Welcome to Florida’s Scenic Highways.

Florida Department of Transportation
State Traffic Engineering and Operations Office
605 Suwannee Street,
MS 36
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450
Phone (850) 410-5600
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The
SunGuide Disseminator is a publication of:
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Traffic
Engineering and Operations Office 605 Suwannee Street, M.S. 36
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450 (850)
410-5600 www.dot.state.fl.us.com |
October
2007
Edition

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With
Respect...
Notes
from the District 2 ITS Engineer
It is with a somber note that this month’s newsletter begins with
notice on the loss of Mrs. Anne Brewer this past August. Anne worked in
the District 5 ITS office and I personally feel she played a major role in
putting Florida’s ITS Program at the nation’s forefront. Anne was an
extremely dedicated employee to the FDOT who had overwhelming energy and a
desire to make District 5’s ITS program not only the best in the state,
but the best in the country.
Many of you may not realize
that it was Anne who coordinated the push for Central Florida’s attempt at
gaining the iFlorida grant. When I spoke with her prior to the submittal I
quickly realized that their endeavor would be a winner, especially with
Anne’s steadfast involvement in coordinating a large number of private and
public partners.
I could go on and on about
Anne’s accomplishments; however that is not my intent. I want to address
the personal side of this FDOT employee who gave her all while working for
the state of Florida. You see, Anne not only was a spitfire of an
employee, but also a dedicated wife and mother of two sons. When we had
time to speak, she always reflected on how proud she was of her family and
the patience they had shown while she took on the challenge of guiding the
iFlorida effort through all of its arduous tasks.
Dr. Charles Wallace,
Telvent-Faradyne, always mentions that a better determination on the
success of an ITS program is not in the amount of devices deployed but
instead on the number of institutional relationships development (i.e. the
people). In my eyes, there was no one better than Anne at accomplishing
this task and it was displayed during her effort to put the iFlorida
package together. You see, she had to organize partnerships from Kissimmee
to Daytona to Cocoa Beach, with over 20 partners involved in the effort.
Now this is what I call developing institutional relationships and it was
due to the personal side of Anne!
I will not go into detail on
the affliction that took Anne’s life; however, through all of her
struggles she always mentioned family and friends that helped her cope
with the treatment. When I reflect back on our conversations, it always
began with business and evolved into discussions about our families. She
was proud of what they had achieved as a family unit and looked forward to
the day when her ailment would be gone so she could enjoy the most
essential aspect of her life—her husband and children.
Although Anne Brewer is no
longer with us, she will always be remembered as a pioneer of Florida’s
ITS program. At one point during my initial months with the ITS program I
began questioning the decision to change career paths. This topic arose
during conversation with Anne and she convinced me otherwise. Her
enthusiastic explanation on the ITS program and the gratifying challenges
it would present convinced me that I had made the correct choice. She told
me about her initial fears of the unknown when she began with the program
and how she overcame them by diving “head-first” into the work. That is
the type of attitude I carry with me to this day and it has served me well
during my greatest challenges.
In conclusion, Anne Brewer
will be painfully missed, but not forgotten, by her many friends and
peers. I hope and pray that she is at peace right now and her family can
overcome this tragic loss. As dramatic as her loss is to many of us, it is
a reminder of how precious life can be, and how we should never take
anything for granted.
This
article was provided by Peter Vega, FDOT District 2. For more information,
please contact Mr. Vega at (904) 360-5463 or email Peter.Vega@dot.state.fl.us.
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TERL Prepares to Test New
SunGuide™ Software Release
As the SunGuide™ Software
Version 3.0 release draws closer, the Traffic Engineering Research Lab
(TERL) is making final preparations to host software testing activities
that are part of the FDOT SunGuide Software project teams’ independent
verification and validation (IV&V). This upcoming IV&V will verify
the proper operation of the new features and subsystems being introduced
into SunGuide as well as exercise its existing features. Following the
renovation of the TERL in 2006, the lab has continuously increased its
capability to operate and evaluate ITS field devices and central control
software.
