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From the Georgia Engineer, December 2009 - January 2010 Two years of progress Anthony Bradford, M.B.A. President, ITS Georgia
ITS Georgia closed out another successful year with our 2009 annual meeting at Brasstown Valley where the theme was “ITS – Green in Every Way.” More than 130 transportation professionals from the public and private sector heard from GDOT Commissioner Vance Smith, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer Gerald Ross, Planning Director Todd Long and a host of ITS experts. We focused on how ITS technology is a key component in creating a sustainable transportation system. The three fundamental tenants of sustainability are: the economy, the environment and society. When applied across the transportation infrastructure and into the hands of the traveling public, ITS technology generates efficiencies that affect all three segments in a positive way. Among the many highlights, Deputy Commissioner Ross pointed out that by improving the efficiency of our existing road capacity, Georgia’s Navigator ITS system is reducing greenhouse gases in the metro are by almost 3,000 tons a year. The Highway Emergency Response Operators, or HERO program, clears incidents more quickly preventing millions of hours of delay and preventing hundreds of crashes that normally occur in congestion. In 2008 and 2009 the Navigator system has continued to improve and expand. Navigator now covers almost 200 miles of roadway and metered freeway ramps now number 140. Awards and Recognition We recognized several outstanding individuals and projects at the annual meeting this year. A special thank you is in order for Marwan Abboud and his team at Arcadis for organizing the conference. I also want to thank Carla Holmes for chairing the awards committee. Our Outstanding Volunteer of the Year award went to Kristin Turner of Arcadis who was recognized for her efforts, along with board member Ron Boodhoo, in establishing the ITS Georgia Wayne Shackelford Scholarship. The annual scholarship is designed to promote the study of ITS technology by our best and brightest university students and give them real world exposure to the ITS profession. Finalists are given all expense-paid trips to the ITS Georgia Annual Meeting and an opportunity to present their abstracts to a Chapter meeting. The winner is provided an all expenses-paid trip to the ITS American Annual Congress. Our winners this year were Yi Lin, Carlos Campo and Ann Xu – all of Georgia Tech. Ann will be attending the ITS America Conference in 2010. Susie Dunn of the Atlanta Regional Commission was presented the President’s Award for her years of tireless service to the organization. Susie is a founding member of ITS Georgia and longtime treasurer. GDOT’s metro Atlanta traffic signal timing project was our 2009 Project of Significance winner. Our Innovation: Outside the Box Award went to GDOT’s District 3 Control Center and Agency of the Year was Cobb County DOT. Read more about our annual meeting, winners and projects at www.itsga.org. I also want to congratulate Marion Waters of Gresham, Smith and Partners on his election as president of ITS Georgia. Marion is a founding member of the organization and a nationally recognized ITS innovator. He will be joined by Mark Demidovich as vice-president, Christine Simonton as treasurer and Kristen Turner as secretary. Newly elected board members are Susie Dunn, Marwan Abboud and Scott Mohler. I also want to thank Kenn Fink for his service as chapter vice-president these past two years. I would like to express my gratitude to the officers, board and membership of ITS Georgia for allowing me to serve as president these past two years. It has been a rewarding experience that I will always cherish. From the Georgia Engineer, October - November 2009 Georgia 511, where ITS meets the road. Anthony Bradford, M.B.A. President, ITS Georgia One of the major benefits of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology is the ability to make the traveling public a part of the solution. A key component of Georgia’s ITS program is the Georgia 511 traveler information system, which allows drivers and passengers the ability to interact with the system. Georgia 511 is a free, one-stop phone service that provides statewide traffic conditions, route-specific information and estimated travel times within metro Atlanta. Callers can also access transit providers, major airports, rideshare organizations, tourism information and 511 systems in surrounding states. Calls to live 511 Operators are managed through the DOT’s Transportation Management Center (TMC) in Atlanta, which serves as headquarters for 511. The 511 system is automated and allows for