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Border Wait TimeTest, Evaluation and Deployment of Automated, Real-Time Technologies – Project Overview

Canada-United States Transportation Border Working Group – Fall Plenary, October 27, 2010

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Project Goal and Objectives

Goal: • Examine potential technology solutions for automating the

measurement of wait times at international border crossings between Canada and the US

Key Objectives:• Measure wait time in both directions• Measure wait time for both cars and trucks• Determine real-time and predictive capabilities of systems• Replace the manual process of determining wait times• Leverage existing technology/systems• Explore long-term operations and maintenance arrangements

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Project Sponsoring Agencies & Team

Sponsors:• Transport Canada• US Federal Highway Administration• Canada Border Services Agency• US Customs and Border Protection

Project Team:• Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)• Delcan Corporation

Collaborative Organization:• RTR Technologies, LLC

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Project Supporting Organizations

BWT Stakeholder Panel:

• BC Ministry of Transportation• Canadian American Border Trade Alliance• Lockheed-Martin• New York State DOT • New York State Thruway Authority • NITTEC• Ontario Ministry of Transportation• Peace Bridge Authority• Washington State DOT • Whatcom Council of Governments

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Project Overview – Two Phases

Major Program Elements

Phase I

Define Functional

Requirements

Design & Execute

Procurement

Select Two Test Sites

Test Up to Eight Systems

Implement Two

Solutions

Action: Pick two crossing test locations, one in Niagara region and one in Pacific Region

Action: Define system capabilities and performance requirements for testing

Action: Design and execute procurement of up to eight systems for testing

Action: Develop and execute test plans for assessing system capabilities and performance

Action: Implement two long-term technology solutions at one or more crossings

Evaluate Test and Report Results

Action: Summarize test activities, review and analyze data, report results

Phase I

Define Functional

Requirements

Define Functional

Requirements

Design & Execute

Procurement

Design & Execute

Procurement

Select Two Test SitesSelect Two Test Sites

Test Up to Eight Systems

Test Up to Eight Systems

Implement Two

Solutions

Implement Two

Solutions

Action: Pick two crossing test locations, one in Niagara region and one in Pacific Region

Action: Define system capabilities and performance requirements for testing

Action: Design and execute procurement of up to eight systems for testing

Action: Develop and execute test plans for assessing system capabilities and performance

Action: Implement two long-term technology solutions at one or more crossings

Evaluate Test and Report Results

Evaluate Test and Report Results

Action: Summarize test activities, review and analyze data, report results

Phase II

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Site Selection Process

• Identification of required site characteristics:– Vehicle and traffic types: freight and passenger in varying proportions– Volume: significant– Wait time: variable– Utility of technology in enhancing BWT measurement– Implementation characteristics: land and bridge crossings

• Site comparison• Present “short list” of sites for stakeholder review• Verify willingness/ability to participate with operators of candidate

sites• Make final site recommendation• Develop detailed site preparation reports for use by prospective

bidders

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Site Selection Results

• Considerations– Requirement for commercial and passenger vehicle measurement– Traffic volume– Current wait time variability and frequency– Scope and likelihood of data use– Management of installation at multiple sites - both sides of

international border at two separate locations • Selected Sites

– Niagara Region: Peace Bridge– Connects Buffalo, NY and Ft. Erie, ON– Up to 8,000 autos/day and 2,000 trucks/day

– Pacific Region: Pacific Highway– Connects Blaine, WA and Douglas, BC– Up to 5,000 autos/day and 1,200 trucks/day

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Define Functional Requirements

• The functional requirements define the system technical capabilities and performance requirements

• Built off of initial “Business Requirements” defined by the sponsoring agencies and translated into measureable evaluation criteria

• Used as a basis for selecting proposed technology solution for testing and then for evaluating the performance of the tested systems

• Comprised of nine mandatory requirements and 23 other considerations

• Functional requirements were drafted and vetted to Stakeholder Panel, revised and accepted by the BWT Working Group

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Design and Execute Procurement

• Procurement goal was to select up to eight technologies for pilot testing

• Effort relied heavily upon project outreach and promotion to the technology vendor community

– Project website– “Industry Day” pre-solicitation webinar– Promotion through ITSA and ITS Canada and other organizations– Bidder’s conference

• Development and release of an RFP that was detailed and clear in requirements and proposal evaluation criteria

– RFP Released on January 25, 2010 with a final response deadline of March 1, 2010

– Bidder’s Conference held on 2/9/10 at PBA• Selection of suitable technology solutions for testing

