Districts Four and Six Conduct Managed Lanes Scanning Tour

As the 95 Express Lanes project nears its implementation phase both Districts Four and Six, along with supporting team members from Wilbur Smith Associates and IBI Group conducted a scanning tour of several existing managed lanes facilities. The intent of this three day tour was to provide an industry-wide perspective of the various operating parameters related to high occupancy tolling (HOT) lanes or, frequently referred to as, managed lanes.

In general, the managed lane philosophy allows single occupant vehicles (SOV) the ability to utilize high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes by paying a toll to do so while also ensuring that traffic volumes and speeds are maintained at a specific level of service (LOS) within the managed lanes. Based on traffic density data collected from the lanes, the toll rates are then adjusted to either encourage SOV patronage with lower toll rates or discourage use by increasing toll rates.

The initial tour was to include visits to three existing managed lanes facilities, including the I-15 Managed Lanes and 91 Express Lanes in southern California and the I-394 MnPass facility in Minneapolis. The group’s first visit to the I-15 facility was scheduled for the morning of October 21st at the Caltrans San Diego Transportation Management Center (TMC). As some may recall, during that week in October, a good portion of southern California was inundated with wild fires across the region. One of these fires in particular had unfortunately moved close enough to the I-15 expressway that the facility was completely closed. Needless to say, the tour was cut short. However, the group was still able to spend time at the TMC to observe and discuss various incidents and managed lane operational issues with the Caltrans staff.

The next day the group travelled just east of Los Angeles to the SR 91 Express Lanes Toll Operations Center. Still amidst clouds of smoke from nearby fires, the tour went off without a hitch. Similar to I-15, the 91 Express Lanes allow SOVs equipped with FasTrak transponders to ‘buy into’ the HOV lanes based on preset toll rates which are dependant on a time of day type toll schedule.

Unique to SR-91, the lanes are managed and maintained independently by a private company where incident management, toll rate setting, enforcement, etc. are conducted solely for the HOT lanes. All other general purpose lane management is conducted through Caltrans and/or other local metro entities.

In an effort to not only move on to the next tour destination, but also escape the encroaching fires, the group travelled to the cooler climate in Minneapolis to visit the MnPass HOT lanes operation. Unlike I-15 and SR-91, the MnPass facility utilizes a dynamic pricing model for setting toll rates where rates are continuously adjusted based on the real-time traffic density monitored in the managed lanes. As with I-15 and SR-19, the rates are displayed to potential patrons on variable message signs.

Additionally, MnPass is unlike the others as it does not utilize video enforcement, but relies on highway patrol and use of various other technologies to identify violators. One such technology is the use of a patrol vehicle mounted transponder reader/antenna which can interrogate passing vehicles and obtain recent MnPass lane transaction activity.

As the group returned home the information gleaned from these visits provided the 95 Express Lanes team with both a greater understanding of industry standards regarding managed lanes and a more tangible and focused approach to deployment of the facility.

This article was provided by James M. Johns, Wilbur Smith. For more information, please contact Mr. Rory Santana at (305) 470-6934 (Rory.Santana@dot.state.fl.us) or Mr. Steven Corbin at (954) 847-2791 (Steven.Corbin@dot.state.fl.us).

* * * *

Return to top

District Two Scanning Tour Provides a Wealth of Information Sharing

The FDOT District Two ITS Program recently had the opportunity to host our transportation peers from Maryland for a scanning tour of the Jacksonville 511 Program and to provide information on the method in which we display travel times on the dynamic message signs (DMS). Mr. Breck Jeffers of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) made arrangements for their visit on November 27th. A rigorous scanning tour began in Jacksonville on that Tuesday, moved to Cincinnati on Wednesday, and then went to Chicago on Thursday to complete their trek. Mr. Jeffers was accompanied by four individuals from Maryland who worked with the State Highway Department, Maryland DOT, and Maryland Transportation Authority. Meeting with Mrs. Terri Moss, Mr. Charles Moss, Mr. Robert Jordan, Mr. Jean Yves Point-du-Jour, and Mr. Jeffers was a very enlightening experience.