information to be presented to callers through an interactive voice response (IVR) system that uses concatenated speech and voice recordings. Georgia 511 is a two-way system that creates a safe and efficient way for motorist to report incidents, request assistance and plan their route to avoid congestion and traffic incidents. This system greatly improves the ability of traffic managers and engineers to monitor the roadways and also gives motorists a way to avoid delays and get out of the back up. It also exposes motorists to the full range of transportation options, including transit and other ride sharing opportunities. In addition to dialing 511 on your cell phone or landline, information is available at www.511ga.org. Is it working? The number of calls indicates the program is a hit with motorists. In just two years of operation, Georgia 511 generated 2.5 million calls. In August 2009, Georgia 511 generated an average 6,800 calls per day - more than double the number of calls in August 2008. The record number of calls in one day was an astounding 33,600 the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2008. Approximately 15% of calls are transferred to a live operator to request assistance from the Highway Emergency Response Operators (HERO) - an indicator of a traffic incident - or to report trouble. The user satisfaction rating stands at 92%, so Georgia 511 is a success. Georgia Transportation Management Center – a model for the world. The TMC, built in the run up to the 1996 Olympic Games, is a frequent stop for transportation professionals from around the world. The TMC is the home to NaviGAtor, the umbrella intelligent transportation system for Georgia. The TMC is connected to a number of locally operated Transportation Control Centers (TCC) and another TMC located in Macon, Georgia. Transportation officials from China, South Africa and the United Kingdom, have visited to benefit from GDOT’s experiences in anticipation of Olympic and World Cup Soccer events. Countries as diverse as Algeria, Georgia and Israel have sent delegations as they launch their own ITS systems. Georgia is viewed as a world leader in deployment of ITS technologies, and ITS Georgia is a leader in helping to promote and sustain the enhancements in safety and efficiency that are derived from a successful program. From the Georgia Engineer, August - September 2009 Chapter Recognition Anthony Bradford, M.B.A. President, ITS Georgia Congratulations to the board of directors, officers and members of ITS Georgia on being recognized for chapter excellence by your peers! In the 2009 Outstanding State Chapters Awards, presented by ITS America, your chapter was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in the area of Emerging Practices and Deployments. According to ITS America:
Annual Meeting and Conference – Registration is open and exhibitors and sponsors may also sign up for the 2009 ITS Georgia annual meeting and conference to be held October 4 - 6. The beautiful Brasstown Valley Resort in the location. Our theme for this year is “Improving Transportation Sustainability,” which correlates to our organization’s name and is one of the core principles driving intelligent transportation technology. We expect to hear from the new leadership at GDOT and from ITS professionals from around the country. So, join us won’t you. Visit www.itsga.org for more information. Chapter Elections – The election of chapter officers and directors is underway in August and September. If you are your organization’s voting representative, please make sure to cast your ballot. All officer positions and seven board slots are open. Winners will be announced at the 2009 annual meeting. The board of directors is working on a succession plan to ensure that the chapter maintains continuity and enlists new talent for leadership positions. If you have thoughts on the subject, please share them with Carla Holmes at carla@chengineering.com. Continuing Professional Development – One of the major goals of the organization is to provide our members with opportunities for professional growth and to provide networking opportunities. We provide documentation for Professional Engineers to receive one Professional Development Hour as recognized by the Georgia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Here is a sampling of topics covered at our meetings:
Our Mission – ITS Georgia is a vibrant organization driven by its membership, board of directors and officers. We have an active board of directors representing, federal, state and local government, the private sector and academic community. We also have five standing committees: membership, activities, annual meeting, communications and elections. Our bylaws are published on our web site. Minutes of board meetings are available online for all to read, and our annual report to members discloses the chapter’s finances. The membership of ITS Georgia reflects contemporary state, national and international ITS communities. Our member organizations represent all aspects of ITS research and development, deployment and operation. Our academic and private sector members are active in creating ITS technologies of the future. To join, visit www.itsga.org. From the Georgia Engineer, June - July 2009 2009 Annual Meeting – Improving Transportation Sustainability Anthony Bradford, M.B.A. President, ITS Georgia The date is set and the final logistics are in the works for the 2009 ITS Georgia annual meeting and conference. The dates are October 4 -6 at beautiful Brasstown Valley Resort in the north Georgia mountains. Our theme for this year is “Improving Transportation Sustainability,” which correlates to our organization’s name and is one of the core principles driving intelligent transportation technology. So, how does ITS equate to Improving Transportation Sustainability? The three fundamental tenants of sustainability are: the economy, the environment and society. When applied across the transportation infrastructure and into the hands of the traveling public, ITS technology generates efficiencies that affect all three segments in a positive way. Economy – Traffic congestion caused by too many vehicles, accidents or other distractions, is a drain on the economy. A study by the Texas Transportation Institute suggests that traffic congestion in the Atlanta area costs daily rush hour motorists and extra $1,100 per year. Higher energy prices exacerbate the problem. Environment – A vehicle idling in traffic back ups is not only wasting fuel but putting unnecessary pollutants into the air and contributing to the urban heat island effect. Society – When we spend extra time behind the wheel instead of being productive on the job, spending time with family or other leisure activities, it decreases the quality of life for ourselves and our loved ones. ITS solutions, along with a knowledgeable and actively engaged motoring public, can and do contribute positively to our economy, environment and society as a whole. Specifically in Georgia, the NaviGAtor transportation management system improves the efficiency of our infrastructure, reduces time to clear accidents and provides the driver with information to avoid delays. ITS solutions being developed at our university system, is creating new and exciting ways for vehicles to become smarter and drivers to become more aware of alternatives. Our public transit systems are taking advantage of ITS technologies to not only better serve transit customers through more accurate timelines, for example, but also to run more efficient in-house vehicle maintenance programs. In the private sector, solutions are created here in Georgia to help large fleet operations use less fuel and spend less time on the road, while increasing productivity. So, plan on attending our annual meeting in Brasstown Valley this October 4 – 6 to learn more about these exciting programs and what is in store for us. Visit www.itsga.org for more information. When Moving Down the List is a Good Thing From the Georgia Engineer, April - May 2009 by Anthony Bradford, MBA - President, ITS GeorgiaWe Americans are fascinated with lists and seem to always want to be on the top of whatever list some magazine, newspaper or website produces. There are fun lists like the “Worst Dressed” and David Letterman’s Top Ten. There are more serious lists like best performing schools, best places to live and ones that make transportation professionals cringe – traffic congestion lists. While folks seem to think traffic congestion is always getting worse in Atlanta, a new list published by independent traffic data company INRIX shows just the opposite. As a matter of fact, according to the National Traffic Congestion Scoreboard, the Atlanta area is no longer in the top ten. In 2008, Atlanta dropped to number 12 in overall congestion and to number 19 in extra time needed to get to your destination during rush hour among the top 100 cities in the nation. In 2008, almost every city showed some decline in traffic congestion due to the economy and high gasoline prices, but most cities held their previous position in the rankings. With the exception of Atlanta and our replacement city, the top ten congested cities in the nation in 2007 were in the top ten in 2008. By the way, Minneapolis took our place as the number ten most congested metro area and Philadelphia is ranked number 11. So, all things being equal, how did Atlanta make its dramatic move down the list? First let’s look at the numbers.
