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15  Current System or Situation is section describes the system or situation as it currently exists. For the model ConOps, the document describes how a typical rural agency operates and manages a rural corridor. It denes the stakeholders, systems, and other components that are normally in place and provides readers with an introduction to the problem domain. e purpose of describing the current system or situation (i.e., how rural corridors currently operate) is to allow readers to better understand how rural agencies currently operate and the operational challenges that they face. 3.1 Background and Scope A recent report by the Congressional Research Service (2018) titled âRural Roadsâ provides an overview of rural roads. Rural areas account for 2.9 million (71%) of the nationâs 4.1 million miles of public access roads and account for about 30% of national vehicle miles traveled. Furthermore, the fatal accident rate on rural roads is over twice the rate on urban roads. Most of the tra c congestion along rural corridors is not caused by high volumes of tra c; instead, congestion is caused by other non-routine events, such as tra c accidents, adverse weather, oversized-overweight vehicles, and passing delays in hilly areas. Certain rural areas present seasonal or weekend tra c congestion, such as summer tra c near popular national parks/ attractions. Some interstate system highways and turnpikes that traverse rural areas can sustain tra c volumes like those in urban areas, especially those that connect major metropolitan areas. However, these values are global and may di er, sometimes signicantly, by location and even type of rural road.7 S E C T I O N 3 Note to reader: Deployers should tailor the background and scope section to their rural corridors. Typical information that can be provided here includes but is not limited to the following: ⢠Economic Information. An overview of the regionâs gross domestic product (GDP) and how it compares with neighboring or similar areas and the national average could be useful. Consider discussing the drivers of the economy in the area, such as mining, agricultural production, transportation industry, among others. This information can be provided at the state, regional, and local levels. 7 Rural roads can be classied as part of the interstate system, other major highways, minor arterials, major collectors, minor collectors, and local.
16 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors 3.2 Description of the Current System or Situation For this model ConOps, the description of the current system is based on a typical rural agency, including typical stakeholders, systems, infrastructure, and processes. ese items are described at a high level in an attempt to describe the situation in a manner that encompasses how rural agencies currently operate. ⢠Demographic Information. A description of the population could also be useful to understand the current situation and needs of the users of the connected vehicle infrastructure to be deployed. ⢠Geographical Information. Information such as elevation and type of terrain can help set the stage for explaining the unique characteristics of the deployment site. ⢠Location-Speci c Information. An overview of the distinct features of the location, such as seasonal weather conditions; traffic patterns; vehicle-type distribution; incident rate; road density and availability of alternate routes; services and infrastructure along the rural corridors (e.g., parking) both available and lacking; seasonal constraints; and economic impact of disrupting events (e.g., road closures) could be useful. The combination of the characteristics can highlight the challenges that the deployment site faces, and therefore, the objectives of the agencyâs daily operations and management strategies. Note to reader: To best leverage content from this document, users should use the information presented in this section as a starting point and customize the information to describe their current systems and infrastructure. Users of this model ConOps should document the current systems that future connected vehicle systems may interact with and/or replace. Information about existing ITS field devices, Backoffice systems, backhaul communications, power availability, and other existing infrastructure should be discussed. In addition, agencies should describe their current processes for operating and managing the rural corridor within the area of concern. Section 3.2 contains descriptions of current traffic management; work zone management; road weather management; incident response and management; rural safety strategies; and freight operations. Users of this model ConOps should determine which sections apply to their projects and tailor their project-specific ConOps accordingly. It should be noted that there is some repetition in these sections to ensure a holistic discussion. Users of this document are encouraged to select which components are appropriate so that these are standalone. Figure 7 depicts a context diagram for a typical rural agency showing the system components and interconnection among these components and external interfaces for a typical rural agency. e white boxes in this context diagram are the actors, which are described in Appendix A.
Current System or Situation 17  e Backo ce represents the Backo ce system that rural agencies use to operate and manage the transportation system. Typically, the Backo ce represents the agencyâs TMS, which may be located at a TMC or may simply be a workstation in a rural agencyâs o ces. e Backo ce has several functions (depicted as ovals in Figure 7). It collects data from multiple sources, including Other Centers, third-party service providers, ITS Roadway Equipment (e.g., tra c detectors, environmental sensors, etc.), and agency-owned vehicles. Once collected, the data is fused, allowing systems to gain more insights into how the rural corridor is operating. For more sophisticated systems, decision support systems may leverage the fused data to determine response plans. For example, a decision support system may be used to recommend response plans to operators in the event of a major incident on the freeway. Recommendations may include detours and messages for DMS and other ITS devices. e Backo ce also monitors and controls ITS Roadway Equipment located along the roadway. Current ITS Roadway Equipment may include tra c detectors, environmental sensors, tra c signal equipment, HAR, DMS, CCTV cameras, grade crossing warning systems, and ramp metering systems. e Backo ce also plays a critical role in disseminating information. Information dissemination may take various forms. Information may be shared with Other Centers (denoted in the box on the le ) and with third-party service providers. ese centers and third-party service providers may in turn disseminate the information to travelers and vehicles through smartphone apps, in-vehicle navigation systems, 511 systems, and websites. e Backo ce can also disseminate information using ITS Roadway Equipment. Messages may be disseminated on DMS, HAR, and other devices located along the roadway. Finally, the Backo ce will typically store the data it collects and o en the actions taken by agency personnel interacting with the TMS. Rural Agency Personnel interact with the TMS for control and command functionality or to access data produced by the TMS. (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 7. Concept diagram of the current system.