The group started their journey bright and early that Tuesday morning by catching a flight from Maryland to Atlanta and then on to Jacksonville. Unfortunately for them, the City of Jacksonville is not an easy place to reach by airplane so their five hours of travel were truly appreciated by our staff. Their arrival was right before lunch so we spent the first hour discussing the District’s 511 program, methods on collecting data for travel time calculations, and types of information dissemination methods being utilized. Our visitors were also interested in the organizational structure of our ITS/transportation management center (TMC) personnel and means of communication with our partnering agencies.

They seemed very impressed with our distribution of detectors and the way we display travel times. They even had the chance to view a DMS displaying travel times on their way to the District Two office from the airport; so they were full of questions upon their arrival. What I didn’t realize was that Maryland also has the capability of displaying travel times; however, their distribution of vehicle detectors is very widespread. They felt they needed to update their means of collecting data to be able to have full confidence in displaying travel time information to the public.

Our 511 program also interested them since there is so much diversity throughout Florida’s Districts when sharing 511 information via the Internet. I explained that the Districts are decentralized, so the 511 program has been evolving over the past few years and will come full circle this July when we all operate under one homogenous 511 service. I also mentioned the pitfalls that were encountered along the way and the steps being taken to improve the interactive voice recognition system and the state Web site when the next generation 511 service becomes available.

One unique topic of discussion was the organizational structure of FDOT’s ITS Program. They were surprised to hear that a majority of our ITS and TMC personnel are either contractors or consultants. I learned that Maryland’s staff is mostly full-time state employees, from the field personnel to the TMC operators. A discussion on the budget differential between FDOT’s operation and theirs was held; however it would not be fair to go into the further detail since we both agreed that the ITS market and political agenda drive the way each agency conducts its business. Let’s just say that in the overall scheme of things, the way we manage our programs works out well for both agencies under existing conditions.  

The Maryland folks were surprised to hear that when our ITS program began to grow I utilized their Maryland Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART) information as part of the template for our program. I had heard about their program when I first arrived in District Two and felt I could gather some useful material as our ITS program grew. Thus I frequently refer to their site when considering changes to our program. The CHART Web site can be found at http://www.chart.state.md.us/. Near the completion of their visit, they showed me a link to another site that I had not been to in a while. Cameras on their roadway system are displayed at http://www.chart.state.md.us/TravInfo/trafficCams.asp.

After about three hours of continuous conversation I think we all began to acquire a bit of lockjaw. The scanning tour was exciting, giving our staff the opportunity to learn and share important information that will benefit both organizations. I commend Mr. Jeffers for coordinating the visit and pulling it off in such a short amount of time. I can honestly say that Maryland’s visit has reinvigorated my pursuit of knowledge on how to best run our ITS program. I do not think I will be knocking on management’s door to ask for more state positions; however I will utilize some of their methods for information dissemination to improve how we get the word out to the public.

This article was provided by Peter Vega, FDOT District Two. For more information, please contact Mr. Vega at (904) 360-5463 or email Peter.Vega@dot.state.fl.us.

* * * *

Return to top

Lake Worth Regional Law Enforcement Complex Dedicated

A dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $15.5 million Lake Worth Regional Law Enforcement Complex took place on December 12, 2007, at 1:30 p.m. at the Lake Worth Service Plaza. Those in attendance included Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp along with officials from Florida Highway Patrol, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

The new Lake Worth Regional Law Enforcement Complex is located at the south end of the Lake Worth Service Plaza at Milepost 94 on Florida’s Turnpike in Palm Beach County. The complex provides office and operations space for the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troop K (Turnpike), Troop L (Palm Beach, Martin and Broward Counties), Troop Q (internal affairs investigations), and FDOT’s Motor Carrier Compliance (MCCO) unit, which regulates commercial vehicle traffic.

The new dispatch center provides a united command center, streamlines operations, and reduces emergency response times. It is one of only seven in the state, remains operational 24 hours per day, and dispatches all law enforcement calls along the Turnpike between Ocala and Florida City, and a portion of FHP dispatch calls for surrounding counties. The Florida Wildlife Commission and MCCO also occupy dispatch stations in the facility. In addition, the center dispatches calls for:  Office of the Attorney General, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the State Fire Marshal, ABT, Department of Insurance Fraud, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Environmental Protection.

