2002-2009

Perhaps the most significant challenge in using existing transportation infrastructure effectively is the lack of up to date road condition information for the broader roadway network.  In large urban centers, dedicated traffic sensors and cameras are deployed on major freeways (e.g. COMPASS and RESCU systems in the Toronto area) enabling traffic managers to obtain information on road conditions in near real-time.  But little real-time information is currently available for other roadways, least of all in remote areas.

Installing cameras on a network scale would incur prohibitive levels of costs for power and communication lines, and so more creative solutions are called for.  This project proposes a demonstration of innovative technology, to deploy a low-cost Satellite IP Camera (SIPC) Pilot Project, incorporating video capture, solar power and internet communications, thereby removing the need for expensive power and communications infrastructure costs.

Further economies will be realized because the particular communications technology incorporates a user-adjustable bandwidth capability.  In practice, this means that the number of video frames transmitted can range from low levels, like one every one to five minutes when traffic is light or normal, to 20 frames per second or higher during heavier or unusual traffic activity. 

This technology also affords flexibility inherent in quick set-up times.   

The project will incorporate two cameras.  One will be mounted at the Highway 400- Highway 9 interchange. The purpose of the second camera is to demonstrate sharing of communications bandwidth, and will not necessarily be installed in a remote location.  The video quality will be 640×480 pixel resolution. The project duration is 9 months, and the total estimated cost of this project is $80,000 including a $5,000 provision for contingencies.

Project Activities

The overall goal of the project is to deploy a SIPC pilot installation on an Ontario highway in a remote area within a three month time frame.  The purpose is to demonstrate the ITS application using low-cost satellite communication and renewable solar power to capture real-time video data of interest to both traffic managers and interested parties.

If this technology and the pilot are acceptable to operating agencies, it will constitute a breakthrough of ITS implementation in several ways.  It will demonstrate fast, flexible and a low-cost comprehensive ITS deployment.  It is technically feasible to add video incident detection, vehicle detector and on-site variable message signs to the system configuration, together constituting FAST, LIGHT and LOW-COST Advanced Traffic Management System deployment anywhere on the transportation network. These advanced features are technically feasible, but are not in the scope of the current project. 

Deliverables

• A Detailed Work Plan.  Within 4 weeks of the start of the project a detailed work plan will be developed.  A number of stakeholders will work with the guidelines provided by the System Integrator to develop this coordinated plan.
• The pilot site is expected to be in place 3 months after the start of the project, and will then be in operation and maintained for a period of 6 months, to give traffic managers and interested parties a chance to get accustomed to, and evaluate the results of the pilot project.
• A Final Report outlining what was done, results and recommendations for future work, prepared by MTO and System Integrator.

The initial purpose of this project was to establish the extent to which Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies are being used to support mass evacuation
procedures at a statewide level. Information was gathered to assess the potential
difficulties of installing new systems and their associated coordination. Subsequently,
lists of actions and so-called “next steps” were created so that individual state
Departments of Transportation (DOTs) could take to further mobilize ITS resources
during mass evacuations and other emergencies.

The final report was intended to serve as a resource for DOTs in the following manner:

• To view a glimpse of how other states use ITS to manage Mass Evacuations;
• To garner ideas that they can then discuss with there states’ Emergency
  Management groups;
• To serve as a resource, should the individual ENTERPRISE states embark on
  future efforts to implement ITS for support of evacuations.

The SDOs have shown a high level of interest in the ENTERPRISE ITIS message set as they developed standardized traveler and traffic messages. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) considered it for inclusion in the standards they are developing. How they use and develop the message set may impact several projects ongoing in ENTERPRISE states, including CARS, Foretell and AZTech. It was critical for ENTERPRISE to insure that the SDOs understood the messages, their purpose and intended use. Also, it was important for ENTERPRISE to insure that the SDOs understood why ENTERPRISES developed the messages and how ENTERPRISE states are currently using the set. It is in the interest of ENTERPRISE to participate in the standards development process and insure that the SDOs use the messages in a way that is consistent with its original ITIS goals and objectives.

During this project, ENTERPRISE also reviewed the standards development process, and strengthened it by expressing the needs of its members. ITIS-Eye reviewed standards proposed by the SDOs. The review focused on message sets, with an emphasis on insuring all needed messages were included.

This project served as a means for ENTERPRISE to have a direct voice in the SDO processes, particularly with respect to the ITIS message set. It provided ENTERPRISE-directed support to SDOs as they integrated the message set into their standards. The support helped the SDO understand the structure and format of the message sets, and encouraged their adoption in a way that is compatible with its current uses.

ENTERPRISE was also represented at SDO committee meetings. A representative attended meetings and provided feedback to the Board. The representative followed the direction of the Board in its participation in the SDO committees. This representation helped to insure that the intent and purpose of the ITIS message list was achieved as it was integrated into the national ITS standards.

Project Activities

The goal of ITIS-Eye was accomplished through five tasks. These tasks include coordination, meeting attendance, document development and review.