18 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors As shown in Figure 7, current Backoffice data exchanges with vehicles are limited. Agency fleet vehicles, such as maintenance and construction vehicles, may be equipped with automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems that communicate information about the vehicleâs location and other information to the Backoffice. In addition, agency staff may have cell phones or radio communications allowing them to communicate to the Backoffice or Other Centers. The following sections are intended to describe specific processes and strategies for how a rural agency currently operates based on the literature review and surveys conducted with project stakeholders in support of the development of this model ConOps. The following areas are discussed: ⢠Traffic Management ⢠Work Zone Management ⢠Road Weather Management ⢠Incident Response and Management ⢠Rural Safety Strategies ⢠Freight Operations Note to reader: These descriptions pertain to high-level processes. Rural agencies should tailor these sections to ensure that they accurately describe the systems, actors, and processes currently being used to manage and operate their rural corridors. 3.2.1 Traffic Management Localized congestion may be a concern on rural corridors and roadways. Although conges- tion is generally considered to be an urban problem, its consequences for the traveling public and operating agencies may be just as significant in rural locations. Travel time reliability is important to long-distance highway travel, particularly for commercial vehicle operations along interurban freight corridors. Traffic management includes freeway management and arterial management activities to manage the movement of all types of vehicles, travelers, and pedestrians throughout the transportation network. Freeway management is the implementation of strategies to improve freeway performance. The objectives of freeway management programs include minimizing congestion (and its side effects), improving safety, and enhancing overall mobility and reli- ability. Potential strategies include ramp metering, information dissemination, queue warnings, managed lanes, and other active TMSs. While incident and work zone management are relevant to freeway management, they are discussed in separate sections. Arterial management includes strategies specific to the management of urban arterial streets, including traffic signal operations. Traditionally, traffic management has been categorized based on the facility (e.g., freeway and arterial); however, the recent trend in transportation management is to effectively manage the transportation corridor or the network as an integrated system that includes combinations of modes and facilities [e.g., integrated corridor management (ICM)]. Critical to this integrated management approach is the sharing of information and control among rural TMCs to support traffic management strategies. The nature of information and control sharing is determined through working arrangements between jurisdictions. There are several conventional ITS activities related to traffic management. The following is a sample of some implementations of conventional ITS traffic management solutions.
Current System or Situation 19  ⢠Many agencies have deployed and are continuing to deploy Adaptive Signal Control tech- nology on arterials to adjust the timing of red, yellow, and green lights to accommodate changing traffic patterns and ease traffic congestion. Colorado Department of Transpor- tation (CDOT) installed Adaptive Signal Control systems on two corridors in Greeley and Woodland Park and found that the system improved weekday travel times 6% to 9% and reduced stopped delay by 13% to 15%.8 ⢠In 2006, the U.S. DOT initiated the ICM Demonstration Program to research the integration of the operations of all transportation networks (e.g., freeway, arterial, transit, rail, etc.) within a corridor to maximize the effectiveness of their use and to mitigate the effect of incidents that affect the movement of people, goods, and services within the corridor. U.S. DOT conducted a national search for candidate corridors and selected U.S. 75 in Dallas, Texas, as one of two corridors. The Dallas ICM Demonstration, led by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), was evaluated to assess mobility, reliability and variability, and emissions and fuel consumption. The demonstration was found to have an estimated benefit-to-cost ratio over the 10-year life- cycle of the project of 20.4:1. Additionally, estimated annual savings included 740,000 person- hours of travel, a reduction of consumption of 981,000 gallons of fuel, and a reduction of 9,400 tons of vehicular emissions.9 Current Traffic Management Processes and Situation Figure 8 depicts a context diagram for traffic management. 1. Rural agencies use ITS Roadway Equipment to collect data and monitor traffic conditions using traffic detectors, CCTV cameras, and other field devices. ITS field devices are also used to implement traffic management strategies. For arterial management, traffic signal systems are used to implement traffic signal timing strategies. On freeways, DMS are used to disseminate information to travelers. In addition, field devices may be used to implement ramp metering strategies, queue warnings, variable speed limits, and other strategies. 2. On receiving information from multiple sources, the Backoffice is responsible for fusing data, implementing decision support systems to guide traffic management strategies [e.g., deter- mining potential detours, variable speed limits (VSLs), and signal timing plans], controlling conventional ITS devices, and disseminating information to other systems and travelers. Typically the Backoffice collects, processes, disseminates, and uses data to support traffic management strategies for arterials and freeways, but the ability to do so in a consistent and timely (e.g., location and status) manner is a gap described by many rural agencies. 3. To support traffic management strategies, the Backoffice collects and shares data with Other Centers. Traveler Information Systems receive data from the Backoffice. The information is disseminated to travelers through 511 systems and websites to support planning (i.e., pre-trip planning) and provide current traffic conditions in rural corridors. The Backoffice also shares and receives data from Other Jurisdiction TMSs and event promoters to support integrated operations. For example, traffic data may be shared in neighboring jurisdictions to allow them to gain insights into how the traffic system is operating. 4. Some rural agencies have partnered with third-party service providers, such as Waze and INRIX, to collect probe data to support traffic management strategies. In addition, the Backoffice will provide data to these data providers. Crowdsourced data is the data extracted from social media platforms, data acquired from third-party crowdsource providers, and data collected from specially developed mobile apps. Because crowdsourced data is obtained 8 Benefit ID: 2014-00924. ITS JPO Knowledge Resources Database. https://www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov/its/benecost.nsf/ID/ AB8F7A8F0EFFC72385257CEB0066E639?OpenDocument&Query=Home. July 2012. 9 Benefit ID: 2011-00757. ITS JPO Knowledge Resources Database. https://www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov/ITS/benecost.nsf/ID/ 313049832D53A59885257926006FCF0C?OpenDocument&Query=Home. September 2010.
