When the Intelligent Transportation Society of America named Florida Department of Transportation’s Tampa Bay District 7 and private-sector partner Mobility Technologies (a division of Traffic.com) 2005 winner of the Best of ITS Awards for Partnership Deployment, it recognized the unique and valuable attributes of a public-private partnership designed to benefit the traveling public.
Specifically, the award highlighted the September 2004 implementation of the partnership’s innovative Tampa Bay SunGuide Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS), which included deployment of sensors on key roadways for congestion and travel-time data, integrated with incident, event and other information for over 750 miles of roadway in this west-central portion of Florida. In tandem with the ATIS, a robust 5-1-1 traveler information system was implemented, providing travelers with 24/7 phone and website access to timely, accurate highway and transit information for a six-county area.
Like most dynamic urban growth areas, Tampa Bay has experienced increased traffic congestion, as measured by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) in its annual urban mobility studies. According to TTI’s 2005 Urban Mobility Report, the Tampa-St. Petersburg area ranked 20th nationally (of 85 urban areas studied) in terms of annual delay per traveler at 46 hours.
Sensors kicking in
FDOT Tampa Bay District 7 is responsible for managing the intelligent transportation system (ITS) infrastructure in the six-county Tampa Bay area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Pasco and Hernando) and has been actively developing projects to deploy ITS throughout the area. However, in 2004 there were few public-sector owned and operated ITS field elements on the ground. The creation of a partnership with Mobility Technologies allowed the private-sector partner to deploy sensors in the rights-of-way along the heavily urbanized portions of I-4, I-75 and I-275 in the Tampa Bay area.
The mechanism governing the partnership was the Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure Program (ITIP), originally provided for under section 5117 (b) (3) of TEA-21. The primary purpose of the program was to provide data to measure the operating performance of the roadway system across the nation. A secondary purpose was to provide traveler information to travelers in urban areas. Mobility was selected through a competitive process, conducted under the U.S. DOT’s Information Technology Omnibus Procurement (ITOP) mechanism in 1998.
Funds were allocated initially to deploy sensor infrastructure in four cities. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were the first two cities selected and were designated by legislation. Dallas and Chicago were the other two cities and were selected through a competitive process, and $50 million was subsequently added to the program from funds designated in the 2003 Defense Appropriations Bill to continue the program. The bill specified other cities that would be eligible for funding under the ITIP structure. Under the terms of the bill, about $2 million was available to deploy ITS infrastructure in each city. Tampa, Orlando and Miami were selected as Florida’s cities, each being eligible to receive $2 million for participation in the ITIP.
The flow information collected by sensors installed under ITIP helps public-sector partners carry out system management activities including operations, planning, analysis and maintenance. Tampa Bay District 7 successfully leveraged the data provided by Mobility’s sensor installation through the ITIP for use in its regional ATIS. Since Sept. 2, 2004, information from the ATIS in Tampa Bay has been distributed to the traveling public via the 5-1-1 telephone system and website, which were established as the primary dissemination methods.
Information, please
A total of 100 vehicle-detection sensors were deployed by Mobility along 80 miles of right-of-way on I-4, I-75 and I-275 in the Tampa Bay area under the ITIP contract. The sensors are capable of detecting speeds, vehicle counts and classifications of vehicles for up to eight lanes (both directions), and the application of algorithms produces travel times between points for defined roadway segments. Integration of legacy data, incidents and events provides a full spectrum of traveler information. Travelers using the district’s 5-1-1 system can access travel times in real-time for these heavily traveled interstates.
Providing information to the public regarding traffic conditions is vital to the operation of transportation systems in Florida and it is especially important in its highly congested urban areas such as Tampa Bay. Information on roadway conditions is available prior to a trip and permits travelers (whether commuters, casual travelers, tourists or commercial drivers) to select the time of their departure, route or mode of travel to avoid congestion. If travelers are able to avoid congestion, the duration and severity of congestion is reduced, thus contributing to the reduction of congestion area-wide.
