Resource for Advanced Public Transportation Systems

For the past two years the FDOT ITS Program Central Office along with the FDOT Public Transportation Office have been sponsoring the Resource for Advanced Public Transportation Systems assistance. This program was developed to provide eligible transit agencies with technical assistance for transit ITS services. In order to receive assistance under this program, transit agencies must apply directly to the FDOT Public Transportation Office. The applicants are required to respond to a five-question application that outlines:

• The type of services required,
• Why the projects are important,
• What benefits are envisioned, and
• What the current status of the project is.

Based on responses to these questions, with the help of the Center for Urban Transportation Research in Tampa, the eligible agencies are prioritized and selected. The program is currently funded at approximately $150,000 per year giving each agency $25,000 in assistance. This year the program is sponsoring the following six agencies:

• StarMetro, Tallahassee
• Lynx, Orlando
• Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT), Sarasota
• PalmTran, West Palm Beach
• Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS), Gainesville
• Votran, Daytona

Under this program FDOT Central Office is providing a variety of services ranging from master planning efforts to Request For Proposal (RFP) development and procurement assistance. Specifically, the agencies are receiving the following help:

• StarMetro – Central Office is providing a benefits paper on the systems outlined by StarMetro as planned ITS projects. The paper looks at the benefits from an operational as well as a customer service point of view.

• Lynx – Central Office will provide assistance to LYNX with their recently awarded Federal Transit Administration grant. Details of this service are still being defined.

• SCAT – Central Office developed the RFP for the procurement of various ITS projects.

• PalmTran – Central Office assisted in the development of a RFP for the procurement of various ITS and will continue to assist PalmTran during the procurement process itself once it commences.

• Gainesville RTS – Central Office helped the agency develop business objectives and an ITS project prioritization plan. A master plan framework is also being provided.

• Votran– Central Office is providing an analysis of the potential for an interactive voice response implementation to assist in reducing the number of calls handled by their call center and improve customer service.

This article was provided by Gene Glotzbach, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Glotzbach at (850) 510-5616 or email Gene.Glotzbach@dot.state.fl.us.

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Use of Dynamic Message Signs in Tallahassee

Providing Travel Times Through the Use of License Plate Readers
The FDOT received a grant from the America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alert Implementation Assistance Program to install multiple dynamic message signs (DMSs) around the Tallahassee area to support the Amber Alert notification process. The DMSs, although deployed to display real-time information about Amber Alerts, can be utilized to provide information regarding incidents, traffic, construction, weather, and pavement conditions that could affect driver safety and traffic flow.

The FDOT evaluated a series of locations on I-10 and U.S. Highway 27 to maximize exposure to the motoring public for both Amber Alert warnings, and to provide traffic and other information. Out of the three signs that are being installed, two are of interest to the Tallahassee License Plate Reader (LPR) Deployment project. These two signs are located on I-10; one is visible to traffic going east on I-10 and is located just west of the rest area prior to exit 192; and the other one is visible to traffic going west on I-10 and is located just east of exit 209.

The signs are 30-feet wide by 10-feet high and will display three lines of 18-inch high text. Sign structures for the I-10 installations are full span trusses across one direction of travel. The full span truss structure was selected since it allows optimum placement of the sign over the current roadway as well as flexibility to reposition the sign over the new roadway section once I-10 has been widened to six lanes.

In order to comply with the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) stated goal of providing travel times and/or speed information on DMSs when the signs are not being utilized to report problems or display public service messages, the FDOT has implemented a LPR project to calculate travel times to be posted on the DMSs.

LPRs were chosen to collect traffic information because field studies, conducted in the Orlando and Tallahassee areas with LPRs, indicated that the devices provide good data to calculate travel times. Based on these studies, the decision to install LPRs to collect data for travel time calculation in the Tallahassee area was made.

It was determined that the LPR cameras will be installed at four locations for each direction of travel. The eastbound I-10 locations are on:

• The DMS structure at the rest area near exit 192,
• A road side mounted pole near exit 196,
• The Monroe Street bridge at exit 199, and
• The Capital Circle Bridge at exit 203.

The westbound locations are on:

• The DMS structure just east of exit 209,
• The Capital Circle bridge at exit 203,
• The Monroe Street bridge at exit 199, and
• The road side mounted pole near exit 196.

The City of Tallahassee will host and operate the Amber Alert system and will operate the DMS devices from the City’s traffic management center located in City Hall. The travel time information on the DMSs will be posted by the SunGuide^SM software that will be installed at the City of Tallahassee TMC prior to the completion of the LPR project.

The Tallahassee LPR Deployment project is funded by the FDOT Central Traffic Engineering and Operations Office ITS Program and deployed within the FDOT District 3 region.

An Invitation to Negotiate was advertised and a Pre-reply conference was held on June 14, 2007. The proposals are due on July 17, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. It is anticipated that a vendor will be selected to begin negotiations towards the end of August.

