<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> 09-2006_Newsletter
Newsletter Banner
New Guidance for Developing a
Project Systems Engineering
Management Plan


ITS Florida Update
FDOT's ITS Strategic Plan Editorial Corner—Back From the Dark Side
511 in Florida FDOT Equipment Certification
Road Rangers Meeting—
Where Do We Go From Here?
Announcements

FDOT Contacts


The SunGuide Disseminator
is a publication of:

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
Traffic Engineering and Operations Office
605 Suwannee Street, M.S. 36
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450
(850) 410-5600
www.dot.state.fl.us.com


September 2006 Edition

 

 

ITS-GC Home

 

New Guidance for Developing a Project Systems Engineering Management Plan

ITS DevicesIn an age where increasing complexity of ITS deployments also creates a greater risk of project failure, planners and designers now have a tool at their disposal that will improve the odds that a project meets the stated objectives, is done on time, and stays within budget.

Systems engineering principles, when applied to a project, enable many common pitfalls to be avoided. Studies have shown, for example, that projects fail when requirements are incomplete, there is no user involvement, and expectations are unrealistic. Projects are also doomed when needed resources are scarce, there is too little planning, and project specifications or requirements change unexpectedly.

The remedy is a systems engineering management plan (SEMP) that permits more effective project management through a process of determining stakeholder needs, specifying system requirements, building and testing the system, and verifying that it meets the project needs as intended. Checks and balances along the way help make certain that the required system functionality is provided.

The FDOT is a national leader in the application of the systems engineering approach to ITS planning and design. Florida and California are the only two states to have developed a FHWA-approved systems engineering management plan of this type. Though the SEMP approach is required to be followed for all FHWA-funded projects, the FDOT employs it on the Florida Intrastate Highway System for all limited-access corridors in the state, regardless of funding source. The FDOT also has introduced a secondary document entitled Writing a Project Systems Engineering Management Plan as a means for project managers to craft a SEMP unique to their particular project.

This guidance document is both a tutorial and a template for producing a project-specific SEMP (PSEMP). It provides the correctly numbered outline for a PSEMP and boilerplate text that can be formatted and used “as is” in the PSEMP. Although the PSEMP is created to satisfy an FHWA requirement, the main purpose of the PSEMP is to guide the ITS project manager from project conception to operations and maintenance/retirement in a systematic way, following systems engineering disciplines. It’s a living document in that it is updated continuously as various project steps are completed.

Systems engineering processes vary depending on the nature of the project. For software development projects and complicated product developments, systems engineering processes are very extensive. But for projects where existing products are procured and installed based on user-defined requirements, systems engineering processes are not that extensive. Florida’s Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, finalized in January 2005, provides an extensive description of systems engineering processes and management controls that can be used in software or hardware development projects, in design/build projects, or in design/bid/build projects.

The PSEMP enables the ITS project engineer or project manager to carry out a project using systems engineering principles and methods. Following such processes maximizes the quality of the system being implemented while minimizing the budget and time required for its completion. Hence, it is the responsibility of the ITS project engineer or project manager to instruct his or her staff, as well as consultants and suppliers, to adhere to pertinent systems engineering processes as described in Florida’s Statewide SEMP or the PSEMP, as the case may be.

The PSEMP includes tasks to be performed for the coordination and control of ITS deployments of all kinds. Key processes used under systems engineering management for FDOT projects include:

  • Developing the project ITS architecture
  • Creating high-level requirements
  • Creating detailed requirements
  • Trading-off studies, gap analyses, or technology assessments
  • Performing technical reviews
  • Identifying risk, assessment, and mitigation
  • Creating a requirements traceability verification matrix
  • Creating performance measure metrics
  • Performing system test, integration, and acceptance planning
  • Achieving operations and maintenance/retirement
  • Preparing the SunGuideSM ITS Checklist (SIC) Form

The project manager preparing the PSEMP must describe the project management and control needed to successfully complete the project. He or she must also identify the tasks to be performed to achieve these goals and define the organizational responsibilities required for accountability in the project. The project manager also has the responsibility to ensure that tasks are completed on schedule and within the stated budget, and this entails the application of proper controls.