20 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors whenever and wherever people travel, agencies can capture in real time what happens between sensors in rural regions, along arterials, and beyond jurisdictional boundaries. Crowdsourcing is benetting transportation operations through improved operations, increased safety and reliability, and cost savings. One of the key benets is that it can provide information for rural locations that agencies cannot monitor regularly, due to reduced funding or low numbers of sta . Most state DOTs and many local agencies are using crowdsourcing to improve one or more TSMO applications. 5. Using data provided by the Backo ce, along with the data they collect through mobile devices, third-party service providers provide tra c-conditions information to all the vehicle types that can assist with tra c management. 6. Rural Agency Personnel communicate with the Backo ce to interact with the TMS and obtain data from the system to support planning activities and performance metrics. In addition, Rural Agency Personnel may also report and input information about tra c conditions to the TMS. 3.2.2 Work Zone Management As the national roadway system ages and vehicle tra c continues to increase rapidly, work zones will be the norm rather than the occasional impediment to e cient and safe tra c ow. Rural corridors will not be exempt from such new norms; in fact, they may have more substantial impacts than those of urban areas. Managing tra c in work zones is necessary to minimize (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 8. Current situation: Traf c management.
Current System or Situation 21  traffic delays, maintain motorist and worker safety, complete roadwork on time, and maintain access for businesses and residents. Work zone management includes collecting and disseminat- ing work zone information to centers that can utilize it as part of their operations, or to Traveler Information Systems (e.g., 511) and third-party service providers who can provide the infor- mation to travelers. Rural agencies are also responsible for controlling traffic in areas of the roadway where maintenance, construction, and utility work are underway. Control strategies may include monitoring traffic conditions in work zones using detectors and CCTV cameras, disseminating messages (including detours) on DMS or portable changeable message signs, and in some cases, using more advanced smart work zone strategies, including VSLs for work zones. In rural areas, there may be limited ability for detours, so communicating information to motorists well in advance of the work zone is of critical importance. There are several conventional ITS activities related to work zones. Below is a sample of some implementations of work zone safety systems. ⢠Several state DOTs have implemented work zone safety systems with reported success. For example, during replacement of the Brighton Road Bridge on I-376, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) deployed an ITS-based emergency vehicle conflict warning system that comprises multiple DMS, sensors, and sirens to advise motorists to slow down near turnaround points for emergency vehicles. The sirens were successfully activated 43 times during the construction period to warn motorists to reduce speed to allow emergency vehicles access to the highway.10 The Illinois DOT (IDOT) and the Illinois Governor mandated use of queue warning systems on interstate projects that were expected to result in queued traffic. This move has since resulted in a 14% reduction in queue-related crashes.11 ⢠The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) conducted a field operational test of a VSL system in a work zone on I-96 south near Lansing, Michigan, and evaluated the systemâs effect on speed limit compliance, traffic flow, and safety (see Figure 9.)12 The VSL system was found to have positive effects (including increased average speeds and decreased travel times) through the deployment area. Although average speeds increased, the percentage of vehicles exceeding certain thresholds (e.g., 60 mph) did decrease when the system was operational. ⢠During an I-35 widening project that spanned close to 100 miles, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) developed an end-of-queue warning system that enacted nighttime- only lane closures.13 The queues were of concern for four reasons: (1) the corridor was pre- dominately rural, so traffic queues were unexpected, (2) lane closures varied, so drivers were unable to expect when/where a queue could form, (3) there was limited space for queue warning equipment, and (4) the density of commercial trucks increased the severity of any potential end-of-queue crashes. The innovative system was effective, reducing crashes by up to 45% on more than 200 nighttime lane closures in the corridor. FHWA is leading efforts, via the Work Zone Data Initiative (WZDI), to develop a standard approach for collecting, organizing, and sharing data on the âwhen,â âwhere,â and âhowâ of work zone deployment. The goal of this national initiative is to create and accelerate the adop- tion of a consistent language for communicating work zone activity data across jurisdictional 10 Rural Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Toolkit. National Center for Rural Road Safety. https://ruralsafetycenter.org/ wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CC12.pdf. March 15, 2018. 11 Ibid. 12 A Field Test and Evaluation of Variable Speed Limits in Work Zones. U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration. https:// safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/vslimits/docs/michiganvsl.pdf. December 2004. 13 Innovative End-of-Queue Warning System Reduces Crashes up to 45%. ARTBA Work Zone Safety Consortium. https://www. workzonesafety.org/files/documents/training/courses_programs/rsa_program/RSP_Guidance_Documents_Download/ RSP_EndOfQueueWarning_Guidance_Download.pdf. September 13, 2015.