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Response to Solicitation

• Received 10 proposals• Total of 11 solutions• Nine teams, 23 total vendors• Eight technologies

– GPS– Bluetooth– Smartphone– Video Image Recognition– RFID– Microloops– Radar– Acoustic

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Technology Selection

Technology Location Comments

Radar Peace Bridge Pacific Highway

Innovative approachCost effectiveExcellent proposalPOE Experience

Bluetooth Peace BridgePacific Highway

Innovative approachCost effectiveLeverages previous effortsExpert team

Digital MAGs/Microloop Pacific Highway Innovative approachCost effectiveComplementary to existing loops

Smartphone Peace Bridge Innovative approachCost effectiveSolid experimental approachNew application of technology

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Technology Designs and Planning

• Following selection and contracting, vendors participated in “boots on the ground” site visits at Pacific Highway and Peace Bridge crossings

– Collect site-specific information to finalize system designs– Meet with border agency representatives and receive answers

to questions they may have

• The vendors submitted their system designs to SAIC for review and approval. With input from local stakeholders, the designs were modified (if needed) and approved for installation

• Upon acceptance of system designs, vendors moved forward with installation, supported by local contractors

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Installation and Testing-Overview

• Per schedule, installations were to be completed and systems operational for testing by July 1, 2010; testing to be completed by July 30; uninstall shortly after testing period

• Delays due to technical difficulties and meeting permitting requirements delayed the beginning of testing for IIS and QNA until the third week of July and thus extended the overall test period for the project by three weeks

• Within the project testing period, RTR Technologies, under contract to CBP, conducted Ground Truth Measurements based on visual observation of vehicles in queue to provide a basis for evaluating the technology solution’s accuracy

• During the 30 day testing period for each technology, the systems functioned at varying degrees of performance

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Pilot Test & Evaluation - Methodology

Basic Assessment Approach:• Quantitative assessment of accuracy

– Comparison of technology-generated wait time to “ground truth” data– By location, direction, vehicle type– Current Wait Time and Actual Wait Time– Focus on technology type, not vendor

• Qualitative assessment of capabilities– Examination across multiple business/functional requirements– Observations of data and systems– Vendor & stakeholder interviews– Lessons learned

• Assessment is ongoing• scheduled for completion in December 2010• Some emerging results are available

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Pilot Test & Evaluation – Lessons Learned

Key Technology Capability Lessons Learned:• TCL-1: The computation of a class-specific (i.e., car, car-NEXUS, truck, truck-

FAST) wait time value is difficult. Variability in wait times for individual vehicles is expected, and is seen in ground truth data.

• TCL-2: The configuration of roadways can have a profound effect on the complexity of the technology system needed to deliver wait times. This is more significant for systems that require the installation of sensors on-site.

• TCL-3: The determination of system wait time reporting accuracy is a difficult undertaking in the border environment. Each point value is valid, regardless of how far above or below other concurrently recorded samples it may be.

• TCL-4: Much remains to be learned about the use of VWI and RTMS sensors for determination of wait time. Specifically, it is not completely clear from the data captured during the test whether either can be relied upon for the delivery of accurate wait time values.

• TCL-5: The use of a longer ground truth data collection period would have allowed for a longer period during which system-provided values could be compared, and would also have allowed the vendors the opportunity to calibrate their systems.

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Pilot Test & Evaluation – Lessons Learned

Key Technology Implementation Lessons Learned:• TIL-1: A well-considered design document must take into full consideration the

effects of traffic stream characteristics on the performance of individual sensors, and that mounting methods have a profound effect on the ability of the sensors to re-identify vehicles.

• TIL-2: Cellular telephone modems operating in the border environment are sensitive to some phenomenon that may be related to the close proximity of separate wireless networks, or to the placement of antennas.

• TIL-3: It is important not to make assumptions regarding the ability of existing infrastructure to accommodate the addition of devices it was not originally designed to support.

• TIL-4: Advance coordination with State and local agencies regarding the installation of devices on their rights-of-way was invaluable during the project. All installations were conducted with minimal disruption to traffic, and the use of local installation contractors familiar with existing requirements also expedited the process and offered agencies peace of mind.

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Next Steps

• Finalize evaluation with additional input from solution providers, the stakeholder panel and the Border Wait Time Working Group

• Proffer recommendations to the Border Wait Time Working Group about proceeding into Phase II deployment of technology at the two border crossing sites

• Develop a concept of operations and business model for Phase II.• Select technology vendor(s) for Phase II and oversee installation

and acceptance of technology at the border crossings.

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Questions?