Task 1. Coordination with ENTERPRISE Members
The consultant coordinated with ENTERPRISE members throughout the project and assisted in the coordination of efforts with both the Traffic Management Data Dictionary (TMDD) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) SDOs. Throughout the project, the consultant developed technical memorandums that will inform ENTERPRISE of the status of the standards and any expected opportunities and issues related to their development. There was be no less than one technical memorandum delivered to ENTERPRISE after each TMDD and SAE ATIS meeting or major milestone of the monitored standards.

Task 2. SAE ATIS Committee Participation
The consultant provided support to ENTERPRISE members who are members of SDO committees, specifically Stephen Erwin (MTO) and Tim Wolfe’s (ADOT) role with the SAE ATIS committee.

In the support role, the consultant reviewed documents that were produced by the committee and provided comments to the involved ENTERPRISE members. Upon request, the consultant worked with ENTERPRISE to write response papers. These responses have represented the ENTERPRISE position on the issues and may have been submitted by the Board to the SDOs. The decision ton submittal of papers will be at the discretion of the Board.

Task 3. Support RDS Phrases and Data Elements activities
The consultant provided technical expertise and support for the RDS work that ENTERPRISE members were involved in. This support included helping in the development of RDS phrase and data element work.

The support efforts were at the direction of the ENTERPRISE members and included committee document review and developing response papers that represent the ENTERPRISE position.

Task 4. TMDD Committee
The consultant supported ENTERPRISE members during the TMDD Standards Development process. Specifically, the consultant supported Iowa DOT’s activities with the TMDD committee. This support included support at meetings, review of documents developed by the TMDD committee, and developing response papers that represent the ENTERPRISE position.

In addition, the consultant provided support for the further enhancement and development of the Emergency Response Message (ERM) through the committee. To do this, the consultant enlisted members of the emergency response community to provide feedback on the existing and proposed ERM. This feedback was reported to the TMDD committee for consideration.

As the ERM list was developed, the consultant worked with ENTERPRISE to insure that it is coordinated with the larger TMDD. This “harmonization” required the consultant to insure that potential conflicts between message lists are resolved and that one complete list was developed from the TMDD and ERM.

Task 5. ITIS List Standardization
ENTERPRISE took an active role in coordinating the ERM. The ENTERPRISE role was to promote them and insure they were integrated into the TMDD. In order to do this, the consultant used the ERM as the basis for the ITIS Standardized list. The consultant also investigated the need for emergency transit messages which were incorporated into the ERM. The work on the ERM and the potential addition of transit phrases was done in coordination with SAE and TMDD.

Deliverables

• Minute meetings from any SDO meetings at which ENTERPRISE is represented.
• Papers reviewing the SDO documents, including ENTERPRISE responses, and minutes from any relevant SDO meetings or ENTERPRISE conference calls.
• Reviews of documents developed by the TMDD committee, including a response that represents ENTERPRISE’s position, minutes from any meetings or conference calls. An expanded list of ERM messages to be considered for inclusion in the TMDD.
• A complete ERM coordinated with the ITIS list. New and revised terms will be highlighted and presented to the ENTERPRISE Board.

The National ITS Architecture project performed three tasks over the scheduled year. The first task was to coordinate and plan an ITS Architecture Workgroup session. The second task was to provide support to the group during the meeting. The final task was to create a final report for the project, based on the findings of the meeting and correspondence with external groups such as the Federal Highways Administration.

Project Activities

The three tasks required to complete this project will include the following:

Task 1 ITS Architecture Project Conference Call
In Task 1, the Kansas Project Manager (with assistance from the Castle Rock Consultants) will organize and facilitate a conference call intended to introduce the project to ENTERPRISE Board members as well as other representatives from within the ENTERPRISE member states. The intent of the conference call will be to establish the focus of the group around ITS architecture and standards, and to understand the issues and questions that each member state has on the topic.

The results of the conference call will be summarized in a brief technical memorandum, as well as assembled to serve as the basis for building the agenda for the in-person meeting planned for the Spring 2005.

Deliverables:
• Conference call
• Summary of conference call and topic points for in-person meeting

Task 2 Support and Facilitate the Workgroup Session
Following the conference call, a working session will be held in association with the Spring ENTERPRISE meeting in Kansas City to bring together interested parties who have a good understanding of their state’s ITS architecture and/or use of standards. As such, attendees may not necessarily be the ENTERPRISE Board representative, but may be the state’s ITS Architecture representative and/or someone familiar with the use of ITS standards within the state.

In preparation for the meeting, Castle Rock will prepare a “Talking Points” document, outlining the agenda and discussion goals for the group to address. These could include: –

• Understanding the specific details of the Federal Highway Administration’s requirements for state compliancy.
• Suggesting how Architecture can be best used by each state.
• Establishing the benefits to a state of complying to relevant standards.
• Reviewing what ITS standards are available and the status of ongoing developments and updates to such standards.
• Finding out what benefits states feel they receive from their Architecture plan
• Establishing how Architecture plans should be modified over time, with technological and other developments.
• Discussions of standards migration plans that are either in-use or planned for various states.