22 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors and organizational boundaries. Adoption of this common language will result in enhanced work zone management practices leading to improved mobility and safety in and around work zones for both workers and the traveling public. For more information, see the WZDIâs Collaboration Site. Current Work Zone Management Processes and Situation Figure 10 depicts a context diagram for work zone management. 1. Maintenance Management Systems are responsible for monitoring and managing roadway infrastructure construction and maintenance activities. ese systems collect and manage details of the work zones (e.g., planned construction and maintenance activities). Infor- mation about work zones, including the location and details of the work zones, are shared with the Backo ce to support operations during construction and maintenance activities. e Backo ce also interacts with Traveler Information Systems to disseminate work zone information to traveler information websites and 511 systems. Finally, information about work zones is also shared with Other Jurisdiction TMSs to coordinate work zones across boundaries. 2. Rural Agency Personnel communicate with the Backo ce to interact with the TMS and obtain data from the system to support planning activities and performance metrics. Sta located in the eld communicate with the Backo ce to report status of the work zone. ese sta serve as boots on the ground communications to the Backo ce, providing information on the work zone, including information on rst cone down (start of the work zone) and last cone up (end of the work zone). 3. Rural agencies monitor work zone activity using ITS Roadway Equipment. Tra c detectors and CCTV cameras are used to monitor tra c conditions in work zones. DMS, HAR, and portable message signs disseminate work-zone-related messages to travelers, including (Source: FHWA.) Figure 9. Variable speed limit system deployed in Michigan.
Current System or Situation 23Â Â information on detours. In some instances, smart work zone technologies may be used to notify travelers of queues or to implement VSL strategies. 4. On receiving information from multiple sources, the Backo ce is responsible for fusing data, implementing decision support systems to guide work zone tra c management strat- egies (e.g., determining detours), controlling conventional ITS devices, and disseminating information to other systems and travelers. e Backo ce also plays a crucial role in sharing information with other partners. 5. Maintenance and construction vehicles may communicate with the Backo ce. AVL data may be provided to monitor the location of maintenance vehicles, whereas cell phones and radio communications may be used by maintenance sta to relay information about the work zone to the Backo ce and vice versa. 6. e Backo ce provides planned work zone information to third-party service providers and other traveler information outlets. 7. All vehicle types can receive information on smartphones from third-party service providers about work zone locations, lane closures, detours, and other details. In addition, third-party service providers may crowdsource data collection about work zones using smartphone applications. For example, Waze crowdsources work zone data and may share that data with the Backo ce. 3.2.3 Road Weather Management Weather has a signicant impact on the operations of the nationâs roadway system. Rain can reduce pavement friction, winter weather can leave pavements snow-covered or icy, and (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 10. Current situation: Work zone management.
24 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors fog, smoke, blowing dust, heavy precipitation, and vehicle spray can restrict visibility. These conditions are further amplified by the topography typically found in rural areas, increasing the likelihood of crashes. Weather has a major effect on the safety of the transportation system and is a major cause of nonrecurring congestion. Road weather management has been pro- posed to mitigate weather impacts. Rural agencies collect road weather data from multiple sources like road weather information systems (RWIS), National Weather Service (NWS), snowplows, and other agency maintenance or fleet vehicles. This data is used to develop near- term warnings or advisories that can be provided to individual motorists, the public, and fleets. The raw data is fused in the Backoffice to generate road-segment-based data outputs. The processing also includes a road weather motorist alert algorithm to generate alerts that are pushed to user systems and available to commercial service providers. Information collected can be combined with observations and forecasts from other sources to provide medium (next 2 to 12 hours) or long-term (more than 12 hours) advisories through a variety of interfaces, including web-based and 511 interfaces. There are numerous examples of how ITS has been used to improve road weather manage- ment activities, including detecting road weather conditions using RWIS and environmental sensor stations and other conventional ITS technologies (e.g., DMS) to alert drivers of adverse weather conditionsâincluding snow, fog, and other hazards. ⢠In 2009, California DOT (Caltrans) deployed a fog detection and warning system along a 13-mile section of State Highway 99 in its Central Valley region that is known for having thick ground fog.14 In 2007, low visibility from fog led to a 100+ vehicle pileup that resulted in two fatalities. The system uses data collected from visibility sensors to project messages on DMS to instruct drivers to slow down when they are approaching areas where fog is detected downstream. Speed detectors and cameras are also used to detect slower traffic ahead. Due to the relatively rural nature of the project area, all system communications are wireless. Additionally, local field controllers permit equipment to work autonomously if there is a break in communications to the central system. ⢠A similar type of visibility application was implemented by Montana DOT along Interstate 15 near the Canadian border.15 At this location, on windy days, alkali dust from an adjacent alkali lake often creates poor visibility. To address this, Montana DOT added a RWIS with a visibility sensor that triggers flashing lights attached to solar-powered static warning signs to warn travelers of poor visibility ahead. Montana also uses RWIS statewide to determine messages displayed on their DMS. Current Road Weather Management Processes and Situation Figure 11 depicts a context diagram for road weather management. 1. Maintenance Management Systems and Weather Service Systems communicate infor- mation with the Backoffice about the location and details of the weather-related events (e.g., fog, snow, high winds, rain). Information is provided as forecast and current conditions to support planning and vehicles on the roadway. The Backoffice also interacts with Traveler Information Systems to disseminate weather information on traveler information websites and 511 systems. 2. Rural Agency Personnel communicate with the Backoffice to interact with the TMS and obtain data from the system to support planning activities and performance metrics. Staff located in the field communicate with the Backoffice to report status of weather conditions. 14 Multi-Purpose ESS/ITS Data Collection Sites. Iowa State University. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer= https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1083&context=intrans_reports. May 2014. 15 Ibid.
