Efficiency through technology and collaboration

Smarter Work Zones

What are Smarter Work Zones (SWZ)?

Innovative strategies designed to optimize work zone safety and mobility • Policies and practices used to incrementally and

continuously improve WZ operations • Tools to reduce WZ crashes and delays • Tools to enhance WZ management strategies

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Project Coordination Technology Applications

Why are SWZs Important?

Play major role in reducing WZ-related injuries, fatalities, and travel delays • Work Zone related injuries:

– Occur every 14 minutes (96 injuries/day) – Over 20,000 workers injured annually – 32,000 injuries in 2012

• Work Zone related fatalities: – Occur every 15 hours (1.6 fatalities/day) – 130 worker fatalities in 2012 – 609 traffic-related fatalities in 2012

• Work Zone related mobility issues: – 24% of non-recurring delay – 10% of all congestion – NHS capacity loss ~180mil vehicles/day

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Source: VDOT

Implementation Team Members SWZ Team Role Team Member

SWZ Initiative Leads • Paul Pisano (FHWA HQ - WZ Management Team) • Jawad Paracha (FHWA HQ - WZ Management Team)

FHWA SWZ Team • Todd Peterson (FHWA HQ - WZ Management Team) • Martha Kapitanov (FHWA HQ - WZ Management Team) • Eric Ferron (FHWA Resource Center) • Ken Wood (FHWA Resource Center) • Karen Gilbertson (FHWA Division Office)

SWZ Subject Matter Experts

• Jerry Ullman (Texas A&M Transportation Institute) • WD Baldwin (HDR)

State DOT SWZ Subject Matter Experts

• Neil Boudreau Massachusetts DOT • Chris Brookes Michigan DOT • Scott McCanna Oregon DOT • Stefanie Maxwell Florida DOT • Mike Fontaine Virginia DOT

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Support staff includes: • Rachel Klein (Battelle, FHWA WZ Team Contract Support) • Jennifer Fenwick (ARA, FHWA CAI Team Contract Support)

Project Coordination – What is it?

Coordination within a single project and/or among multiple projects within a corridor, network, or region, and possibly across agency jurisdictions to minimize work zone traffic impacts

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Project Coordination - Goals

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By December 2016, 20 State DOTs have incorporated work zone project coordination strategies into agency documentation and business processes for improving safety and reducing work zone delays

By December 2016, five State DOTs have volunteered to pilot the WISE (Work Zone Impact & Strategy Estimator) software application.

Source: TRB

Technology Application – What is it?

Deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for dynamic management of work zone traffic impacts, such as queue and speed management.

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Technology Application - Goals

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By December 2016, 35 State DOTs have implemented business processes for planning, design, procurement, operation, and evaluation of Work Zone ITS technologies as identified in the "Work Zone ITS Implementation Guide" and/or have utilized at least one work zone ITS technology application for dynamic management of work zone impacts such as speed and queue management

How do States fund these initiatives?

State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) Incentive Program

– www.fhwa.dot.gov/stic – Funds activities which turn innovations into standard

practices – Up to $100,000 available to each STIC annually

Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration Program

– www.grants.gov – Projects may be any aspect of highway transportation – Max of $1,000,000 (up to full cost of project) – Monitoring, assessment, and technology transfer

commitments

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Support Provided by FHWA

Headquarters, Resource Center, and Division Office staff will be providing technical assistance to help States overcome barriers and obstacles Support may include:

– Pamphlets, Brochures, Fact Sheets – Guidance Documents – Workshops – Webinars – Peer-to-Peer Exchanges – Etc.