To host the IV&V, the
project team decided to configure the existing servers, workstations, ITS
field devices, and other equipment at the TERL as though they were part of
a District 3 regional traffic management center (RTMC) located in the
Tallahassee area. Using a combination of real hardware and simulators, a
simulated SunGuide deployment was constructed and configured at the TERL
that provides a glimpse at what a future ITS deployment might look like
along Interstate 10 (I-10) in Leon County. Staff from the TERL, along with
the SunGuide project team, performed field surveys and collected global
positioning system coordinates along I-10 to use for the TERL SunGuide
Software test bed system configuration. The SunGuide operator map at TERL
now includes nine dynamic message signs (DMSs), eight variable speed limit
signs, 14 detector stations, closed-circuit television cameras, a ramp
meter system, and a road weather information system as well as other
components that can be found in Florida’s real RTMCs.


Using these devices, the SunGuide Software at TERL
generates travel time messages and automatically posts them on a simulated
DMS attached to the TERL test bed network. Simulated detector data can be
adjusted in order to impact travel time results and other calculations
within SunGuide. The TERL, in general, should provide an excellent host
environment for determining how smooth a transition should be when
deploying the software into operating RTMCs throughout the
state.
This
article was provided by Ron Meyer, PBS&J. For more information, please
contact Mr. Meyer at (850) 410-5612 or email Ronald.Meyer@dot.state.fl.us.
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Implementation of a
Probe-based Data Collection Test
A lot of discussion has been
conducted over the past few years about probe-based data collection.
Cellular phone use, and other technologies that do not require
infrastructure deployment to gather travel time data, is a concept that
has always been intriguing to the FDOT and other agencies tasked with
operating our roadways.
Traffic data collection has
traditionally been accomplished by public agencies through sensor
infrastructure deployment within the facility’s rights-of-way. The
infrastructure consists of the various non-intrusive sensors that are on
the market today as well as loop detectors imbedded in the roadway
pavement. However, as congestion increases and technology and
communications advance, the private sector is beginning to see a role they
can play in collecting traffic data. In fact, some of the more innovative
data collection opportunities may be better suited to the private sector.
If these innovative data collection opportunities provide good usable
information regarding travel conditions, the FDOT could make use of that
data to supplement traditional collection efforts.
One of the more intriguing and innovative data collection
concepts utilizes cellular phones to capture travel times. As cellular
phone customers travel along roadway networks, their connection is handed
off from tower to tower. At these handoffs, the location of the customer
is pretty well known. Data providers can utilize this information, and
through their proprietary software, estimate the speed at which the phone
is moving. These data providers can then assign those phones that have
been determined to be in vehicles to a specific roadway and calculate
speed and travel times along that roadway.
A number of states have
already deployed cellular phone-based data collection efforts in either a
test mode or through contract with these data providers for a more
permanent installation. Initially, the feedback from some of the earlier
deployments was mixed. There have been questions about the accuracy of
this technology in the past and several test applications have pointed out
deficiencies in this technology. However, companies have worked hard to
improve the accuracy of the data provided through cellular phone
tracking.
Because of the potential
that probe-based data collection technologies have for filling in data
gaps on our roadway system and due to recent improvements in this
technology, the FDOT has opted to develop a test project to assess the
accuracy of probe-based data collection technologies first hand. The test
will be accomplished through an invitation to negotiate (ITN) with the
primary test facility being I-10 in the Florida Panhandle. This test will
also include a limited number of miles of arterials in the Tallahassee
area to provide an assessment of how these technologies work with
stop-and-go traffic and when motorists have many opportunities to
interrupt their trips for an extended period of time (e.g. stop for fuel,
food, etc.).
These arterial facilities
include:
- Thomasville Road from
downtown Tallahassee to the Georgia state line (18 miles),
- Monroe Street from
downtown Tallahassee to the Georgia state line (21 miles), and
- Capital Circle from
Thomasville Road to the Tallahassee Airport entrance (14 miles).
This will make for a diverse
test of these technologies. The purpose of the probe-based data collection
concept test is to provide validation testing of the data quality
attributes (e.g. accuracy, reliability, and timeliness) of travel
time/speed data.
A provider will be selected
through this ITN, to assess two different technologies. We anticipate that
two providers will be selected—one for each of the different technologies.
However, the ITN does not exclude one provider from supplying both
technologies. The two technologies that FDOT would like to assess are the
cellular phone-based and the global positioning system-based
technologies.