Current System or Situation 25Â Â ese sta serve as boots on the ground communications to the Backo ce providing infor- mation on the current conditions of microclimates. 3. ITS Roadway Equipment includes RWIS and environmental sensor stations that are used to collect road weather information. Data is provided back to the Backo ce to support road weather operations. Typical rural agencies disseminate road weather conditions using DMS, HAR, and ashing beacons. In addition, eld devices may implement local warnings. For example, fog detection systems may detect fog and trigger ashing beacons or messages on DMS. In some cases, more advanced road weather strategies may be implemented, including VSLs in adverse weather conditions. 4. On receiving information from multiple sources, the Backo ce is responsible for fusing data, implementing decision support systems to guide road weather management strategies (e.g., storms, ooding, fog), controlling conventional ITS devices, and disseminating infor- mation to other systems and travelers. e Backo ce plays a crucial role in disseminating weather-related road conditions reports through multiple systems. 5. Maintenance and construction vehicles, including snowplows, serve as probes for collect- ing weather-related information. ese vehicles may be equipped with additional weather sensors that collect more granular weather data that can be shared with the Backo ce. In addition, snowplows may communicate information on the amount of salt released. Main- tenance and construction sta in vehicles may use cellular phones and radios to relay road weather conditions to the Backo ce. e Backo ce may leverage AVL to monitor main- tenance vehicle-location-related information in real time. 6. Backo ce provides road weather information to third-party service providers and other traveler information outlets. ese data providers may also collect crowdsourced data from (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 11. Current situation: Road weather management.
26 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors smartphones and other mobile devices on weather conditions. The Backoffice may receive data from these third-party data providers to augment the data they collect. 7. All vehicle types may exchange information about road weather conditions from third-party service providers. These vehicles may serve as probes, providing data to the data providers, or as consumers of the data. 3.2.4 Incident Response and Management Rural incidents are more likely to be at higher speeds than urban incidents, and response times tend to be longer. Communication systems are often less available, less durable, or possibly absent in many rural areas, resulting in time lags between the emergency event and the activa- tion of fire and emergency medical services (e.g., notification via 911 calls). Once an emergency crew is dispatched, if the incident occurred in an isolated area, response times can be delayed even further. Furthermore, emergency response crews in rural areas are typically smaller units that are more easily exhausted due to limited or lack of resources. Managing traffic for both unexpected incidents and planned events in rural areas is crucial to minimize the impact on the transportation network and to protect traveler safety. Incidents detection capabilities are mainly obtained through (1) roadside surveillance devices (e.g., CCTV), and (2) regional coordination with other traffic management, maintenance and construction management, emergency management centers, and event promoters. Rural agencies collect and correlate information from these diverse sources to detect and verify incidents and to imple- ment an appropriate response. Incident management supports traffic operations personnel in developing an appropriate response in coordination with emergency management, maintenance and construction management, and other incident response personnel. The response may include traffic control strategy modifications or resource coordination between centers. The coordination with emergency management might be through a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system or other communication with emergency personnel. The coordination can also extend to tow trucks and other allied response agencies and field service personnel. There are many examples of how ITS improves incident surveillance and detection using CCTV, and how the sharing of information and incident management coordination with other regional jurisdictions improves travel time and public safety. ⢠To address the lack of real-time visual traffic surveillance capability at the regional traffic operations center (RTOC), the Monroe County (New York) Department of Transportation (MCDOT) conducted an ITS Camera Deployment and Systems Integration Project. The first phase involved installation of five CCTV cameras. After 6 months of construction and acceptance testing, MCDOT completed an evaluation of the initial installations. Operators reported several key intangible benefits: â Improved operator performance via increased incident awareness and understanding of why an incident is occurring. â Higher and more responsible quality of service made available to the traveling public because of real-time visual information. â Cross-coordination by offset and cycle observation of traffic signals. â Improved ability to screen out false calls.16 ⢠Historical field data, captured from three significant incidents, was used to calibrate traffic models in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area National Capital Region (NCR) with coordinated incident management and dissemination of traveler information. The three 16 Benefit ID: 2009-00595. ITS JPO Knowledge Resources Database https://www.itsknowledgeresources.its.dot.gov/its/ benecost.nsf/ID/0306E0A61DDAA5A5852575A20050EDED?OpenDocument&Query=Home. August 2006.
Current System or Situation 27  events represented severity ratings of high, medium, and low. e tra c models were run that included with and without coordinated operations scenarios. e impact of sharing informa- tion and having a coordinated regional response on roadway capacity, vehicular queuing, travel delay, and costs (i.e., emissions, fuel consumption, and value of time) resulted in a benet-to-cost ratio of 10:1.17 Current Incident Response and Management Processes and Situation Figure 12 depicts a context diagram for incident response and management. 1. Emergency Management/Public Safety Systems serve as critical providers and consumers of incident data. Police and 911 dispatch centers share information about incidents with the Backo ce. In some instances, CAD data may be integrated into the TMS. In other situations, the data is shared via phone, email, radio communications, or other mechanisms. Incident information includes details of the incident (e.g., location, severity, type). In the case of pro- grammed events, promoters can provide information in advance to support planning. In addition, real-time information may be shared with the Backo ce to support operations during the incident or event. In addition to coordinating with Emergency Management and Public Safety Systems, the Backo ce also shares incident information with Other Centers. Incident data is shared with Traveler Information Systems to inform motorists of potential (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 12. Current situation: incident response and management. 17 Bene t ID: 2015-01003. ITS JPO Knowledge Resources Database https://www.itsbenets.its.dot.gov/its/benecost.nsf/ID/ 7F1CD2D9836296DA85257ED2004F744C?OpenDocument&Query=Home. June 2010.