Tampa Bay’s ATIS allows area travelers to:
- Avoid traffic congestion and road construction;
- Reduce frustration and relieve stress;
- Change travel behavior to include altering routes or departure times; and
- Make informed decisions.
These benefits translate into saving time, fuel and money in addition to having beneficial safety and environmental implications. Travel-time usage maximizes the benefit that can be realized from an ATIS. The agreement with Mobility gives Tampa Bay District 7 the opportunity to enhance its service to the traveling public that it could not otherwise have done.
Estimated travel times across a route segment have proven highly desirable to travelers. The 511 Deployment Coalition recognizes the benefits of knowing travel times and has stated in its 511 Implementation and Operational Guidelines that the provision of travel times is desirable if the deployer has the capabilities to include them as part of its service to the traveling public.
Real results,
Having an infrastructure to gather up-to-date traffic congestion, incident and event information isn’t of significant value if the data cannot be quickly and widely distributed to travelers, so Tampa Bay District 7 and Mobility embarked on developing and implementing a 5-1-1 traveler information system in tandem with the ITIP deployment.
Traditionally, radio and TV stations broadcast traffic reports with varying levels of detail at pre-set intervals. Such reports usually cover a wide area, and travelers often must listen to or view the full report before finding pertinent information about the road they want. Implementation of 5-1-1 allowed Tampa Bay-area travelers to access current travel information—including congestion information and travel times—in real-time for selected roads at any time via cellular or land-line phone or the web.
A voice recognition system was chosen by Tampa Bay District 7 as more user-friendly and potentially safer than a scroll-based system for 5-1-1 information access. Service is provided throughout the six-county area by calling 5-1-1 on any phone including cell phones. It also is available through a 10-digit toll-free number outside the service area (800/576-3886). The menu-driven system permits users to access information of interest to them for their route at any time.
The website (www.511tampabay.com) provides visitors with so-called key route and roadway segment information on traffic conditions including travel times, incidents and construction, transit system status and special events. Users also can view camera images from existing CCTVs (installed by FDOT and other public agencies). An e-mail alert feature is incorporated to allow users to obtain timely alerts for specific roads or segments when either planned or unplanned incidents or events occur.
Tampa Bay District 7 took an uncharacteristic approach to 5-1-1. Unlike most of its projects where it takes a passive approach to consumer acceptance, in this instance FDOT worked with Mobility to develop a five-year consumer-focused marketing plan. Program elements included the system’s public introduction in September 2004, installation of roadside 5-1-1 signs, development of collateral materials, use of radio paid media and TV public service announcements, links to organization and partner websites, ongoing public relations and community outreach and a variety of presentations. Metrics were jointly established for user awareness, system usage and customer satisfaction, with measurements conducted and reported at defined intervals.
There is no better way to gauge the usefulness of a system than to review testimonials from people associated with the operation, the system or from system users. Tampa Bay District 7’s ATIS, incorporating the ITIP sensors, legacy data integration and 5-1-1 distribution capabilities, has received numerous testimonials, among which are:
“The key to the success of the 5-1-1 system is the effectiveness of the information provided to the user. Installation of the 5-1-1 sensors provides real-time speed data and travel times that have greatly enhanced the ability of the motorist to ‘know before you go,’” according to Ken Hartmann, P.E., secretary, FDOT District 7.
Tampa Bay District 7 expects that as the benefits of its ATIS deployment and 5-1-1 are fully realized by area travelers, 5-1-1 telephone service and the 511tampabay.com website will become the primary means of their obtaining up-to-date traveler information. Current information about speeds, travel times and congestion provides travelers with tools to make intelligent choices. Under the ITIP partnership, Mobility Technologies’ data provides Tampa Bay District 7 with a mechanism to provide such information for its main travel corridors and demonstrates that a public-private partnership structure can be successfully utilized to address increasing urban congestion. TME
RSS: Roads & Bridges Articles