The buildings are hurricane and level 3 bullet-proof facilities. The center is 33,000 square feet and includes a 500,000-watt generator that can provide unlimited power to operate all heat/air conditioning, phone, data, and communications systems for more than three days before refueling is necessary. The center features computer-assisted dispatch (CAD) radios, as well as a video wall that can receive video feeds from the cameras located on the Turnpike via the traffic management center (TMC), which is also located on-site. These tools are essential to assist in hurricane evacuations, and FDOT's adherence to its Open Road Policy and Rapid Incident Scene Clearance programs, which aim to reopen roadways as quickly as possible following a crash or other incident.

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise will be providing dispatch TMC operators at the new center which will enable nearly 24/7 coverage. Each dispatch TMC operator will be trained to perform most of the functions of a duty officer, including National Crime Information Center, Federal Citizen Information Center, FDLE, and CAD. They are also trained to handle and respond to emergency calls. In addition to serving as liaisons between Turnpike staff and other emergency responders located in the new center, the dispatch TMC operators will relay disabled vehicle information to the Turnpike TMC located in Pompano Beach.

This article was provided by John Easterling, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. For more information, please contact Mr. Easterling at (954) 934-1292 or email John.Easterling@dot.state.fl.us.

* * * *

Return to top

On November 28, 2007, during the Annual Banquet and Awards Dinner, the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineering presented the 2007 Project of the Year Award to the FDOT District Seven for its Tampa Bay SunGuide™ Center project. Messrs. Bill Wilshire, P.E. and Gary Thompson, P.E. accepted the award on behalf of the FDOT District Seven.

The Tampa Bay SunGuide™ Center is the central component of the District’s comprehensive plan for the systematic deployment of ITS initiatives to promote saving lives, time, and money for and among the myriad of transportation service users and providers throughout the Tampa Bay region.

The Tampa Bay SunGuide™ Center is located on the campus of the District Seven Headquarters Complex and is operated and run by the ITS section of District Seven’s Traffic Operations. The 21,000 square foot facility was officially inaugurated on October 19, 2007, and has been operating as a 24/7 facility since August 2007. The facility houses the District’s ITS operators and dispatchers, Florida Highway (FHP) Patrol Troop C dispatchers and commanders, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission dispatchers and management, as well as staff from the FDOT Motor Carrier Compliance Office. The center also provides dedicated facilities that serve as the District’s Emergency Operations Center.

The Tampa Bay SunGuide™ Center was designed and built as a self-sustaining building, hardened to resist high-level hurricane force winds and is provided with extended run power generation capabilities to enable continued operations to provide communications and support during emergency situations.

The center houses the computer, communications, and control plants that support the functions of the District’s freeway management system and FHP Troop C dispatch. It also provides data and communication/coordination interfaces with the Road Ranger program and the 511 traveler information system for Tampa Bay and statewide. The center also serves as the communications hub for data sharing and coordination with other regional transportation agencies, which currently include the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority and will soon expand to include Pinellas County and other similar traffic management centers statewide.

The center’s growing freeway management system component is fully functional and currently covers approximately 20 miles along segments of Interstates 4 and 275, and includes 17 dynamic message signs, 40 vehicle detection stations, and 20 closed-circuit television cameras, all of which are monitored and controlled at the center to support the motorist information system function of the overall ITS deployment program. Future device deployment and integration phases are already planned and programmed to expand coverage throughout the entire region.

This article was provided by Andy Nuñez, CH2MHill. For more information, please contact Mr. Nuñez at (813) 874-0777 or email Andy.Nunez@ch2m.com.

* * * *

Return to top

Nation's Emergency Responders Unite For Safer, Quicker Clearance of Traffic Incidents; Ask Motorists to "Slow Down, Move Over"
Reprinted with permission from the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management

As American families take to the highways this Thanksgiving, they realize they will face the peak traffic levels of the year. They can plan for the holiday traffic, but what they fear most is the traffic problem they can't plan around getting stuck in a crash back-up. The nation's emergency responders came forward today to tell motorists they are throttling up their efforts to keep traffic flowing, and asked motorists to return the favor by slowing down and moving over when they approach crash scenes.

In an unprecedented show of unity among highway agencies, emergency medical professionals, firefighters, tow truck operators, and 9-1-1 call centers, nineteen national organizations announced the launch of the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management. The National Unified Goal is good news for motorists, because the leading national responder organizations pledged to work together to improve communication and coordination at crash scenes in order to minimize factors that can delay road clearance.