PSEMP Flow Chart

The figure above shows stages for an ITS project. The project manager’s work starts with project kick-off and ends with operations and maintenance/retirement. Even though there will be various people and organizations that help throughout this process, it is the project’s structured systems engineering management plan that dictates the steps everyone follows to ensure a much higher potential for success than would otherwise be possible.

This article was provided by Ashis Sanyal, PBS&J. For more information, please contact Mr. Sanyal at (850) 410-5623 or email Ashis.Sanyal@dot.state.fl.us.

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FDOT's ITS Strategic Plan

Marking the Path to Future Progress
Meeting the state’s current and future transportation needs remains one of the most challenging tasks Florida faces. Today, the advancement of ITS technologies and systems, their successful application to transportation problems, and the experience gained from various deployments represent a critical component of transportation system management.

Turnpike-Boca Raton

ITS has proven valuable in traffic monitoring, traveler information, commercial vehicle operations, incident management, and communications. ITS makes it possible to apply new tools and concepts in the day-to-day tasks of providing transportation services, while supporting local, state, and national efficiency and safety objectives for the benefit of system users.

Still, the FDOT ITS Program is only as good as the plan that guides this important effort. The primary purpose of the ITS Strategic Plan, which the FDOT first adopted in 1999, is to present a 20-year vision for ITS in Florida, and to recommend strategies to achieve this vision. The four main ITS goals in the ITS Strategic Plan are consistent with the mission and goals of the FDOT’s 2020 Florida Transportation Plan. These four goals are:

  • Safe transportation for residents, visitors, and commerce.
  • Protect the public’s investment in transportation.
  • Provide a statewide, interconnected transportation system that enhances Florida’s economic competitiveness.
  • Provide travel choices to ensure mobility, sustain the quality of the environment, preserve community values, and reduce energy consumption.

After five years, it became time to revisit the ITS Strategic Plan, and an update was completed in late 2005. As before, it is the definitive guide for planning, programming, and implementing integrated, multimodal ITS services throughout the state. While the FDOT’s four key goals for ITS have not changed, the strategies for accomplishing them have. In addition, the 2005 update of the ITS Strategic Plan was written to mirror the national objectives of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and ITS America. The update recommends strategies to implement new national initiatives that are consistent with those of the USDOT.

Updated ITS Vision, Mission, and Goals
Florida’s ITS vision and mission state that the guiding principles of the national ITS Program are safety, efficiency, and mobility – while still ensuring that local and regional ITS needs are considered. However, there are two important aspects of the national ITS plan that needed to be major focus areas for Florida—security and integration. Because of this federal commitment to expand ITS capabilities, specifically for homeland security, and to ensure ITS interoperability, these two goals were added to Florida’s ITS Program.

Initial Actions Appraisal
There were 31 Initial Actions recommended in the 1999 ITS Strategic Plan to guide planning and deployment over the ITS Program’s critical first years. This helped the FDOT focus departmental resources and skills on the development of ITS; and the results of this work were evaluated to determine whether current courses of action should be maintained, abandoned, or redirected prior to identifying new strategies for the coming years.

Strategic Planning Guidelines for ITS
Guidelines were developing in 1999 to ensure that the ITS Program’s policies, goals, and objectives would be integrated in the FDOT’s procedures and that there would be a guide for transportation decision makers. These guidelines are grouped by five key functions: planning and development; operations and management; finance; public awareness and involvement; and research and development. As part of this update, the planning guidelines were reevaluated to ensure that they reflect the ITS Program’s current vision and goals, as well as stakeholder needs.

Business Plan for the ITS Program
The Business Plan functions as a short-term component of the updated ITS Strategic Plan. It identifies the resources, processes, and program elements needed to achieve particular objectives through the first fiscal year. The Business Plan covers particular areas of emphasis—each having one or more objectives identified, with clearly defined activities and performance measures to gauge the FDOT’s progress. There is a target, or time frame designated; the person responsible is identified; and status is closely tracked. The ITS Program uses the Business Plan to define the application of advanced technologies and the near-term activities needed to implement the updated ITS Strategic Plan. The Business Plan is based on the FDOT’s Ten-Year ITS Cost Feasible Plan and is consistent with its funding levels and programming recommendations.