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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Inside the TERL

As indicated in the June edition of the SunGuide Disseminator, the FDOT has a goal to assure that only a safe and uniform ITS and traffic control system is implemented in state of Florida. The Traffic Engineering Research Lab (TERL) plays a part in obtaining this goal by satisfying Florida Statute 316.0745 - Uniform Signals & Devices. Below is a look Inside the TERL at two current activities that help accomplish our goal.

TERL Hosts National Standards Development for NTCIP 1204
During June 2007, the TERL provided technical support and facilities for the development of national standards testing procedures for Environmental Sensor Stations (ESS). ESS, also known as Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS), are used to collect and store weather information that is pertinent to traffic and ITS operations. The TERL was selected as a host facility for these efforts and provided manpower staff to support Ken Vaughn, of Trevilon, the visiting consultant responsible for development of the national standard testing procedure for NTCIP 1204 and nationally recognized NTCIP consulting firm.

The TERL provided facilities and equipment which allowed Trevilon to exercise testing tools and procedures currently under final development using central software and field devices available at the lab. These activities also provided an opportunity for TERL staff to attach and operate RWIS equipment from multiple vendors on the TERL SunGuide^SM test system. The successful initial integration and operation of RWIS under these circumstances provides a foundation for further experimentation with and evaluation of RWIS devices for use on the streets and highways of Florida. With the release of statewide specifications for RWIS, effective July 7, 2007, RWIS equipment is required to have been evaluated against FDOT's published minimum requirements and approved for use by the TERL. For more information, contact Liang Hsia at (850) 921-7361 or email Liang.Hsia@dot.state.fl.us.

TERL Supports the Development of Dynamic Message Signs in FDOT District 3
The TERL has been working with FDOT District 3, the FDOT Construction Office in Midway, and the City of Tallahassee over the past months on the deployment of dynamic message signs (DMSs) in Tallahassee. The signs are part of an Amber Alert project that was funded by the Federal Highway Administration to provide missing children and traffic management information to motorists traveling in and around the city of Tallahassee. The project team requested that the TERL play a role in supporting DMS-related device and system testing as well as other operational tests and technical reviews conducted by District 3 and city of Tallahassee staff. The TERL was viewed as the logical choice to support these efforts because of its past involvement with DMS manufacturer qualification and local familiarity with DMS devices that has been gained through the evaluation of DMS electronics and operation in the past. The signs are currently erected and under evaluation. To date, the testing and inspection of these signs has uncovered a number of items requiring corrective action. Fortunately, most of these issues were minor and have been resolved by the contractor. The TERL will continue to support the ongoing efforts of the District 3 construction office and the city of Tallahassee to ensure that the devices on the project provide the levels of functionality, quality, and reliability that FDOT requires. For more information, contact Ron Meyer at (850) 921-7365 or email Ronald.Meyer@dot.state.fl.us

This article was provided by Jeffrey Morgan, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Morgan at (850) 921-7354 or email jeffrey.morgan@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.

More information on the FDOT APL may be viewed at www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/Traf_Sys/terl/apl.htm. Specific approved products in the FDOT APL may be searched at www3.dot.state.fl.us/trafficcontrolproducts/.

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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ITS Master Plan

On May 23rd, the First Coast ITS Coalition launched their ITS Regional Master Plan with a press conference and technology exhibit at the Prime Osborn III Convention Center, located in downtown Jacksonville. The First Coast ITS Coalition is led by the First Coast Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), FDOT District Two, and Jacksonville Transportation Authority. This group currently has over 100 members representing 60+ public and private sector organizations in the traffic, transportation, municipal services, public safety, commerce, military, and special events fields. The initial First Coast ITS Coalition champions were Jeff Sheffield and Denise Bunnewith from the First Coast MPO. These two individuals had the vision to guide this team through its initial two years of existence.

The ITS Regional Master Plan is the “blueprint” for incorporating current and future technology into our transportation infrastructure, and it contains near- and mid-term technology projects as well as a framework for planning and programming new technologies as they are developed. This master plan will be a guide and driving force for future ITS and technologically related deployments in the region.

Telvent Faradyne was the consultant that put all the pieces together and created a product that will be envied by many in the ITS industry. This challenging project took approximately one year to complete; however, this master plan is considered to be the foundation for the future and will be adjusted, tweaked, or expanded as changes in technology and funding levels occur. The truth of the matter is that the ITS industry does not sit idle for very long and this master plan has to be flexible enough to change with the movements of the ITS “tide.”

The press conference featured speakers from the First Coast MPO, FDOT District Two, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Florida Highway Patrol, and the Jacksonville City Council. A number of media outlets participated in the press conference event, thus providing a wealth of information on ITS to their patrons via print, television, and radio. The most uplifting portion of the press conference was hearing Councilman Lake Ray discuss his vision of ITS and the benefits that it could provide to his constituents in the Jacksonville area.

Technology vendors ADDCO and Blackhawk Enterprises provided hands-on experience for the attendees with exposure to dynamic message sign, camera, and sensor equipment. ITS Florida and ITS America coordinated and presented the vehicle infrastructure integration (VII) demonstration in the convention center parking lot, giving First Coast ITS Coalition members, elected officials, and citizens a glimpse of their future driving experience. Appreciation should also go out to Econolite for assisting with the VII demonstration and providing the necessary support staff.