The project will be deployed
in phases, with the first phase of 120 days, devoted to activities
necessary to initiate the probe-based data collection system provision.
The second phase is the actual data collection phase which will last for
90 days. Traffic data will be provided for 24-hours per day, 7-days per
week. Phase three will be for report development for the FDOT to detail
test results concerning the accuracy, reliability, and latency of data
provided by the each technology. The contract(s) will last for a maximum
of 240 calendar days.
The ITN technical document
is complete and the FDOT anticipates beginning the selection process with
an advertisement coming out in early October. Interested vendors should
monitor the FDOT’s Vendor Bid System (VBS) for the advertisement and scope
of services at http://vbs.dms.state.fl.us/vbs/main_menu.
This
article was provided by Gene Glotzbach, FDOT Traffic Engineering and
Operations. For more information, please contact Mr. Gene Glotzbach at
(850) 410-5616 or email Gene.Glotzbach@dot.state.fl.us.
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Clarus—A Nationwide Surface Transportation Weather
Observing and Forecasting System
Adverse weather affects road
safety, mobility, and the productivity of transportation agencies. Clarus,
which is Latin for clear, is an ITS initiative to improve transportation
safety and operations in adverse weather conditions. This is done by
improving the quality as well as availability, accuracy, and timeliness of
road weather information given to travelers and operators. To accomplish
this nationwide, an integrated road weather observational network and data
management system is required to mitigate the effects of adverse weather
on all surface transportation users and operators, by providing timely and
accurate weather information.
To date, efforts by the US
Department of Transportation to deploy road weather information systems
(RWIS), and the environmental sensor stations (ESS) that feed the road and
weather observations into this system, have proven effective. More than
2,100 ESSs are currently in use throughout the United States. However,
these systems do not provide full-scale data sharing, thus limiting their
functionality. A focused, national effort is underway to build a
nationwide, integrated road weather observational network. To accomplish
this task, the following initiatives are needed:
- Assimilating road weather
observations on a national level starting with existing networks, such
as fixed sensors along roadways installed by state and/or local
DOTs.
- Developing partnerships
across the surface transportation and weather communities, such as
Federal Aviation Authority and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).
- Establishing partnerships
across the public and private sectors to build upon each sector’s
strengths; developing “anytime, anywhere road weather
information.”
The Clarus system design and
software development is complete. Three proof-of-concepts demonstrations
were also completed last year by the state DOTs of Utah, Minnesota, and
Alaska. All three states are currently providing data from their RWIS to
the Clarus system. The Clarus system assimilates data from various
sources, including state DOT RWIS; highway maintenance and operations
activities; traffic control and management; and other transportation
applications that help reduce delays, crashes, and other incidents on the
roads. The Clarus system quality checks the data and disseminates it to
feed into advanced traveler information and warning systems.
On September 18–21, 2007,
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) hosted the fifth Clarus
Initiative Coordinating Committee meeting in concert with NOAA at the
National Weather Service Training Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Over
100 stakeholders participated in the meetings with representatives from 31
states, 6 countries, and 32 different corporations and universities. State
DOTs realize a number of important benefits associated with participation
in this initiative. Clarus enables easy RWIS monitoring for early
detection of issues and optimizes network performance through the system’s
quality checking services. Additionally, Clarus provides access to road
weather observations from the entire network using the Clarus system.
Clarus initiative participants also benefit from the new tools,
techniques, and improved forecasts enabled through the Clarus system.
While it is true that the
majority of the participating states are located within the “ice belt,”
which benefits greatly from the Clarus initiative, having the system in
Florida could provide valuable information on wind-speeds and/or rainfall
resulting in limited visibility.
This
article was provided by Randy Pierce, FDOT Traffic Engineering and
Operations. For more information, please contact Mr. Pierce at (850)
410-5608 or email Randy.Pierce@dot.state.fl.us.
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Inside the TERL
The FDOT has a goal
of assuring that only a safe and uniform ITS and traffic control system is
implemented in the state of Florida. The Traffic Engineering Research Lab
(TERL) plays a part in obtaining this goal by satisfying Florida Statute
316.0745 - Uniform Signals & Devices. This article provides a monthly
look Inside the TERL at activities that help accomplish our
goal.