The two key topics of the meeting will be as follows:
– To allow facilitated discussions among ENTERPRISE member states to share lessons learned and successes with the ITS architecture and ITS Standards; and
– To encourage participation and feedback from FHWA and/or the members of the ITS Architecture team and to the National ITS standards development efforts, to the extent possible.

Deliverables:
• facilitated in-person meeting

Task 3 Project Final Report
A report will be complied, similar to previous projects from Enterprise. This will outline the findings of the group discussion, as well as any research carried out, and any follow up questions and answers from FHWA representatives. The report will then be presented to Enterprise members.

The primary benefit of the project is expected to come from the architecture representatives in each state participating in focused discussions on the use, upkeep, and compliance of ITS architectures. Similarly, the final report will document the discussion on ITS standards use and migration towards use, as well as the benefits (and drawbacks) of standards use.

Conventional FM radio broadcasts used analog signals to reach receivers. The FCC had approved a new system which allowed radio stations to broadcast using digital signals that seamlessly integrated with the existing broadcasting spectrum and infrastructure. This became known as “HD” (High Definition) Radio because of its near-CD quality audio that was broadcast in 5.1 channels. Other benefits included the ability to transmit subcarrier data, reduced fading and multipath effects, enhanced immunity to weather, noise, and other interference, and expansion of the listener base by increasing the number of stations that could broadcast within a given frequency band. Digital radio broadcasts in the US and Europe were currently offered without subscription charges, which was likely to open the market to a greater audience than that of XM and Sirius. In fact, some views were that HD Radio would replace the market created by satellite radio, bringing high quality radio broadcasts to an architecture based an local transmitting towers.

In order to transition to HD Radio, broadcasters simply added new digital transmission equipment, while consumers transitioned to digital through the use of newly-introduced HD Radio receivers. Since 1995, the United Kingdom and other European countries have operated digitally broadcasting radio stations, which led to the development of a wide range of digital radio receivers for both vehicle and home/office use. These included a digital display, capable of presenting the user with up-to-the-minute news, sports, and weather headlines or bulletins in a scrolled text format. Currently 723 stations in the US were digitally broadcasting, including 12 in Iowa , 35 in Minnesota , 18 in Washington , and 31 in Michigan .

The Vision:

Digital radio offered similar data transfers to that of Satellite Radio, with the added benefit of localization and free service to end users. Large amounts of custom traffic information could be sent to vehicles from the nearby station, without being broadcast nationwide. This data could come directly from the state’s automated Condition Reporting System.

In its early stages, in-vehicle digital radio receivers presented information on the radio display (similar to how some radios now display the title and artist’s name of the current song). In the future, it was possible that data could be extracted from digital radio broadcasts by in-car navigation systems to provide a more interactive experience, including up-to-date maps of traffic information ranging from incidents to tourist events.

Project Summary

Research was carried out into digital radio and its potential applications towards traveler information dissemination. This included researching and understanding the bandwidth available, amount of data lost, distance of broadcast, potential for interference, and cost of commercial digital broadcasting equipment. Secondly, the study examined the extent of consumer radios currently available with the capability of receiving digital signals, established their prices and any compatibility problems. The displays were researched to find standards for the number of available pixels, characters, and lines. This allowed for the final part of the study – research into a potential partnering radio station in an ENTERPRISE member state that may have agreed to be part of a trial deployment as a later project.

Project Activities

The work to be completed as part of this project is as follows:

Task 1: Understanding Digital Radio

Efforts in Task 1 researched digital radio to establish its suitability for disseminating traveler information. This included examining the digital system and all of its required components. Efforts in Task 1 also researched the market for HD radio receivers to understand the anticipated penetration of such receivers in American vehicles over coming years, and to understand the capability for traffic reports to be displayed on standard HD radio receivers.

Task 2: Identifying a Partner for a Trial Deployment

Efforts in Task 2 took the findings of Task 1 and worked in an ENTERPRISE member state to educate and build a relationship with a radio station that may have agreed to serve as a partnering agency in a later field trial. Candidate radio stations were either current HD radio broadcast stations, or stations that may convert to HD broadcasts. Public owned radio stations (ie. KBEM in Minnesota) were candidate stations, as well as more traditional private stations. Efforts in this task supported outreach, education and partnership building with candidate radio stations, and also gave ENTERPRISE members insight into the willingness of radio stations to work with State DOTs to eventually broadcast travel information

Task 3: Final Report

Using the findings from Tasks 1 and 2, a report was created outlining potential applications for digital radio for traveler information dissemination. This included its advantages and disadvantages when compared to existing systems, and the feasibility for traveler information, considering both technical issues as well as the radio stations’ willingness to collaborate with State DOTs. The Final Report also outlined a potential Phase 2 project to serve as a field trial of HD radio in one or more ENTERPRISE member states.

This project looked at the concept of Intelligent or Thinking Highways using miniature, low cost and maintenance free sensors in the road surface. The aim of the project was to review and research the implications of such a new state-of-the-art data collection system for effective operational traffic management only and to perform a technological feasibility study. This was done by looking at two topics,namely applications and technology.