Fox 30 television news covered the Master Plan and VII demonstration during their 90-minute evening news coverage with three live traffic reports from the site and in-depth story coverage. The most challenging portion of these interviews was wrenching the hands of the reporter from the steering wheel. It appeared that he was enjoying the experience way too much and expected to take the car of tomorrow home today!

In retrospect… ”it was a good day”… and the sign of things to come for northeast Florida.

This article was provided by Peter Vega, FDOT District 2. For more information, please contact Mr. Vega at (904) 630-5463 or email Peter.Vega@dot.state.fl.us.

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 email Mary Hamill at MaryKHamill@global-5.com.

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Editorial Corner—FDOT Participates at ITS America's 2007 Annual Meeting and Exposition

ITS America’s 2007 Annual Meeting and Exposition was held at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California, beginning on June 4 and concluding on June 6. Once again Florida provided an exhibit highlighting the SunGuide^SM Software used in Florida’s transportation management centers as well as other successes in deploying ITS in Florida. Various materials were developed for exhibition purposes and handed out in the exhibition hall which highlight Florida’s ITS Program. The exhibit was a joint effort between the FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations ITS Program, District 4, and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

This year’s meeting and exposition started on Monday with the Opening Session and Best of ITS Awards. California DOT Director Will Kempton was the keynote speaker and urged more mainstreaming of ITS. Mr. Kempton stated, “We need to mainstream ITS, to educate the general public on the importance of ITS deployment, and at the same time develop more political champions to ensure that brilliantly conceived projects don’t die because of funding problems.”

During ITS America’s honoring of the “industry’s best,” Florida stood out in the Marketing and Outreach category. The Marketing and Outreach award was presented to Global-5 and FDOT District 5 for the new MyFlorida 511 feature. My Florida 511 uses a combination of Internet and voice-activated telephone technology to provide information to Florida motorists while also reducing access time. When a motorist call s 511, the system recognizes the caller and provides information to the caller based on the profile the caller registered through the MyFlorida 511 feature. Motorists may register up to two telephone numbers from which they typically dial 511 and ten routes on which they would like to receive travel information by going to on the www.Fl511.com Florida 511 Web site and selecting the MyFlorida 511 feature.

The Opening Session was followed by time in the exhibition hall and technical and poster sessions. Additionally registrants were encouraged to participate in the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) Showcase, featuring innovative mobility solutions.

If all of that wasn’t enough, ITS America also provided a tour of the San Bernardino Traffic Management Center. Monday ended with a reception in the exhibition hall.

Tuesday started with more technical and poster sessions and the VII Showcase. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) hosted an Executive Session where senior officials from the USDOT provided updates on the federal ITS program, explained how it supports the National Congestion Initiative, and addressed specific areas of interest and opportunity.

ITS America also provided a tour of the Palm Springs windmills, illustrating how electricity is produced by harnessing the wind. Tuesday ended with a pool side reception.

The meeting and exposition came to an end on Wednesday. The day featured more technical and poster sessions, the VII Showcase, and another tour of the San Bernardino Traffic Management Center. The meeting and exposition ended after the New York, New York Reception.

The FDOT was well-represented at the many technical sessions ranging from managed lanes and variable pricing, to travel time data quality, to VII. Participation in the technical sessions allows FDOT attendees to bring back ITS best practices from around the nation to benefit Florida. The FDOT shared its experiences through presentations by Randy Pierce and Trey Tillander as part of the Center-to-Center Communications and Software Procurement technical sessions, respectively. These presentations will be available on the ITS America Web site enabling the FDOT to continue sharing its lessons learned.

The meeting and exposition were well-attended; the Florida exhibit attracted its full share of attention. Plans are already under way for Florida to participate in the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems & ITS America's 2008 Annual Meeting & Exposition, scheduled to occur in New York City, November 16-20, 2008. Look for more information in upcoming editions of this newsletter.

Overall, this is a successful endeavor by the FDOT in their ITS mainstreaming effort. Information on the FDOT's ITS Program is given to thousands of people through out the course of this meeting and exhibition. Questions are answered and individual contact information is provided to people requiring more in depth information. Like ITS America, Florida is charting new ground in its quest to be the leading state in ITS deployment.

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

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Announcements

Patrick Odom Named As New Statewide Incident Management and Road Ranger Manager
Mr. Patrick Odom was appointed as the new Incident Management and Road Ranger Manager for the FDOT on May 18, 2007.

Patrick comes to the FDOT after spending eight years with the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management where he was a Hurricane Program Manager. You may have worked with Patrick in Emergency Support Function 1, during the hurricanes, or other emergency issues.

Patrick has a Bachelors in Environmental Studies and in Communications from Florida State University. Please help us make Patrick feel welcome in his new position as he makes his way around the state.

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Join Us in Welcoming Clay Packard to TERL
The FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office would like to extend a hearty welcome to Clay Packard, Southwest Research Institute. Clay is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he earned a Master of Science in Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in 2004. Clay will be working at the Traffic Engineering Research Lab.

Please join us in welcoming Clay!

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