Product
Evaluation There are
currently 56 requests for devices to be added to the Approved Product List
(APL). At this time, 25 of these requests are in the device evaluation
stage. The remaining requests are in the manufacturing process
qualification stage. In some cases, the requests have failed the
evaluation process and have not provided the necessary resolution to move
forward.
Traffic control signal and
signal devices are evaluated against the FDOT’s Minimum Specifications
for Traffic Control Signal Devices. Approved devices can be viewed on
the FDOT Web site at www3.dot.state.fl.us/trafficcontrolproducts/.
ITS devices are evaluated
against the recently published ITS Specifications (Section 780 – 786).
Approved ITS devices can be viewed at www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/Traf_Sys/ITS%20APL/TemporaryITSAPL.shtm.
District personnel may
request additional ITS devices for listing on the ITS APL as described by
information located at this link.
Product
Specifications Specifications for a generator panel and
uninterruptible power supply for traffic cabinets are near completion.
These specifications will provide for easy and continued operation of
signalized intersections during a storm or other condition that would
cause power loss.
Updates to the FDOT
specifications for light emitting diode (LED) internally illuminated
signs, LED signals, and changeable message signs are planned for the
future as well as the following new specifications: dynamic message signs
(DMS) for arterials and tolls; master hub cabinet; core switch/hub switch
for ITS cabinets; in-pavement crosswalk lights; 24/7 flashing beacon;
countdown pedestrian signal; and trailer-mounted camera/detector
system.
Quality
Assurance Out of a total of 116 manufacturers that have
submitted material for the FDOT APL vendor quality assurance evaluation,
71 have successfully completed the evaluation and have been added to the
qualified list at www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/apl_vendor_qualification.shtm.
Seven DMS manufacturers have
also completed the qualification evaluation (along with other testing
requirements) and have been listed as qualified at www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/fdot_dms_info.shtm.
The vendor quality assurance
evaluation was included as part of the device approval process in 2002 and
has proved to be a very successful program. Feedback from end-users has
been positive and, since all APL manufacturers are required to have a
minimum quality system in place to stay on the APL, the quality of
transportation devices has improved. In fact, many manufacturers who first
saw the added requirement as just another hurdle to jump without any real
benefit, have since told TERL staff that the additional quality assurance
requirement has forced them to become better, more efficient, and
competitive manufacturers.
A list of manufacturers who
have passed the FDOT’s quality assurance evaluation can be viewed at www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/apl_vendor_qualification.shtm.
For Your
Information Is
there a process to get non-standard transportation devices approved and
listed on the APL? The answer is yes. Florida law
allows the FDOT to “permit traffic control devices not in conformity with
the uniform system upon showing of good cause.”
Normally, for a product to
be evaluated for listing on the APL, the device must be in conformance
with the statewide uniform system; and there must be an FDOT specification
for the device. When a device is submitted that does not conform with this
uniform system, but has been determined to benefit the FDOT (i.e., it is a
safe device that could benefit Florida’s transportation system), the
device is temporarily approved and tested in the field against its claims.
Upon successful completion of the field test, non-proprietary statewide
specifications are developed and published. The next vendor who submits
the same type of device can then move directly to the standard approval
process.
TERL
Upgrading Testing Infrastructure Now that the TERL has been renovated
and upgraded to enhance testing activities, focus is now being placed
outside of the building, in the maintenance yard to upgrade and further
improve the TERL’s usefulness.
One upgrade, coordinated signalized test
intersection, is a fully operational. This type of test infrastructure is
needed to evaluate untested transportation devices that, for safety
reasons, cannot be installed at live intersections. There is a critical
need to conduct many different types of testing in a “safe and controlled”
intersection and roadway environment.
The proper testing of
traffic operations, ITS, and incident management software and hardware
directly affects the outcome of system operation. Maximum operation and
safety can only be achieved if all “parts" of the system operate as
promised. Finding and resolving problems during initial testing is far
less costly than resolving problems in the field or redeploying poorly
thought out, or poorly tested, systems. Other than
testing and research, the planned test infrastructure will provide
hands-on training, post-implementation problem resolution, and a means to
demonstrate functionality or deployment processes to management or user
groups.
