of relief by providing the ability to operate and manage traffic flow to increase the traffic carrying capabilities of a facility. We can no longer take the "construct them and leave" approach. Transportation facilities must be operated and managed properly to promote safety and to get the maximum usage out of our existing facilities as well as those new facilities that will be built in the future.

Incident management systems combined and coordinated with other ITS, such as advanced traveler information systems, provide transportation managers with the tools to squeeze the most capacity out of our roadway system. The total benefit of combining and coordinating ITS may truly be greater than the sum of the parts.

To provide the greatest benefit to visitors and citizens of Florida, ITS must be coordinated on a statewide basis. The mission of the ITS Office is to coordinate and promote the deployment of ITS and incident management activities conducted by the FDOT on a statewide basis. We are up against a significant transportation challenge and it will take a coordinated effort from the Districts and the ITS Office to properly address the issues. Working together is the key to building on Florida's national reputation as a leader in the deployment of ITS.

Regards,

For further information, please contact Mr. Gene Glotzbach, ITS Deployments, at the FDOT ITS Office in Tallahassee, (850) 410-5616.

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Announcements

511 Sign Approval A sign design has been developed to support the deployment of 511 as the traveler information phone number. Details of the sign can be found in the FDOT Traffic Engineering Manual, Topic No. 750-000-005 in Section 2.32. The inclusion of the sign in the Traffic Engineering Manual was approved at the Executive Board Meeting, June 20, 2002. The sign design was adopted by the 511 Coalition (a national group that was formed to guide the deployment of 511) as a national standard and is currently deployed in Virginia. The sign is available at the FDOT sign shop in Lake City.

Renaming FDOT's Monthly ITS Newsletter
We have narrowed down the names for FDOT's Monthly ITS Newsletter as follows:

• SunGuide Summary
• SunGuide Journal
• SunGuide Intelligentsia
• SunGuide Disseminator

Voting was very close, and so once again, we would like you to take the time to cast a vote for your favorite name. Simply type the name of your preference and e-mail to Karen.England@dot.state.fl.us. All votes must be in by July 15th. The new name will be used for all future newsletters. Thanks for your input!

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FDOT ITS Office Contacts

Chester Chandler
ITS Office Manager
(850) 410-5600

Nick Adams
ITS Communications
(850) 410-5608

Mike Akridge
Commercial Vehicle Operations
and Electronic Toll Collection
(850) 410-5607

Gene Glotzbach
ITS Deployments
(850) 410-5616

Liang Hsia
ITS Architecture, Standards, Research and Training
(850) 410-5615

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