Ongoing ITS Activities
Ongoing ITS activities were added to highlight activities and projects likely to affect the future direction and strategies of the ITS Program. Among these endeavors are some of the FDOT’s best known ITS initiatives, including commercial vehicle operations, the statewide 511 advanced traveler information systems, Road Rangers service patrol, the statewide ITS telecommunications network, and the development of SunGuideSM software for transportation management center use.

Final ITS Core Strategies
The concluding section of the ITS Strategic Plan contains a list of the final 35 core strategies that establish a dynamic framework for Florida’s continued development and implementation of ITS in the state transportation system. Many core strategies already have a place in the Business Plan and have been assigned a completion schedule. Others are planned for future years and will require assessment according to the ITS Program’s needs. The core strategies are organized according to the four primary ITS goals, with the addition of the two new goals presented in this update: deploying an integrated, effective transportation system; and providing a well-prepared and secure transportation system. Where applicable, particular core strategies are cross-referenced to the Business Plan, where that strategy is being implemented through an ITS Program or activity.

New National and Statewide Initiatives
The update of the ITS Strategic Plan was an opportunity to explore 11 new subject areas and the potential for applying ITS resources and technologies to address them as new initiatives. Each area is covered in a technical memorandum that documents the evaluation done and the recommendation. The initiatives include such subjects as home security, regional operating organizations, ITS research and development, value pricing, vehicle probe studies, and mainstreaming of advanced public transportation systems into the ITS Program.

For a downloadable copy of the 2005 update of Florida’s ITS Strategic Plan and any of its supporting technical memoranda or documentation, visit www.floridaits.com/Strategic_Plan.htm.

This article was provided by Gene Glotzbach, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Glotzbach at (850) 410-5616 or email Gene.Glotzbach@dot.state.fl.us.

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511 in Florida

Accelerating Towards a Seamless System
511 Map511, “the nation’s travel information number,” is a multimodal travel information service available in many states across the nation. Florida has led the nation in regards to traveler information, with use of Florida’s 511 services growing continuously since inception. On July 21, 2000, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigned the 511 dialing code for the provision of telephone-based transportation information on a national basis. In 2002, the FDOT entered into a number of private and public partnerships to roll out the 511 service, resulting in three regional traveler information systems, in Southeast Florida, Central Florida, and Tampa Bay, and one statewide traveler information system that overlays the regional systems. Florida has the momentum to accelerate forward into 2008 with a seamless, consistent, integrated statewide advanced traveler information system (ATIS).

511 Graphs2005 was a banner year in regards to Florida traveler information. Some key milestones include:

  • Florida’s combined services were the first to receive more than 500,000 calls in a month (March and November 2005).
  • The combined services received more than 5 million calls in 2005, which currently accounts for almost 30 percent of all 511 calls nationwide.

New launches and strategic marketing efforts impressively drove usage up for all of Florida’s systems in 2005. In November 2005, the expanded Central Florida/Statewide 511 Service launched as part of iFlorida. Also, innovative and cost-effective campaigns and promotions were implemented, including an eye-catching 511 Lynx bus, creative radio advertising, and 511 announcements aired at Florida Marlins home games.

Web site hits from Florida’s 511 services totaled more than 10 million in 2005.

Florida’s 511 Web sites are co-branded, meaning 511 is part of the Web address This makes the address easier to remember and effectively “brands” the site as part of the 511 deployment. Florida’s 511 Web sites provide a variety of information, including travel times, incident/construction information, transit information, and video/camera views. Useful links can be found on all of the sites, including transit authorities, airports, and seaports.

Florida 511 Web SitesThe various sites offer unique traits and services for their respective areas. Tampa Bay and Southeast Florida provide personalized travel information with email alerts, and Southeast Florida’s site is bilingual so both English and Spanish users can easily access the 511 information. Central Florida was the first 511 Web site to ever provide arterial travel times.

The value of 511 to FDOT and the traveling public increases every day as FDOT continues to meet the challenges faced, listen to the public, and improve the service accordingly.

Challenges faced included: technical and institutional issues; interoperability between regional systems (a caller in one regional may get information in another); and providing information in the rural areas not covered by a regional system. These issues were resolved by working with the various entities to enter into agreements and/or procedures in which in all parties involved could be satisfied.