28 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors delays using 511 and websites. Incident data may also be shared with Other Jurisdiction TMSs to support coordinated incident response, especially near boundaries. Given the long distances to respond to incidents in rural agencies, coordination is especially important to help minimize response times by deploying the closest responders to the scene. Finally, in some cases, incident data is shared directly with Fleet and Freight Management Systems to support their operations. 2. Rural Agency Personnel communicate with the Backoffice to interact with the TMS and obtain data from the system to support planning activities and performance metrics. Staff located in the field (e.g., SSPs) communicate with the Backoffice to report status of the incidents and events. Staff serve as boots on the ground communications to the Backoffice providing information on the incidents and events, including beginning and ending times, queues, and detours. 3. Rural agencies use ITS Roadway Equipment to detect, verify, and monitor incidents and events. CCTV cameras are often used to verify incidents. DMS and HAR are typically used to disseminate information about incidents to motorists, including information about delays or detours. In rural corridors, detours may need to be implemented at large distances in advance of the incident because there may be limited alternate routes. 4. On receiving information from multiple sources, the Backoffice is responsible for fusing data, implementing decision support systems to guide incident and event traffic management strategies (e.g., determining potential detours), controlling conventional ITS devices, and disseminating information to other systems and travelers. The Backoffice plays the key role of coordinating responses across agency boundaries through electronic data exchanges/data sharing. Decision support systems may be used to determine response plans, determine detours, and develop plans for disseminating traveler information. The Backoffice also plays a key role in communicating with SSPs. 5. Backoffice provides incident information to third-party service providers and other traveler information outlets. These data providers also crowdsource incident data from mobile devices and provide the data to the Backoffice. 6. All vehicle types may receive information about incidents from third-party providers. 7. Public Safety Vehicles may send data to Emergency Management/Public Safety Systems about current incidents. For example, police, fire, and rescue vehicles may have direct com- munications with their dispatchers and provide updates on incidents to dispatchers and their systems. 3.2.5 Rural Safety Strategies Safety is a major challenge on rural corridors. These corridors have many motor vehicle fatalities with a higher frequency of accidents than found in urban areas. Rural corridors can have higher posted speed limits with a large variance in travel speeds that includes frequent passing as well as unique roadway geometries. A key strategy to improve rural safety is sharing information about potentially hazardous road conditions or road hazards with other vehicles to support enhanced driver warnings. Currently, many safety strategies in rural corridors leverage static signage. Examples include static signage to denote potential for slower speeds around curves, potential for falling rocks, animal crossings, and other hazards. Rural agen- cies may also disseminate safety messages to motorists using DMS, HAR, and 511 systems. Almost all agencies stated they are using mostly static signage to convey safety messages. Around half of respondents have active warning systems, while some respondents indicated the ability to share traveler information through other means, such as online feeds (traveler information portals). Motor vehicle incidents at non-signalized intersections tend to have significant safety issues.
Current System or Situation 29  There are several conventional ITS activities related to rural safety. The following is a sample of some safety systems implemented in rural areas. ⢠The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) launched an effort to identify areas with critical-level roadway-departure crashes, and to analyze the most effective, appropriate safety treatment. A study sought to assess the effectiveness of curve warning and delinea- tion systems on two-lane rural roads. 18 The study considered both active (those including internal lighting elements) and passive systems (those relying on external light sources, such as daylight or vehicle headlights for illumination). Data was collected for six treatments across nine horizontal curves along the rural Route 615 corridor in Virginia. The findings concluded that the passive safety treatments (such as retroreflective posts) were more reliable and affordable than active safety treatments (such as blinking curve warning signs). ⢠While animal crossings may not create problems in cities, they cause many traffic incidents in rural areas. A buried cable animal detection system was installed and tested at a suitable site on the Virginia Smart Road in Blacksburg, Virginia, to evaluate and determine its ability to detect animals at a roadside site.19 The results show that the system has 95% reliability in detecting larger animals, such as deer and bears, and can even detect smaller animals, such as foxes and coyotes. Current Rural Safety Processes and Situation Figure 13 depicts a context diagram for rural safety. 1. Rural Agency Personnel located in the field communicate with the Backoffice to report status of the road safety issues. 2. ITS Roadway Equipment is used to monitor roadway conditions and to disseminate infor- mation to motorists using DMS and HAR. Some agencies may deploy curve warning systems, overheight detection systems, and other systems to provide warnings to drivers where geo- metric conditions may have safety issues. 3. On receiving information from multiple sources, the Backoffice is responsible for fusing data, implementing decision support systems to guide safety strategies (e.g., determining safer speeds), controlling conventional ITS devices, and disseminating information to other systems and travelers. 4. While the vehicles do not directly communicate with the field in the non-connected vehicle system, drivers of all vehicle types receive information from the Backoffice about safe speed, road closures, flashing warnings, and so forth from field equipment like DMS. 3.2.6 Freight Operations Rural corridors connecting urban areas, intermodal freight facilities, and ports are charac- terized as having high truck volume, long distances with limited services, high posted speeds, and unique road geometries. In addition, rural congestion can have a significant impact on freight movement, manufacturing processes, competitiveness, and productivity. The needs for rural freight corridors include parking, specific traveler information, and road conditions, such as weather, alternate routes/diversions, height/weight restrictions, and weigh-in-motion (WIM)/e-Permitting. 18 Benefit ID: 2019-01377. ITS JPO Knowledge Resources Database https://www.itsknowledgeresources.its.dot.gov/ITS/ benecost.nsf/ID/537DA89A075AA153852584200063C2F1?OpenDocument&Query=Home. June 2018. 19 Evaluation of a Buried Cable Roadside Animal Detection System. Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research. http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r25.pdf. June 2015.