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Current status

Summit Location Date

1 DC Metro Area Oct 7 – 8, 2014

2 Louisville, Kentucky Oct 21 – 22, 2014

3 St. Louis, Missouri Oct 23 – 24, 2014

4 Phoenix, Arizona Oct 27 – 28, 2014

5 Sacramento, California Oct 29 – 30, 2014

6 Portland, Maine Nov 13 – 14, 2014

7 Charlotte, North Carolina Dec 9 - 10, 2014

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- SWZ implementation plan completed - FHWA Division offices have completed state profile sheets - EDC-3 Baseline Report to be published in March

Source: FotoSearch.com

Smarter Work Zones PROJECT COORDINATION

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Martha Kapitanov FHWA Work Zone Management Team

Project Coordination – What is it?

Coordination within a single project and/or among multiple projects within a corridor, network, or region, and possibly across agency jurisdictions to minimize work zone traffic impacts

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Project Coordination – Strategies and Examples

• Some successful coordination strategies deployed in metropolitan areas and along interstate corridors

• Strategies are not standard practice among most transportation agencies

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No. Example Description Location #1

Software-Based Systems used to coordinate right-of-way construction activities

Baltimore, MD Washington, DC

#2

Corridor-Level TMPs used to address traffic-related impacts of construction projects

Oregon

#3 Construction Traffic Management Washington State

#4 Building Partnerships Michigan

#5 Work Zone Implementation Strategies Estimator (WISE) Tool

Project Coordination – Example #1

Software-based systems used to coordinate right-of-way construction activities

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• Real-time information across city • Accessible to all stakeholders • Earlier awareness of project

conflicts/impacts and enhanced TMPs

Baltimore, MD Online mapping tool used to track capital and maintenance/utility activities

Washington, DC WZ Project Management System

• System includes: • DDOT, Developer, Utility WZ Projects • Work Zone Tracking Tool • Traffic Analysis Tool

• Used to develop annual citywide TMP • Tracks performance measurement

Source: DDOT

Project Coordination – Example #2

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• Significant construction • Six corridors identified • Three levels of TMP • Corridor-Level TMPs

o Assess corridor traffic impacts o Define corridor/segment

delay thresholds o Suggest traffic mgmt. strategies o Discuss implementation plan

Corridor-level Traffic Management Plans (TMP) used to address work zone impacts (Oregon)

Source: ODOT

Project Coordination – Example #3

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Construction Traffic Management (WSDOT)

• Collaborative, multi-agency construction traffic planning effort

• Long-term, mid-term, and short-term information sharing

• Construction Impact Analysis Tool, Maps, Gantt Charts

• Hot Spots, Watch Lists

Source: WSDOT

I-94 Corridor – Michigan Building Partnerships

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I-94 Corridor Operation Partnership (COP) Mission: “Improve traffic operations and system reliability along the I‐94 corridor statewide.”

I-94 COP Objectives

• Unification of the I-94 corridor with one focus

• Travel Reliability: 40 min delay max for entire corridor

Available Project Coordination Tool: Work Zone Implementation Strategies Estimator (WISE)

– Product of SHRP2 R11 Project – WISE proactively reduces work zone impacts:

• Effective project coordination upfront in planning/programming

• Carrying coordination through to project planning/design decisions

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• DynusT platform evaluates impact of individual strategies at project level

• Optimized sequencing of renewal projects

Planning Module Operations Module

WISE includes 2 modules:

Available Project Coordination Tool: Work Zone Implementation Strategies Estimator (WISE) (cont.)

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• Helps bridge the gap between planning/MPOs and design-construction/DOTs

• Has ability to analyze demand and duration based strategies

• Supports better and more complex decision-making

• Status of WISE o Testing of tool is complete (field validation and

pilot testing) o Tool and documentation are available (trb.org) o Currently assessing readiness of implementation

Project Coordination - Resources

• FHWA – FHWA Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program – Project Coordination

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/construction/crp/index.htm – FHWA Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program – Peer-to-Peer Program

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/p2p/index.htm

• TRB SHRP2 – WISE Software Users Guide

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/shrp2/SHRP2_S2-R11-RW-2.pdf

• NCHRP – NCHRP Synthesis 413: Techniques for Effective Highway Construction Projects in

Congested Urban Areas http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_syn_413.pdf

• Others – Highway Construction Coordination to Minimize Traffic Impacts

http://planning.transportation.org/Documents/8-36/NCHRP8-36(56)FinalReport.pdf

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Source: FotoSearch.com

Smarter Work Zones TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION

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Todd Peterson FHWA Work Zone Management Team

Technology Application – What is it?

Deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for dynamic management of work zone traffic impacts, such as queue and speed management.

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Technology Application – Objectives

• Safety – Improved driver awareness of downstream congestion related

to work zones – Dynamic guidance to improve driver responsiveness to changes

in traffic patterns – Enhanced tools for on-site traffic management

• Mobility – Facilitate real-time decision-making and trip planning so drivers

can divert trips to avoid adding to work zone congestion – Enhanced transportation management facilitated by real-time

data flows – Increased customer satisfaction

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Technology Application – System Components

Infrastructure: – Sensors – Connected traffic control devices

(e.g., signals, PCMS) – Communications – Data processing / archival

Business Processes:

– Assessment of need – Understanding of regulatory requirements (i.e. System

Engineering) – Coordination with external stakeholders – System design / specification – Procurement / contracting mechanisms

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National ITS Architecture http://www.iteris.com/itsarch/

Technology Application – Basic Criteria

Work Zone Technology Applications…

• Are traffic responsive – incorporate real-time data collection

• Provide enhanced information delivery to drivers (1) Increase awareness of changes to traffic conditions arising from

construction activity (2) Enhance compliance with static traffic controls (3) Facilitate improved decision-making by drivers approaching work

zones

• Functions are automated and dynamic

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Technology Application Example: Queue Warning System (QWS)

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Queue Detection Zone Queue

Warning Controller

DATA

Zone of advanced work zone awareness provided by Queue Warning System

DYNAMIC WARNING MESSAGE PCMS

Technology Application Example: Variable Speed Limits (VSL)

• Multiple speed trailers in & approaching work zone

• Each unit monitors prevailing speed – relays information to upstream units.

• Posted speed limit dynamically adjusted to reduce downstream speed differential

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Technology Application Example: Dynamic Lane Merge

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Source: Maryland State Highway Administration

In high-volume conditions reduces the length of the queue.

Late Merge

In low-volume conditions reduces the occurrence of high-speed merging at the point of lane closure.

Early Merge

Case Study: I-35 Traveler Information During Construction • Provide advance notification of planned

lane closures and their anticipated impacts

• Provide travelers with predicted delays for construction closures (web app http://i35-maps.tti.tamu.edu/)

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• Provide real-time traveler information

Technology Application – Barriers and Challenges

• Benefit / Cost – System cost vs. agency budget constraints

– Lack of understanding of benefits (and how that offsets the cost)

• No “one size fits all” approach – Lack of standard procedures, specifications, etc. for implementation at

state level

– Lack of practitioner knowledge (design, construction)

– Procurement challenges

• Third-party issues – Legislative requirements

– Stakeholder resistance to change (law enforcement, public, industry partners)

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FHWA’s Work Zone ITS Implementation Guide

Work Zone ITS Implementation Guide Publication FHWA-HOP-14-008 Available in print & PDF ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14008/

Work Zone ITS Case Studies Publication FHWA-HOP-14-007 Available in PDF only ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14007/

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Technology Application - Resources

• FHWA – FHWA Every Day Counts Website http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/everydaycounts/ – FHWA Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program – Work Zone ITS & Technology

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/its/index.htm – FHWA Work Zone ITS Implementation Guide

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14008/fhwahop14008.pdf – FHWA Work Zone ITS Implementation Case Studies

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14007/fhwahop14007.pdf – Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office

http://www.its.dot.gov/index.htm

• NCHRP – NCHRP Report 560: Guide to Contracting ITS Projects

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_560.pdf

• Others – National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

http://www.workzonesafety.org/search-results?query=its

Questions and Comments

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