In turn, the responders asked motorists to slow down and move over when they approach traffic incident scenes, in order to reduce the number of responders injured and killed from being struck by passing vehicles while working at crash scenes, and to enable the responders to re-open travel lanes quicker.

Federal Highway (FHWA) Administrator J. Richard Capka congratulated NTIMC on its leadership in developing the National Unified Goal, and underscored the importance of safe, quick crash clearance. "Traffic congestion is one of the single largest threats to the nation's economic prosperity and way of life, and costs the United States an estimated $200 billion per year," Capka said. “Traffic incidents account for about one-quarter of all congestion on U.S. roadways. For every minute that a freeway travel lane is blocked during a peak travel period, four minutes of travel delay results after the incident is cleared. More efficient traffic incident management will reduce congestion and protect travelers and responders.”

"Delays, misinformation, and lack of resources and coordination during any phase of incident response can delay clearance," said American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) Director of Engineering and Technical Services Anthony R. Kane. "Under the National Unified Goal, responders from all disciplines are recognizing the importance of restoring traffic flow as quickly as possible under the circumstances, and that is good news for the public. We want you to know that we are working together harder than ever to clear the road as efficiently as possible for you, and, in return, we ask that you keep an eye out for your emergency responders, and slow down and move over when you see them working on the roadway."

"The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) endorses the National Unified Goal, and is strongly committed to its implementation. Firefighters recognize the need to work with other disciplines to make crash scenes safer and to get the roads open as quickly as possible," said IAFC Executive Director Mark Light. "We join with our NTIMC partners in calling on motorists to use extra care as they approach and pass roadway emergency scenes. Vehicle-related incidents account for roughly 20 percent of firefighter deaths. A growing number of those are firefighters who are struck at the scene while helping others. Hundreds more are injured. It is a problem we share with all roadside responders, and together we need to work toward a solution."

"If you, or your family members, are involved in a crash, you will depend on our emergency medical system (EMS) to care for you," said Kevin McGinnis, Program Advisor to the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO). "We ask that you, in turn, care for us. We join with other traffic incident responders in asking that you slow down and move over when you see ambulance crews and other responders working at crash scenes. NASEMSO endorses the National Unified Goal and is working through NTIMC to improve overall coordination and communication among all responders at traffic incident scenes, so we can maximize the chances that our patients will survive crashes with minimal injuries. We also share concern about keeping roadways open, so our ambulances can respond swiftly to all types of medical emergencies."

"The Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) endorses the National Unified Goal and is strongly committed to its implementation," said Mike Scott, Chairman of the TRAA Education Foundation. "Towers are often the only private sector responders at crash scenes and we bear a lot of responsibility. We are responsible for removing wrecked or disabled vehicles and debris from the roadway. The better we do our job, the more quickly the crash can be cleared. We welcome the opportunity, through NTIMC and the NUG, to increase our communication and coordination with other responders in order to get the roads open as quickly as possible. The towing industry shares the safety concerns of other responders. We, too, mourn our fallen responders, and the number of towers struck, killed or injured seems to be increasing steadily. We join with other traffic incident responders in asking that you slow down and move over."

"AAA has no greater responsibility than to help safeguard motorists who are stranded on the roadside, as well as those who work everyday to protect them," said Yolanda Clark, AAA's Public Relations Managing Director. "Last Friday, AAA launched its "Slow Down, Move Over" national public awareness campaign in partnership with NTIMC, FHWA, and the nation's first responders. AAA endorses the National Unified Goal to keep the roads open for motorists, and to encourage motorists to slow down when you see the flashing lights of an emergency vehicle on the roadside, and to move over to the adjacent lane if possible."

The National Unified Goal was launched at the Montgomery County Public Safety Communications Center in Gaithersburg, MD. County Executive Isiah Leggett and county police, fire, and transportation officials pledged through commitment to implement the National Unified Goal as a continuation of their long-standing efforts to apply the best traffic incident management techniques to cope with the National Capital Region's challenging traffic environment. The Washington, DC region is the second most congested urban area in the nation, according to the Texas Transportation Institute's 2007 Annual Urban Mobility Report. Only Dallas-Forth Worth had a higher average number of annual hours of delay per traveler between 1982 and 2005.