The planned test
infrastructure master plan includes a roadway system with multiple
signalized intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other infrastructure
allowing evaluation of as many transportation devices as possible.
The master plan also provides for an integrated research and testing
facility to ensure that the systems deployed statewide operate as designed
and are safe.
This article was
provided by Jeffrey Morgan, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations
Office. For more information, please contact Mr. Morgan at (850) 921-7354
or email jeffrey.morgan@dot.state.fl.us.
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ITS Florida's 2007 Members
Survey Report
A recent survey, conducted
in August 2007, was sent to all Intelligent Transportation Society of
Florida (ITS Florida) members asking them for recommendations and guidance
about where the organization is and what needs to be done to take ITS
Florida to the next level. Some 48 members responded to this survey.
The survey was used to seek
members’ opinions about their organization’s priorities and future
opportunities as well as challenges and benefits associated with their
membership in ITS Florida. The survey also sought information on members’
participation in ITS Florida activities and asked whether members were
satisfied with ITS services.
Consultants, contractors,
manufacturers, state and local agencies, and higher education institutions
were among those that responded to the survey.
Priorities, Opportunities, and Challenges The main priorities listed by
members were:
- Promote development and
expansion of ITS markets;
- Provide members with
information on current ITS markets and opportunities;
- Develop and support
principles for the planning, implementation, and operation of ITS;
- Promote collaboration
among stakeholders;
- Provide advice to the
FDOT ITS Program on technology issues; and
- Provide professional
training.
The top three future
opportunities in ranking order were:
- Growing needs of ITS
deployment;
- Rising demands for
information technologies; and
- Strong global interest in
the profession.
The main challenge members
saw ITS Florida facing was a lack of endorsement by public officials and
leaders. The other top challenges listed were: the lack of publicized
success stories; an uneven background and education of professionals; and
the competition from other countries.
Participation and
Training Seventy-five percent of the ITS Florida members that
responded to the survey said that their organizations realized benefits
directly from membership in ITS Florida. Those benefits included
networking, training, and the annual scholarship offered to students.
Others recommended introducing more contracting opportunities and project
partnering, exhibiting more ITS activities to expand business, and
providing more frequent meetings during the year.
While 75 percent of
respondents said that they have not served on an ITS Florida committee
before, 63 percent said they are willing to participate on committees.
Reaction and awareness to
Profession Capacity Building (PCB) training sessions was also a part of
the survey. Some 60 percent of respondents said they are aware of PCB
training sessions, and 62 percent have participated in at least one
session. A little more than 70 percent said they were satisfied with PCB
sessions.
Fifty-three percent learned
about PCB training from ITS Florida e-mails, and 23 percent learned about
it at ITS Florida events and working group meetings.
Members said that the PCB
sessions were helpful, informative, and enlightening. The participants
also said that more of these sessions should be offered and the training
course topics should more closely match member needs. The members also
thought that more users and integrators should make presentations.
Events and Web
Site ITS Florida members were also asked in the survey if the
organization is on target with its event sponsoring. Eighty-eight percent
of those who responded said that the organization is on target with
sponsorships.
The events that most members
liked included the ITS Florida Annual Meetings, FDOT’s Annual ITS Working
Group Conference, the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration demonstration,
TRANSPO, and ITS America meetings. However, members said open
forum discussions on emerging and critical issues should be added to the
event list.
The Web site garnered
positive ratings from respondents. A little more than half of the
respondents indicated that they visit the ITS Florida Web site monthly. Of
those who answered the survey, 95 percent said the Web site’s
effectiveness, ease of use, and completeness of information was
satisfactory or better. The majority of respondents said the Web site did
an effective job of providing news related to the ITS industry.
Members also said they would
like to see the Web site incorporate current and future deployment plans
for ITS activities, upcoming projects that include technology, and an
accessible system that would list ITS projects for bidders.
Communication and Support The members gave ITS Florida very
high marks for its effectiveness in including all of its members in
projects, programs, initiatives, and committees.
The majority of respondents
ranked e-mail as the best way for ITS Florida to communicate with its
members.