Public and private partnerships, along with the quality and continuous improvements to the systems, have culminated in Florida’s phenomenal success in establishing superior 511 services, leading the nation in this emerging ITS field.

Going Forward
By monitoring feedback and listening to the public’s wants and needs, FDOT has managed to enhance all its 511 systems as well as increase user satisfaction.

Feedback has revealed one all-important item: Individual users judge the service according to its ability to meet their own individual, and sometimes, very specific needs. They think 'locally' not 'globally'. A large portion of our continuing success will be dependent upon our understanding of which 'local' issues are most important to all and can be applied 'globally.'

Jesus A. Martinez, P.E.
Florida Department of Transportation
ITS Administrator, District 6

Based on these factors, FDOT sees great opportunities going forward:

  • In January 2006, Southeast Florida 511 debuted its new automated interactive voice response (IVR) system.
  • Tampa Bay’s 511 service is expanding to include many more roads, increasing its coverage from 750 to 1,080 roadway miles.
  • Southwest Florida and Jacksonville 511 services are planned for fall 2006.
  • In early 2006, FDOT created a concept of operations, which acts as the plan going forward to best create a seamless, consistent, integrated statewide ATIS with 511 as its key component in communicating with travelers.

This article was provided by Erik Gaarder, PBS&J. For more information, please contact Mr. Gaarder at (407) 806-4297 or email EHGaarder@pbsj.com.

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Road Rangers Meeting—Where Do We Go From Here?

Road RangersOn July 24 and 25, 2006, FDOT had our Road Rangers Program Manager meeting in Orlando in conjunction with the ITS Working Group Meeting. This was a great opportunity to increase the participation in the Road Rangers meetings and ensure that FDOT is moving forward as a group in developing the Road Ranger’s Program policies and procedures.

One of the areas covered in the meeting was the integration of Road Rangers into the SunGuideSM Software for transportation management centers (TMCs). Trey Tillander, ITS Software, Architecture and Standards, led a discussion on how this integration would occur. Initially, the District Four software development, SmartSM SunGuide, would be used to get the state up and running. Then, moving forward with version 3.x of the SunGuide software, we would see integration of automatic vehicle location for dispatching and monitoring of the vehicles as well as the statewide Road Rangers data tracking portion of the project. In the near future this would allow for simplified performance measure monitoring and easier reporting capabilities through the integration of pre-developed reports and Road Rangers vehicle dispatch.

Another topic discussed in the meeting was what should, or should not, be standardized statewide with the Road Rangers Program. With the current draft release of the Road Rangers procedure, this was a very interesting topic. The Road Rangers Program has been in place for several years and all the Districts have excellent programs; however, there has never been a procedure for the program. There are things we all agree that need to be standardized, such as uniforms, vehicle color, and equipment; but there are some things that could be at the District’s discretion, such as vehicle type, message boards, and other areas. Trying to develop a procedure has been a tough job, but through working with the team we are almost there.

Training seems to always be a topic on our agenda. Trying to determine where we need to go with training is a tough issue. District Six is assisting with this project by surveying service patrols nationally, and the training varies widely throughout the nation. District Six is now looking to see what is being done statewide and the results will be ready in the near future. From these results we hope to determine what we need to do as a state in the future.

Steve Corbin, FDOT District Four, and John Easterling, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE), discussed statewide incident coordination. Since the TMCs in south Florida are located so close together, the need for coordination from center to center is very apparent. As a result, the South East Florida Regional TMC Operations Committee (SEFRTOC) was formed. District Four and FTE have seen great benefits from this alliance and believe there is merit to move forward with this concept statewide. This issue is being looked at and we envision a new group, the Florida Uniform Statewide Integrated Operations Network (FUSION), to be formed in the near future.

The Road Rangers Program is an exciting area to work in, but trying to standardize things can be a tough nut to crack. The Districts do a great job and the positive response that is received from the public is a true benefit. I look forward to the upcoming changes in the program and seeing it continue to grow and flourish in the future.

This article was provided by Paul Clark, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Clark at (850) 410-5631 or email Paul.Clark@dot.state.fl.us.