"The National Unified Goal is Responder Safety; Safe, Quick Clearance; and Prompt, Reliable Incident Communications," said NTIMC Chair John Corbin. "NTIMC developed the 'NUG,' as we call it, through a consensus-generation process that has taken about 18 months. The Coalition is proud to have pulled together such a broad spectrum of national organizations representing the traffic incident responders, and we will continue to provide national leadership for implementation of the 18 strategies defined by the NUG."

For more information, please visit the NTIMC Web site at http://timcoalition.org/?siteid=41.

* * * *

Return to top

Inside the TERL

The FDOT has a goal to assure that only a safe and uniform ITS and traffic control system is implemented in 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. Below is a look Inside the TERL at activities that help accomplish our goal.

Product Evaluation
Product evaluation is why the TERL exists. The TERL received 73 submittals for product to be added to the FDOT Approved Product List (APL) in 2007; of this total, 34 are open and active evaluations. All others are incomplete or failed submittals.

Approved traffic control signals and signal devices can be viewed at www3.dot.state.fl.us/trafficcontrolproducts. Approved ITS devices can be viewed at http://www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/Traf_Sys/ITS%20APL/TemporaryITSAPL.shtm.

Product Specifications
There are currently two specifications under active development, three ready for publication, one ready for external review, and ten specifications proposed for future development or revision. Product specifications are needed to evaluate and place a device on the APL.

Specifications for a driver feedback sign (DFS) that displays an oncoming vehicle’s speed will be one of the next specifications the TERL develop. The DFS has been used by cities and counties with little or no consistency in their design and function. This statewide specification will help to standardize this device.

Updates to FDOT specifications for light emitting dioxide (LED) internally illuminated signs, LED signals, and changeable message signs are planned for the future as well as new specifications for dynamic message signs for arterial and toll roads; 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.

APL Vendor Quality Assurance Program
Out of a total of 122 manufacturers that have submitted material for the FDOT APL vendor quality assurance evaluation, 79 have successfully completed the evaluation and have been added to the qualified list.

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
What Does the Approved Product List-Vendor Quality Assurance Program Do for the Motoring Public of Florida?
The Approved Product List List-Vendor Quality Assurance Program acts to ensure that related transportation products sold and installed in Florida are consistent with respect to functionality and reliability—two areas that are extremely critical for product used to control and manage traffic.

In addition to smooth and reliable operation, which directly benefits Florida’s highway users, the taxpayers of Florida would also receive a welcomed reduction in money spent to repair or maintain transportation products of poor quality, functionality, or reliability.

It is also well known in the industry that manufacturers with sound quality systems in place are more competitive, provide better customer service, and are more likely to be innovative. The FDOT wishes to have only those types of manufacturers listed on the APL.
 
This article was provided by Sivam Ramalingam, David Bremer, and Jeff Morgan, FDOT-TERL. For more information, contact Jeff Morgan, FDOT Traffic Engineering and Operations Office, at (850) 921-7354 or email Jeffrey.Morgan@dot.state.fl.us.

* * * *

Return to top

ITS Florida's 2007 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner

ITS Florida and much of the Florida ITS community met on December 11-12, 2007, at the Sheraton Suites in Tampa for the ITS Florida 2007 Annual Meeting. With a tremendous lineup of events and over 120 attendees, the Annual Meeting was a huge success. The Board of Director’s Meeting, in the afternoon of December 11th, opened up the series of events. The Professional Capacity Building Committee simultaneously held a two-day course, “A Systems Engineering Approach to ITS Projects,” with 33 registered participants. The first-ever ITS Florida Member’s Forum followed the Board Meeting. Implemented after feedback from our Member’s Survey, the Member’s Forum showcased the FDOT’s District ITS programs and projects. The FDOT Districts were able to share their current and future projects with attendees. Following a short reception, the Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting was held.

Scott Belcher, President and CEO of ITS America, addressed the attendees at the dinner and spoke about several ITS America announcements and new developments. During the event, ITS Florida announced the winners of the Annual Awards. ITS Florida solicits nominations of accomplishments in the ITS industry for these awards. Scott was on hand to assist in the presentation of the awards.