The survey also generated
many recommendations for ways in which ITS Florida can provide better
support to its members and their organizations. The top five
recommendations were:
- Guest lecture programs
from the industry to speak in university courses
- Quarterly forums or
workshops on high priority topics
- Diversified
training
- Exhibits and trade shows
on ITS projects
- Networking
opportunities
This
article was provided by Essam Radwan, University of Central Florida,
CATSS. For more information, please contact Mr. Radwan at (407) 823-4738
or email AERadwan@mail.ucf.edu.
For more
information on ITS Florida, please check the ITS Florida Web site at http://www.itsflorida.org/ or email itsflorida@itsflorida.org.
If you
wish to contribute an article to the SunGuide Disseminator on
behalf of ITS Florida, please email Mary Hamill at MaryKHamill@global-5.com.
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Editorial Corner–How Far Have We
Really Come?
I’ve lived in central
Florida since I was a young child. I’ve experienced a couple of
thunderstorms that produced hail; tropical storms that damaged trees and
cut off electricity; even mild snow storms… the kind that you have to
stand in front of a spot light to visually experience. Of course there
were also the bigger events like Hurricane Andrew and other smaller, but
still significant storms. Those of us that have lived in Florida for more
than a decade or two knew that these events could happen, but they used to
be considered very rare. In fact, after the hurricanes of 2004, friends
and family from other states asked if we were leaving Florida. My response
was always “no” because, unlike other catastrophes, hurricanes can’t sneak
up on you, as do tornados and earthquakes. But over the past 18 months we
have experienced several tornados with incredible injuries and fatalities
in central Florida. What happened?
Regardless of the theories
for environmental changes, there have also been major changes to the
entertainment systems in vehicles. As a kid on family vacations, our
in-vehicle electronic entertainment consisted of two choices—the radio or
cassette tapes. And let’s face it; there are only so many times dad would
let us play that Michael Jackson tape. This meant that most of the trip
included scanning the local radio stations for something that was
acceptable to all… as determined by dad’s discriminating ear. Looking
back, I now realize that this meant we were usually within reach of a
radio DJ or emergency management system if they needed to warn us of local
storms or events.
Travel in the 21st century
is much different. Typical travelers choose between CDs neatly sorted in
the trunk, MP3 players with days worth of music, DVD players to keep the
back seat occupants in a trance, even satellite radio so that we can have
our favorite genre without any local information. While these
technological advances are obviously popular, it leaves a large portion of
our travelers completely unaware of any important local
warnings.
The 21st century has also brought significant technological
advances in meteorology. Yes, I’ll admit, the local weather personalities
still can’t reliably predict a five day forecast, but they have gotten
much better at short range information. Specifically, their new measuring
equipment is typically able to identify hail and conditions that are
favorable for tornado development. Additionally, they are able to give
very specific locations, speed, and direction for these storms. This then
allows them to predict when a storm cell will hit a community with
specific time predictions, usually with 5 – 15 minutes of
warning.
So why is this important to us as transportation
professionals? It is important for us to realize that our customers are
frequently using roadway facilities without the benefit of being within
range of an emergency warning. Or potentially worse yet, they are within
range of a highway dynamic message sign that fails to alert them. During
recent tornados we have seen tractor trailers turned over along our
roadways, numerous trees down, and electrical lines suspended just a few
feet above the pavement. These are certainly worthy of our attention, but
what can we do? Our traffic management center operators are not
meteorologists and they certainly don’t have the equipment to predict
severe weather. Trying to keep up with local news channels and weather
stations can be effective; however this comes with significant challenges
that make it an unreliable plan. There are, however, companies that
provide continuous weather data feeds, including severe weather alerts.
The challenge then becomes to receive these feeds into our traffic
management software and then associate the information relative to
specific roadways. This would then alert operators and allow them to warn
motorists via the Web, 511, and perhaps most importantly, by dynamic
message signs. Imagine driving along with your family and seeing a sign
that reads “WARNING – POSSIBLE TORNADO – AHEAD 15 MILES,” would it be
enough to change your path? At a minimum, wouldn’t you at least turn off
all of your other electronic devices to tune into a local radio station?
