1995-2002

As wireless telecommunications expand their coverage and functionality, their role in transportation has become increasingly prevalent. In some instances, public agencies are installing towers for their own communications needs; in other instances, they are partnering with the private sector. Partnering can benefit transportation agencies and the public by:

• Increasing agency revenue for ITS procurement and other transportation needs;
• Supporting ITS deployment;
• Improving telecommunications coverage for the traveling public; and
• Enhancing rapid emergency/incident detection and response.

Regardless of whether wireless telecommunications infrastructure is developed along highway right-of-ways by the private sector through a shared resources arrangement or by the public sector for its own communication needs, there are numerous issues that needed to be considered and addressed to ensure the appropriate siting of wireless infrastructure. The reference guide that results from this research effort summarizes the important information in a practical, easy-to-use format.

This project allowed decision-makers to effectively address wireless tower siting issues, including:

• Safety
• Zoning
• Collocation
• Aesthetics
• Jurisdiction
• Coordination
• Tower/site dimensions
• Maintenance
• Ownership
• Interference
• Lighting
• RF emissions
• Access
• Liability
• Legislation

Project Duration: 1997 – 1999

The integration of weather information collection and dissemination facilities, based on open, non-proprietary communications standards, was a logical step towards deployment of better systems for cost-effective highway maintenance and improved traveler information.

This project developed common specifications and promoted practical solutions for integrating weather information from Road and Weather Information Stations (RWIS) monitors, aviation weather sensors and other available sources. Standard formats are utilized for information exchange, making information available to users via existing and emerging traveler information systems. The objectives of the project helped to address and resolve institutional issues which constitute barriers to the creation of the necessary public-public and public-private partnerships.

Specifically, the results of WRIC were as follows:

• Organized, support and follow-up on a user needs and partnering workshop which provided input to all the ENTERPRISE states’ programs;
• Coordinated with and built on related work in other states;
• Examined the quantity and quality of weather information provided by R/WIS and aviation weather systems, either installed or scheduled to be throughout Iowa, Colorado and Arizona;
• Assessed the transferability of data produced by these systems to highway maintenance and traveler information applications;
• Reviewed institutional issues among public and private agencies regarding the operation and dissemination of data from these systems;
• Worked with participating states in resolving issues and moving forward with compatible, integrated solutions; and
• Contributed to and supported the development and acceptance of protocol(s) for transmitting weather information between sensors and data fusion points, and between multiple collection and dissemination centers.

The WRIC project supported the state of Minnesota’s needs for procuring R/WIS vendors. In addition, standards development agencies were invited to participate, and the results were fed to the standards agencies actively working on standards development.

Project Duration: 1995-1996

Preventing dust storms through environmental control strategies is a long-term solution that is not easy to implement. A more deployable safety measure is warning drivers in advance of a reduced visibility area. Traditional visibility warning systems that have been deployed to date are point sensors that must be very numerous and placed in precise
locations to be effective. The ENTERPRISE Visibility Warning project helped to develop technology that addresses the problem at a much lower cost.

This project received ITS IDEA funding. The funds were used to develop the sensor technology that is the basis for a visibility monitoring system. Arizona conducted the project, with ENTERPRISE providing support and technical expertise as needed.

The following tasks helped make the project a success:

• Identified and evaluated current approaches and technologies for providing 511
  traveler information to rural areas;
• Identified the most cost effective approaches to maximize use of available funding; and
• Addressed organizational issues, business models, and institutional barriers and
  developed standards common to all states.

This project facilitated the development of an ENTERPRISE project titled Dynamic Messaging for Low Visibility Events.

Project Duration: 1999-2000

As Freeway work-zones become more and more dangerous for roadway construction crews, new ways are needed to keep the speed of traffic in the work-zones below the posted maximum. The Dutch Ministry of Transportation (Rijkswaterstaat), along with Pulnix, are evaluating the effectiveness of utilizing video imaging as a method for measuring vehicle travel time, calculating travel speed and automatically reading license plates of offenders.

The effort validates a video imaging system in the real-world environment at various locations. It is important that testing occurs both in Europe and in North America to ensure the concept’s validity. The system utilizes license plate recognition, without actual reading, for tracking vehicles and then measures travel times between sequential locations at various test sites. From travel time values average speed values can be calculated. This gives a speed of travel over the whole work-zone section and not just a spot speed. The system can read the license plate of offenders. On site citing by police
officers is possible. As an alternative, the information can be processed off line and ticketing can be handled fully automatically. The accuracy of the system was tested and approved by the Dutch counterpart of the Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Testing occurred in both Rijkswaterstaat and within Iowa. The results were positive and further implementations are planned.

Project Duration: 1995-2001

Automatic vehicle identification (AVI) systems are becoming increasingly popular. Example applications include electronic toll collection and automatic vehicle location. AVI data is viewed as a potential source of traffic surveillance for emerging Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS). AVI systems can relay information about conditions of the traffic stream in real-time. Recent reports on the effectiveness of several AVI systems for incident detection have been very encouraging. This is particularly important as incidents cause over 65% of the total traffic congestion in urban areas. It is possible that through the use of AVI equipment, a vehicle probe system may prove to be more cost effective than other types of surveillance systems in collecting information to support ATMS projects

This project examined the percentage of probe vehicles required to provide data which are representative of general roadway conditions. As part of the investigation, a detailed benefit/cost analysis was conducted to evaluate the cost effectiveness of this approach relative to alternative surveillance systems.

The objective of this project was to devise a new more cost-effective way to perform freeway and arterial surveillance including lane occupancies, route speeds and possibly incident detection by using traffic probes. Specific goals of the project were to determine the minimum sample size of vehicle probes necessary for reliable traffic data and to evaluate the cost effectiveness of this approach.

It is important to note that this project did not seek to develop or evaluate AVI systems.

Project Duration: 1995-1996

The VRC (Vehicle to Roadside Communications also referred to as Dedicated Short Range Communications or DSRC) Application Identifier Protocol project reviewed current and planned North American and European developments and projects involving multiple applications of VRC equipment. The project was accomplished under the guidance of a project steering committee and resulted in a comprehensive list of VRC application identifiers.

The objective of this project was to gain a broad understanding of current VRC application communications protocols and identifier methods in North America and Europe with the ultimate goal of standardization.