Annually, ITS Florida recognizes one or more individuals or organizations for their outstanding achievements in an open category. This year, ITS Florida was proud to honor two recipients in this category. The winners of the Certificate of Outstanding Achievement were as follows:

• FDOT District Seven ITS Program – The FDOT District Seven ITS Program was recognized for leading and advancing ITS in Florida, and for designing and deploying the Tampa Bay SunGuide™ Transportation Management Center (TMC) as a model for other public agencies. This award was initially presented to the District Seven Secretary, Donald Skelton, on October 19, 2007.

• FDOT District Four ITS Program – Using value engineering-type best practices, the staff of the FDOT District Four ITS Program created a $1.3 million cost savings in the original project budget for the construction of the Broward County TMC. This savings allowed a contract modification to include a much needed video display wall that significantly improves the ability of TMC operators to detect freeway incidents and accidents.

Another award presented annually by ITS Florida is the ITS Champion Award. This award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the cause of ITS in Florida. This year, the awards committee had no difficulty finding that someone. He was a former FDOT District Secretary, and is a steward of Florida’s vehicle infrastructure integration efforts. ITS Florida was proud to recognize George Gilhooley.

The ITS Professional of the Year Award recognizes a person who has been actively involved in some aspect of an ITS project within the last year and contributed significantly to the ITS community in doing so. The recipient this year was Dong Chen, FDOT District Four ITS Program Manager.

The ITS Florida Member of the Year Award recognizes an ITS program, project, or other accomplishment that is of significant benefit to the transportation industry and to the traveling public. The recipient can be any public- or private-sector member of ITS Florida. The primary criteria for award consideration are that the work provides improved transportation for Floridians.

The recipient this year was the Pinellas County Public Works Transportation Division. The county was recognized for utilizing public/private partnerships to deploy a sophisticated real-time traffic adaptive signal control system on US 19 and State Road 60. The improvements resulted in $1.35 million of savings in fuel cost annually. Pete Yauch, the Assistant County Administrator in charge of Transportation, received the award on behalf of Pinellas County.

The ITS Florida President’s Award is the highest award given by ITS Florida. It only is given to the few who exhibit truly superlative performance and accomplishment. Jay Calhoun was recognized with the ITS Florida President’s Award. Jay has been a member of ITS Florida since 1997, is a former President, has a 29-year professional career, and is a recognized leader in the development and advancement of ITS throughout the transportation industry.

The ITS Florida Honor Roll recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to ITS in the State of Florida. Honor Roll Members are lifetime complimentary Individual Affiliates of ITS Florida. The Honor Roll is maintained prominently on the ITS Florida Web site. This year, the following were honored for their dedication and perseverance in making Florida’s transportation system one of the finest in the nation:

• Kenneth G. Courage, University of Florida (retired August 29, 2003) - Ken is a long-time supporter of ITS and is an innovator in ITS data collection and evaluation, signal control and various other aspects of ITS technology.

• Edward Mueller, Retired from the FDOT and Morales and Schumer, Inc - Edward had a long and distinguished career throughout which he was a strong supporter of innovative transportation. He was the first person appointed as “Secretary of Transportation” and served from 1970-1972. He also served as Executive Director of Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA).

• Diana Carsey, Executive Director, ITS Florida (retired) - Diana has managed the affairs of ITS Florida since 2004. She assumed the Executive Director position after retiring from HARTLINE in Tampa. She previously served as a Director-at-Large officer with ITS Florida. With Diana at the helm, ITS Florida has increased its membership and improved its visibility. The Chapter is the envy of other state chapters of ITS America and of the national organization.

A Special Award and Expression of Appreciation was given to Dave Wolters, Diana’s husband, in recognition for his tireless efforts on behalf of ITS Florida’a business.

A Certificate of Appreciation was also given to Ms. Sandra Beck. Sandy has served as a Director-At-Large for the last two years representing Eckerd College and HART. Sandy became the new Chapter Administrator in January 2008.

This year, ITS Florida honored Anne Shanklin Brewer by renaming the ITS Florida Annual Scholarship as the Anne Shanklin Brewer Annual Scholarship. Mr. Mike Brewer, his sons, Alexander and Matthew, Anne’s mother Ruby Shanklin, Uncle Leon Shanklin, and Karen Ponce, a friend of Anne, were present for the award.