30 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors Rural freight operations can be optimized with pre-trip and en route travel planning, rout- ing, and commercial-vehicle-related traveler information, which includes information such as truck parking locations and occupancy status. e information is based on data collected from the commercial eet as well as general tra c data collection capabilities. Freight-specic infor- mation, both real-time and static, can be provided to eet managers, to mobile devices used by commercial vehicle operators, or to in-vehicle systems. Information can also be provided for oversize/overweight permit information to commercial managers. ⢠Parking management systems can be tailored to an areaâs needs and can be as low cost as providing information (maps, websites, etc.) on where nearby parking lots are located. Parking management systems are useful in rural areas with tourist attractions or special events that draw large crowds, and for long-haul truckers to identify where/if parking is available, reducing the number of fatigued drivers on the road. One such project, Smart Truck Parking, was undertaken by UC Berkeley to provide truck drivers with real-time information on where parking is available to reduce the number of fatigued truck drivers on the road looking for a place to legally park.20 is project explored the application of truck parking forecasting using existing sensing resources and data derived from existing infrastructure deployed on the I-5 corridor in California. (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 13. Current situation: Rural safety strategies. 20 Smart Truck Parking: Forecasting Parking Availability at Truck Stops. Berkeley Transportation Sustainability Research Center. https://tsrc.berkeley.edu/smart-truck-parking-forecasting-parking-availability-truck-stops.
Current System or Situation 31  ⢠In states with high freight movement, truck drivers routinely park on interstate ramps and rest stop entrances and exits while commercial parking facility spaces go unused. On rural corridors, fatigued drivers may opt to park on roadway shoulders potentially impacting surrounding tra c safety, or accidentally fall asleep at the wheel potentially crashing into other vehicles or causing a severe incident. e Mid America Association of State Trans- portation O cials (MAASTO) Regional Truck Parking Information and Management System (TPIMS), a federally funded project, represents a sustained, multi-year focus on improving the national freight networkâs e ciency, economic competitiveness, and safety.21 e project provides truck drivers with reliable, real-time information to make smarter, more e cient truck parking decisions. It covers major freight corridors in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin (see Figure 14). In September 2014, MDOT installed a truck parking information system that provides truck drivers with real- time parking availability information via a website, smartphone app, DMS, and connected vehicle infrastructure. is real-time parking information works to reduce the number of fatigued drivers on the roadway and to avoid truck driver parking at rest area entrances/exits and freeway on/o ramps. e TPIMS delivers real-time parking availability information to truck drivers along the I-94 corridor.22 In January 2019, TPIMSs were launched in Minnesota and Iowa. ⢠State agencies monitor the weights of trucks to ensure compliance with state regulations and to collect data necessary for infrastructure operation and maintenance using WIM systems. WIM enforcement activities apply to rural areas, because long-haul freight operators may travel most of their distances on rural roads at highway speeds. WIM systems benet trucking rms and state agencies by reducing delay, thereby encouraging compliance. Traditional in-ground WIM systems are costly and time-consuming to install and operate. Portable and virtual WIM systems are low-cost alternatives, making them appealing for rural corridors and communities. e New York Department of Transportation ruway Authority uses (Source: Kansas Department of Transportation.) Figure 14. Truck parking availability sign. 21 MAASTO Truck Parking Information Management System (TPIMS) Project. https://trucksparkhere.com/. 22 MDOT unveils I-94 Truck Parking Information and Management System. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDOT/ bulletins/cc5d62.
32 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors WIM devices to assist with tracking unpermitted overweight vehicles, thereby allowing police to enforce violations.23 Enforcement agencies, trucking companies, and drivers could be notied through websites, smartphone apps, and connected vehicle equipment of weight compliance or violation. Current Freight Operations Processes and Situation Figure 15 depicts a typical rural freight operation. 1. Fleet and Freight Management Systems communicate information to the Backo ce about eet operations concerning tra c, weather, parking, WIM, restrictions, queues, and delivery schedule timing. Some information, such as permitting and restrictions, can be provided in advance to support planning. In addition, real-time information may be shared with the Backo ce to support operations during freight movement. 2. Rural Agency Personnel located in the eld serve as boots on the ground, communicating with the Backo ce to report status of the freight movement, detours, queues, and incidents that would slow freight through the rural corridor. 3. Typical rural agencies can use ITS Roadway Equipment to disseminate information to commercial vehicles, including information about truck parking. In addition, ITS Roadway Equipment may also include devices to support E-Screening and WIM. 4. e Backo ce is responsible for fusing data, implementing decision support systems to guide freight tra c management strategies (e.g., determining potential detours and freight (Source: Noblis 2020.) Figure 15. Current situation: Freight operations. 23 Utilizing Innovative Technologies. New York State Government. http://www.thruway.ny.gov/oursystem/maintenance/ innovation.html.