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ITS Florida Banner

ITS Florida Update

At its August meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, a group from the membership and the Board heard updates on Transpo2006 and discussed ITS Florida goals and objectives. The August meeting was held at the District 4 transportation management center (TMC) where participants had an excellent chance to learn about the operations and challenges of running a TMC 24/7. The staff, led by Dong Chen, provided an overview of their ITS Strategic Business Plan, a tour of the facility, and showed us how to put SunGuideSM on our hand-held computers!

GOALS
Meeting at the Broward County TMC, participants reviewed the activities of the organization, which has been around a long time (since 1992!), and talked about how ITS Florida is meeting its goals. During the discussion, goals were updated and objectives were refined. The goals of ITS Florida and their respective committees are as follows:

  1. Advocate ITS on behalf of our members (Outreach)
  2. Provide the premier forum for ITS information exchange among public, private and academic sectors (Events)
  3. Partner with other transportation associations (Member Services/Events)
  4. Promote the development and expansion of ITS markets (Outreach)
  5. Provide members with information on current ITS markets and opportunities (Outreach)
  6. Develop and support guiding principles for the planning, implementation and operation of ITS (Advisory)
  7. Promote collaboration among ITS stakeholders (Outreach)
  8. Advise the FDOT ITS Program on ITS issues (Advisory)

Internal goals are to:

  1. Maintain a strong chapter structure (Management)
  2. Maintain financial stability in all accounts (Management)
  3. Expand membership (Member Services/Outreach)
  4. Provide services responsive to member needs (Member Services)
  5. Facilitate effective professional capacity building (PCB)/training (PCB)
  6. Engage membership in chapter activities (Member Services/ Outreach)
  7. Show leadership in regional and national ITS activities (Events/Outreach)

ITS Florida goals are implemented by committees. To learn about the committees and how you can participate, go to the ITS Florida Web site at www.itsflorida.org.

Transpo2006
The “Big Event” coming up for ITS Florida and Florida Section of ITE (FSITE) is Transpo2006– Empowering our Mobile Society! 

Sponsored by the FSITE, ITS Florida, FDOT, and FHWA, this year’s meeting we held will be held on November 27-30, at the Westin Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor. This biennial conference and exhibition brings together experts from the intelligent transportation industry for presentations and demonstrations on how our transportation systems can be made safer, more convenient, and more efficient. A featured event at this year’s Transpo is the Wednesday evening Awards Banquet where FDOT Secretary Denver Stutler will deliver the keynote address.   

ITS Florida and FSITE member registrations are only $300 until October 15th. You’ll get three days of super presentations, great food, and excellent exhibits.  Program tracks on Planning, Designing, Operating, and Advancing our Mobile Society will keep you busy! Our first three sponsors are URS Corporation, MG2 Innovative Technologies, and Beck Consulting Group.  Exhibitors have already signed up for more than half of the booths! Two exciting tours are planned.

I. TMC TOUR
November 28th at 1:00 p.m.
Pinellas/Pasco Adaptive Control/TMC Tour
Participation is limited to 40.
Price is $30 and includes transportation and snacks.

II. TAMPA TOUR
November 29th at 9:00 a.m.
Tampa/ Hillsborough County Expressway Authority/ City of Tampa TMC Tour
Participation is limited to 40. 
Price is $30 and includes transportation and snacks.

Call the hotel (1-800-456-2000) now to reserve your room for Transpo2006. A great rate of $99.00 is available until November 3rd. The rooms are blocked for you under the name of Transpo2006.

For more information on Transpo2006, visit the Web site at www.itstranspo.org.

This article was provided by Diana Carsey, ITS Florida Executive Director. For more information, please email Ms. Carsey at CarseyD@verizon.net.

For more information on ITS Florida, please check the ITS Florida Web site at www.itsflorida.org or contact Diana Carsey, Executive Director, at (727) 409-5415 or email CarseyD@verizon.net.

If you wish to contribute an article to the SunGuide Disseminator on behalf of ITS Florida, please contact Erika Ridlehoover at (813) 376-0036, or email Erika.Ridlehoover@transcore.com.

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Editorial Corner – Back from the Dark Side

This metaphor from the Star Wars movies has been used facetiously for a long time to describe a FDOT employee who goes to a consultant/contractor (the dark side). Actually, my 5-½ years in the ITS consulting/contracting community was quite enlightening. Although FDOT does an excellent job at training, and the ITS community as a whole places a high value on knowledge, it’s tough to substitute any training or education for actually doing the work. I put an enormous value on the time I spent in the private sector. I expect the perspectives gained as a consultant and contractor will pay dividends as I coordinate various ITS activities statewide from a familiar FDOT seat.