The Anne Shanklin Brewer Annual Scholarship was awarded to Ms. Yan Xiao (“Sho”) from Florida International University in Miami. Ms. Xiao is a PhD student at the university and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. Her focus is Transportation Engineering and she is working as a research assistant on funded research projects.

ITS Florida also announced their election results for the year. The results of the elections were:

The Keynote Address of the night was provided by Doug Callaway. Since January 2003, Doug has been President of Floridians For Better Transportation (FBT), a statewide transportation advocacy association based in Tallahassee. Before becoming FBT President, Doug was a transportation program manager with Carter & Burgess. His speech titled, “What Cool Hand Luke Can Teach Florida’s ITS Industry about Better Transportation,” emphasized the need for better communication to achieve our goals.

Incoming President Anita Vandervalk provided the event’s closing remarks. Special thanks to the ITS Florida Board of Directors and all the ITS Florida members and friends for making this a special year. We look forward to the next year’s TRANSPO 2008!

For more information on ITS Florida, please check the ITS Florida Web site at http://www.itsflorida.org/ or contact Sandy Beck, Chapter Administrator, at email dbeck1@tampabay.rr.com.

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.

* * * *

Return to top

Editorial Corner–Operations Academy: Shifting the Focus of the Nation's Transportation Leaders

How do the agencies responsible for the nation’s highway system manage both design and construction of new facilities and the flow of traffic on their roadways? The administrators of these agencies are turning to their peers and to the University of Maryland Operations Academy Senior Management Program (Operations Academy) to give them a fresh perspective on the manner in which operations can be used to manage the impacts of traffic congestion. The goal is to shift the focus from building our way out of congestion to one that makes the most efficient use of existing (and future) transportation infrastructure.

The Operations Academy is a two-week, total immersion transportation management and operations program. This senior management program is designed for mid- to high-level managers whose existing or future responsibilities include transportation management and operations.

With more than 40 graduates from its inaugural year, this program provides its alumni with the ability to:

• Describe the impact of transportation management and operations on the mobility and safety of the highway system;
• Manage an organization whose primary mission is transportation management and operations, or an organization that includes operations as one of its key activities;
• Advocate for the creation of an operational focus within their agencies; and
• Demonstrate knowledge of the technical tools of management and operations and the conditions under which they can be effectively applied and managed.

“This program provided me a view from the outside of my organizational box. It was a guide to see how to manage new and existing systems and to bring a different and fresh perspective to traffic and congestion concerns that are growing exponentially. It brought me from the small systems operation to the ‘big time’,” says Patty Eason, Division Operations Engineer, North Carolina Department of Transportation, and a March 2007 Operations Academy graduate. “Personally and professionally, it allowed the opportunity to discuss with other professionals day-to-day operations and their successes and failures.”

The Operations Academy was developed and is managed by the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT) which is part of the University of Maryland, A. James Clark School of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The Operations Academy is the first of its kind in the nation to offer focused training dealing with the effective management of the transportation system–120 hours of intense immersion transportation management and operations topics. “In the transportation community, there is a shortage of folks with operations experience,” explained Kathleen Frankle, program manager for the Operations Academy. “The course fills a critical need as more vehicles clog the nation’s highway system.” The academy program includes a week of pre-study (including exams) in traffic operations, traffic safety, planning, intelligent transportation systems, freight, and management. Then, the students converge for formal instruction by industry experts and Clark School faculty. An important part of the program is participation in field studies, such as a freeway service patrol ride-along, and visits to traffic operations centers and intermodal facilities such as the Port of Baltimore. These field studies are supplemented with workshops on identifying potential solutions to real-world congestion problems. To complete the program, students must pass a final exam.

The Operations Academy is funded by the I-95 Corridor Coalition (Coalition). A steering committee made up of representatives from the Coalition, state departments of transportation, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and private industry assisted in developing the program.

For more information about the Operations Academy and to find out when the next session is scheduled visit the Operations Academy’s Web site at http://www.operationsacademy.org/.

This editorial was provided by Philip Tarnoff, Center for Advanced Transportation Technology, University of Maryland. For more information, please contact Mr. Tarnoff at (301) 405-4619 or email Tarnoff@umd.edu.

* * * *

Return to top