Current System or Situation 33  priority), controlling conventional ITS devices, and disseminating information to other systems and travelers. 5. Commercial vehicles communicate information to the Fleet and Freight Management System about vehicle speeds, destinations, loads, and schedules. 3.3 Mapping Current System Stakeholders to Actors ere are several stakeholders involved in the current operations and management of rural corridors. ese stakeholders are responsible for the systems and processes described in Section 3. ese stakeholders include state and local DOTs responsible for operations of the transportation system. Within these DOTs, there are several groups. Operations sta typically operate the TMC and coordinate operations with other stakeholders. Operations sta may also be responsible for SSPs that are deployed along corridors to assist motorists and serve as boots on the ground sta to assist with incident management and disabled vehicles. Maintenance and construction sta are responsible for roadway maintenance and construction activities, managing work zones, and supporting weather operations, including snow removal. ese sta are also responsible for maintaining ITS Roadway Equipment, including tra c signals and ITS eld devices. Rural DOTs coordinate with numerous other stakeholders. For incident management, police, re and rescue, and 911 dispatch centers play a major role in supporting incident detec- tion, verication, response, clearance, and tra c management at the scene. DOTs may also interact with adjacent DOTs and city DOTs to support tra c management activities across jurisdictional boundaries. Many DOTs also have established partnerships with third-party service providers to further enhance data collection capabilities through crowdsourced data from mobile devices. For example, many DOTs have partnered with INRIX, Waze, and other data providers to receive tra c, incident, and other information. In return, DOTs provide their data to these entities. Other stakeholders that DOTs may interact with include event promoters, Weather Service Providers, and in some cases, commercial vehicle/eet operators. Table 1 lists examples of key stakeholders of the current system and how they relate to the actors in the context diagrams. Note to reader: Table 1 is an example based on the context diagram and project stakeholder feedback and should not be interpreted as a prescriptive description of the relationship between stakeholders and actors. States/Agencies will be different and will need to assess this relationship based on their list of stakeholders, their roles, and how they define the different actors. Agencies could also use their organization structure/chart when revising/tailoring their specific ConOps. 3.4 Support Environment is section describes the support environments (e.g., systems, assets, and capabilities) that are used by the existing transportation system. It should be noted that the level and type of support might change by location and type of rural transportation agency. Consideration should be given to specic agency support personnel (e.g., users that may need to access data,
Stakeholders Involved B ac ko ffi ce M ai nt en an ce M an ag em en t Sy st em Em er ge nc y M an ag em en t/ Pu bl ic S af et y Sy st em Fl ee t a nd F re ig ht M an ag em en tS ys te m Tr av el er In fo rm at io n Sy st em O th er J ur is di ct io n TM S W ea th er S er vi ce S ys te m Ev en t P ro m ot er s Th ird -P ar ty Se rv ic e Pr ov id er s C om m er ci al V eh ic le Pu bl ic S af et y Ve hi cl e M ai nt en an ce a nd C on st ru ct io n Ve hi cl e B as ic P as se ng er V eh ic le IT S R oa dw ay E qu ip m en t R ur al A ge nc y Pe rs on ne l 911 Dispatchers Adjacent State DOT City DOT Commercial Vehicle/ Fleet Operators Police: State and Local Event Promoters Fire and Rescue General Public Snow plow Operators State DOT: Operations State DOT: Maintenance (Dispatch, Supervisors and Field Staff) Third-Party Service Providers (e.g., Waz e, I NRI X ) Weather Provider (e.g., NWS) Table 1. Trace of current system stakeholders to actors.
Current System or Situation 35  developers, and system integrators) that may interact with the current system. Examples of support environments include but are not limited to the following: ⢠Communications network infrastructure run by the state: â Fiber optic networks â Wide-area networks (WAN) â Wireless backhaul networks (e.g., microwave, cellular) ⢠State power infrastructure. For rural corridors, ITS equipment may have to rely on solar power or alternative power sources. ⢠Stateâs Enterprise Technology Services â Local state computer workstations and laptops â State servers and/or data centers that store data or host applications ⢠State infrastructure systems monitor the health of roadside ITS, power systems, communi- cation devices, and network equipment that may include special systems such a geographic information systems (GISs) for mapping. ⢠Maintenance facilities and personnel â Communications and Enterprise Technology Services Maintenance â Power/Electrical Maintenance â Fleet services 3.5 Modes of Operation for Current System is section details the di erent modes in which an agency operates under the current system. ese modes could encompass several operational/management cases under normal or adverse conditions. Table 2 provides examples of these modes of operation. 3.6 Operational Policies and Constraints capabilities may impact overall mobility through the netw ork . Mode 3 : Failure I ndicates a complete failure of systems and eq uipment. This primarily occurs because of loss of pow er or system-w ide malfunctions. Remediation strategies could include reverting to manual oversight of the netw ork (e.g., using traffic officers to manage intersections). During this mode, safety and mobility could be significantly and negatively affected. Mode Definition Mode 1: Normal Operating Conditions I ndicates that all k ey systems and eq uipment are operating correctly. Some secondary systems and eq uipment may be partially or non-operational due to failure or scheduled maintenance; how ever, overall operations and management of the netw ork are not significantly impacted, and remediation actions are already in place (e.g., maintenance personnel w ere notified) . Mode 2 : Degraded A subset of k ey systems and eq uipment is not functioning correctly, significantly impacting operational and management strategies. This situation could be due to eq uipment malfunction, prolonged loss of pow er or communication, and ex tended maintenance periods. While this mode does not typically result in a safety issue, diminished management and operations Table 2. Modes of operation for the current system. Note to reader: Operational policies and constraints common to many current rural systems or situations are listed in this section. They are listed as a starting point and should be tailored to the deployerâs unique operational environment.
36 Initiating the Systems Engineering Process for Rural Connected Vehicle Corridors Operational policies are predetermined management decisions regarding the operations of the current system that a typical rural agency may encounter. Operational constraints relate to the factors that limit (or could limit) current and future operations. Examples of operational constraints might include the following: ⢠Hours of operation of the system or staff ⢠Restrictive IT-related policies that must be followed ⢠Manpower/staff (quantity and capabilities) ⢠Budget/financial limitations or strict investment protocols ⢠Policies regarding the responsibilities of the deploying agencyâs divisions that play a role in supporting connected vehicle equipment ⢠Service-level agreements (SLAs) with other operational divisions within the agency plus any SLAs with contractors or other non-agency entities ⢠Vehicle type (e.g., passenger, truck, motorcycle), cyclist, pedestrian, and time restrictions on parkways, scenic byways, and corridors