After attending the FDOT ITS Working Group Meeting and FDOT Design Conference on consecutive weeks at the end of July, another thought was reinforced. It’s clear that the ITS community in Florida is a relatively small group of highly qualified individuals. I could look around the room at the ITS Working Group and tell you something specific about 90 percent of the people. Each person brings their own experiences and talents to the ITS community. As a contrast, even though I’ve worked in two Districts – the Turnpike and now Central Office – I walked around the FDOT Design Conference and at times, only saw 4 or 5 people I knew out of hundreds.

This brings me back to ITS knowledge and experience. Since we’re a relatively small community, it’s important to keep these qualified ITS professionals in Florida and strive to increase that talent pool. Two of my new charges in the FDOT ITS Program are to enhance the quality and quantity of the state’s ITS workforce and to promote effective ITS research. Unfortunately, for ITS professionals in both FDOT and the private sector, this conflicts with something that we all struggle with…available time. So, we’ll continue to promote efficient ITS knowledge and skills building; and once we’ve acquired the knowledge and skills as a community, do our best to retain it. I welcome your input and suggestions on this important challenge.

I’ve appreciated the “Welcome Back” calls I’ve received, and the most common question I’ve heard is, “How does it feel working for FDOT again?” Well, the quick answer is that it’s GREAT. As expected, I’ve noticed that some things are different and some are the same. One of the primary differences is the advances in technology and the resulting efficiency increases within FDOT. A fond example is the green/brown bar timesheets that I recalled are now replaced with electronic timesheets. Another major difference is how much the ITS Program has grown over the last 5 years. For example, the ITS Program in District 5 is probably three times the size it was when I was there 6 years ago. And, I was busy then!

What has stayed the same are the FDOT values of integrity, respect, excellence, and teamwork. Many of the folks at FDOT are the same dedicated professionals I worked with 10 years ago. And, believe it or not, some of these same individuals have been working on Florida’s ITS Program for that long. I see the same commitment to FDOT’s mission and values reflected in today’s ITS Program. So, it’s really been easy to hit the ground running. I look forward to many more years working with Florida’s exceptional ITS Program and the people that make it happen every day.

I may be back from the Dark Side, but we’re all important pieces of the same outstanding ITS community in Florida!

This editorial was provided by Trey Tillander, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations. For more information, please contact Mr. Tillander at (850) 410-5617 or email Trey.Tillander@dot.state.fl.us.

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FDOT Equipment Certification

The FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office, through the Traffic Engineering Research Laboratory (TERL), is responsible for approving all traffic control signal devices. Approved devices are kept on the FDOT Approved Products List (APL), a listing of devices that may be relied upon as meeting FDOT specifications, standards, or other criteria.

The APL is a means for the FDOT to meet Florida Statute 316.0745, Uniform Signals and Devices, which states, “All official traffic control signals or official traffic control devices purchased and installed in this state by any public body or official shall conform with the manual and specifications published by the Department of Transportation pursuant to subsection (2).”

More information on the FDOT APL may be viewed at www.dot.state.fl.us.TrafficOperations/ TERL/APL.htm. Specific approved products in the FDOT APL may be searched at rite.eng.fsu.edu/iapl/page1.php.

For more information, please contact Carl Morse, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office, at (850) 410-5417 or email Carl.Morse@dot.state.fl.us.

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Announcements

Congratulations Pete Vega
Pete Vega, District Two ITS Engineer, received the District's Sustained Exceptional Performance Award. This annual award is the highest honor an employee can receive from a District.

Under Pete’s leadership, the District made great strides in the growth and enhancement of the ITS Program. Additionally, he initiated and managed a number of special projects this year. As we know, Pete is also a vital member of many statewide ITS task teams and committees.

Please join us in congratulating Pete on this achievement!