Of course this scenario only
works if we have a means to “push” a message. Like local radios stations,
our announcements on 511 and the Web are useless if a traveler isn’t using
them. We can push a message with a dynamic message sign, but only if one
is available at the needed location. Unfortunately, much of our interstate
network is not yet equipped with dynamic message signs. But as our
coverage areas expand and the possibilities of vehicle/infrastructure
integration evolve, our abilities to push messages will also grow. It
should only be a matter of time until we can selectively inform travelers
of danger ahead based on their current location and direction. This leads
to a final question… what information do our distracted customers really
need and what steps should we take to provide it?
Together we must strive to meet these information needs.
This editorial
was provided by Rick Morrow, FDOT District 5. For more
information, please contact Mr. Morrow at (386) 943-5309 or email Rick.Morrow@dot.state.fl.us.
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Announcements
ITS Florida's Annual Meeting Don't miss ITS Florida's Annual
Meeting and Awards Banquet, coming up on December 11. ITS Florida is also
offering systems engineering training on December 11-12. This all takes
please in Tampa at the Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport located at 4400 W.
Cypress St.
Visit the registration page
at http://www.itsflorida.org/december2007.php for more
information.
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Mark Your Calendars For NRITS On the shores of the Michigan coast,
the 2007 National Rural ITS (NRITS) Conference will be held in Traverse
City, MI on October 7-10, 2007.
For more information, visit
the NRITS Web site at http://www.nritsconference.org/.
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Welcome... The FDOT ITS Program is happy to
welcome two new employees to our Central Office/Traffic Engineering
Research Lab (TERL) team. Sivam Ramalingam, ITS Analyst II, has returned
from Malaysia with his wife and two children. Sivam, working for
PBS&J, will be supporting Jeff Morgan at the TERL primarily in the
area of quality assurance. Sivam previously worked at TERL as a graduate
assistant and later as a PBS&J employee supporting Jeff.
Khue Q. Ngo, Senior ITS
Analyst I with PBS&J, has joined our team in the Traffic Engineering
and Operations Office. Khue will assist in managing the developing the
SunGuide™ Software under the direction of Trey Tillander. Khue recently
completed his work on the MSEE degree with emphasis in computer
engineering. Khue has worked at TERL as a student assistant for a number
of years.
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District 1 L.K. Nandam, DTOE Chris Birosak, ITS FDOT District 1
Traffic Operations PO Box 1249 Bartow, FL 33831 (863)
519-2490
District
2 Jim
Scott, DTOE Peter Vega, ITS FDOT District 2 Traffic
Operations 2250 Irene Street, MS 2815 Jacksonville, FL
32204-2619 (904) 360-5630
District 3 June Coates, DTOE Chad
Williams, ITS FDOT District 3 Traffic Operations 1074 Highway
90 East Chipley, FL 32428-0607 (850) 638-0250
District 4 Mark
Plass, DTOE Dong Chen, ITS FDOT District 4 Traffic
Operations 2300 W. Commercial Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
33309 (954) 777-4350 |
District 5 Richard Morrow, DTOE Michael Smith, ITS FDOT District
5 Traffic Operations 719 S. Woodland Blvd., MS 3-562 DeLand,
FL 32720-6834 (386) 943-5310
District 6 Debora M. Rivera, DTOE
Rory Santana, ITS FDOT District 6 Traffic Operations
1000 NW 111th Avenue, MS 6203 Miami, FL 33172 (305)
470-5336
District
7 Gary Thompson, DTOE Bill Wilshire, ITS FDOT
District 7 Traffic Operations 11201 N. McKinley Drive Tampa,
FL 33612 (813) 975-4216
Florida's Turnpike Enterprise John
Easterling, DTOE Florida's Turnpike Enterprise PO Box
9828 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33310-9828 (954)
975-4855 |
Elizabeth Birriel Deputy
State Traffic Engineer ITS Program Manager (850)
410-5606
Gene
Glotzbach ITS Deployments (850)
410-5616
Trey Tillander ITS Software,
Architecture, and Standards, (850)
410-5617
Randy Pierce ITS
Telecommunications (850)
410-5608
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Physical Address Rhyne Building 2740
Centerview Dr. Suite 3-B Tallahassee, FL 32301 |
Mailing Address Burns Building 605
Suwannee St. M.S. 90 Tallahassee,
FL 32399 |
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SunGuide
Disseminator
October 2007
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