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New Faces in the Central Office Traffic Engineering and Operations Office
The FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office would like to extend a hearty welcome to two new faces in our offices—

FDOT welcomes Sivam Ramalingam, PBS&J, as a new addition on the ITS General Consultant contract. Sivam obtained his bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in May 1995. He began his career as a project engineer and had held several other positions in a construction firm in Malaysia for five years. He was also employed as a project engineer in another firm whereby he supervised the erection work of post panamax quay side gantry cranes. Sivam obtained his master’s degree in industrial engineering at the Florida State University in 2006. Sivam will be working at the Traffic Engineering Research Lab.

FDOT is happy to introduce Kelly Christen as a new addition to FDOT’s ITS Program. Kelly is a System Analyst for the FDOT Telecommunications General Consultant, Telvent Farradyne. Kelly will take care of the computer system network needs and maintain the Web site for the Traffic Engineering and Operations Office.

Please join us in welcoming both Sivam and Kelly!

We would also like to wish the best to Ashleigh Smith, who has taken a promotion in the FDOT Structures Office.

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Congratulations to the Expanding Birriel Family!
Join us in congratulating Elizabeth Birriel in the birth her daughter Giselle. Giselle was born on July 5 at 6:19 p.m. Giselle was 19.5 inches long and weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. Congratulations Elizabeth!

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Transpo2006Transpo2006—Empowering Our Mobile Society
Transpo2006 will be held at the Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, November 27-30, 2006.

Mark your calendars for this MUST ATTEND event!

Transpo2006 is sponsored by ITS Florida, the Florida Section of ITE, FHWA, and FDOT. This conference offers an opportunity to join your peers from all over Florida and the United States to examine developments in ITS and how technology can be used to empower, plan, engineer, manage, and advance our mobile society.

Conference information is posted at the Transpo2006 Web site at http://www.itstranspo.org. Once at the Web site, you may secure your exhibit booth location, register for the conference, or review other conference information as it becomes available.

Transpo2006 offers excellent sponsorship opportunities. This information is also available at the Web site, or you may contact Karen Crawford at 850-224-7775.

Register early to avoid late fees!

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ITS Contacts Banner
District 1
L.K. Nandam, DTOE
Chris Birosak, ITS
FDOT District 1 Traffic Operations
PO Box 1249
Bartow, FL 33831
(863) 519-2490

District 2
Jim Scott, DTOE
Peter Vega, ITS
FDOT District 2 Traffic Operations
2250 Irene Street, MS 2815
Jacksonville, FL 32204-2619
(904) 360-5630

District 3
June Coates, DTOE
Chad Williams, ITS
FDOT District 3 Traffic Operations
1074 Highway 90 East
Chipley, FL 32428-0607
(850) 638-0250

District 4
Mark Plass, DTOE
Dong Chen, ITS
FDOT District 4 Traffic Operations
2300 W. Commercial Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 777-4350
District 5
Richard Morrow, DTOE
Michael Smith, ITS
FDOT District 5 Traffic Operations
719 S. Woodland Blvd., MS 3-562
DeLand, FL 32720-6834
(386) 943-5310

District 6
Debora M. Rivera, DTOE
Jesus Martinez, ITS
FDOT District 6 Traffic Operations
1000 NW 111th Avenue, MS 6203
Miami, FL 33172
(305) 470-5336

District 7
Gary Thompson, DTOE
Bill Wilshire, ITS
FDOT District 7 Traffic Operations
11201 N. McKinley Drive
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 975-4216

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
John Easterling, ITS
Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
PO Box 9828
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33310-9828
(954) 975-4855

Lap Hoang
State Traffic Engineer
(850) 410-5600

Elizabeth Birriel
Deputy State Traffic Engineer - ITS
(850) 410-5606

Liang Hsia
Deputy State Traffic Engineer - Systems
(850) 410-5615

Mike Akridge
Deputy State Traffic Engineer - Incident Management and
Commercial Vehicle Operations
(850) 410-5607

Mark Wilson
Deputy State Traffic Engineer - Operations
(850) 410-5419

 

Physical
Address
Rhyne Building
2740 Centerview Dr.
Suite 3-B
Tallahassee, FL
32301
Mailing
Address
Burns Building
605 Suwannee St.
M.S. 36
Tallahassee, FL
32399

 

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   SunGuide Disseminator                                             September 2006

PBS&J QCAP Document Control Panel
Created by: England
Reviewed by: England, Hodges, Glotzbach
Date: September 1, 2006