At the very top level, four major factors appeared to have positively affected traffic congestion in Atlanta in 2008. Implementation of the major portion of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Fast Forward program, which affects normal day-to-day traffic flow; better incident management, which reduces delay time during accidents; a better informed traveling public, which with the help of technology is better able to avoid traffic problems; and, more public transit. In 2008, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) began aggressively installing ramp meters at entrance ramps on the major Atlanta freeways – more than 125 in the last half of the year. While some people complain about the meters causing a backup on the ramps, the positive effect on freeway traffic is dramatic. Studies by GDOT on 95 miles of freeways, with ramp meters installed, showed an average 25% reduction in congestion travel time on road sections between ramps – shaving more than 16 minutes off a normal 45 minute commute. That is real and substantial improvement in the efficiency of freeway system. Another benefit Atlanta commuters see on non-Interstates is the work done to improve the timing of traffic signals. This is being done across multiple jurisdictions and results in moving significant volumes of traffic more effectively through major corridors. The number of familiar HERO operators on the Interstates increased to 67 in 2008 from 57 the year before. The number of HERO assists went from about 82,000 in 2007 to over 94,500 in 2008. Every time a HERO unit assists in a roadway accident, or helps a stranded motorist, the job is done more quickly, safely and efficiently. Another major advance in 2008 was the ability to quickly clear catastrophic accidents involving large commercial vehicles. A new program entitled the Towing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP) significantly reduced the amount of time necessary to clear these Interstate-closing accidents and get people moving again. This coordinated program between state and local transportation officials, public safety agencies and the towing industry, reduced clearance times for these news-making accidents from more than 3.5 hours in 2007 to less than 50 minutes in 2008 on average. An increasing number of motorists, including professional drivers, are using in-vehicle navigation and fleet management tools to avoid back ups and for choosing alternate routes; shortening the backlog of vehicles to move through accident scenes and areas of high volume. More people chose public transit in 2008 as gas prices soared and additional options became available. For example, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) reported that September 2008 ridership on Xpress was up about 75% over the same month in 2007. The opening of the new Wayne Shackelford interchange at I-85 and Georgia 316 in late 2008 unclogged a major bottleneck and will have a positive effect on traffic in the northeast corridor for years to come. The bottom line is that collectively we are moving the needle in a positive way and are making measurable improvements to the traffic situation in the Atlanta area. As the economy rebounds and more vehicles return to the road, the use of Intelligent Transportation Solutions will continue to improve the safety, efficiency and productivity of our transportation network. Intelligent Transportation Solutions – A Smart Investment From the Georgia Engineer, February-March 2009 by Anthony Bradford, MBA - President, ITS Georgia
Long before there were freeways and traffic jams, Benjamin Franklin rendered the cliché “time is money” in Advice to a Young Tradesman. Back in Franklin’s day, the chief impediments to travel were distance and terrain. Our modern transportation system has conquered those problems with the Interstate highway system, rail and air transportation systems. Today, we face a new set of problems created, in large part, by the success of our national and state transportation infrastructure. Major metropolitan areas, like the Atlanta region, face a daily commute that radio traffic reporters tell us include “normal delays” when the weather is nice and there are no accidents and “gridlock” in inclement weather, or when a traffic mishap does occur. What those delays boil down to is time wasted sitting in traffic and you don’t need Franklin to tell you that is money wasted. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, traffic congestion in the Atlanta area costs us over $2 billion, or 0.8% of the Atlanta area’s gross domestic product, each year in wasted fuel and time and an extra 26 minutes tacked on to a one hour commute. Not only does this affect commuters, it also increases the cost of delivery of goods and services. Traffic congestion also affects quality of life, means extra time away from family to commute to work and extra money for the gas tank. A proven solution to improve traffic flow, safety and reduce pollution is Intelligent Transportation Systems, or ITS. It is estimated that in one year, ITS systems installed in Georgia saved commuters $186,799,012 in fuel and time and reduced vehicle emissions by 2,905 tons. ITS technology works behind the scenes, on the roadway, in the vehicle and in mass transit to save time, gas, reduce emissions and help keep us safe. Here is how it works: Behind the scenes, the Georgia Department of Transportation operates the Transportation Management Center (TMC) that monitors major highways for accidents, congestion and provides information to TV and radio traffic reporters. The TMC is also a source of real time traffic information for GPS navigation providers such as Google, Garmin, TomTom and factory installed navigation displays, to name a few. The TMC also maintains the 511 traveler information call center and Georgia Navigator web site (www.georgia-navigator.com). In a study, the work of the TMC and local transportation control centers saved metro area commuters and professional drivers 7 million vehicle hours in one year. When problems occur, the TMC team dispatches HERO units, notifies local emergency services and sends the proper towing equipment to clear the scene fast. Meanwhile, the TMC sends the information to motorists via the news media, message signs on the highways and GPS service providers. The TMC is also tied into metro Atlanta local city and county transportation centers where traffic signals can be adjusted to improve the flow of traffic around the incident. On the roadway, intelligent traffic signals can be coordinated and even learn the traffic flow to adapt to rush hour and off-peak conditions on a daily basis. A recent traffic signal timing and upgrade around Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth is reducing the number of stops by 45 percent and is expected to save travelers about 98,000 hours and nearly 59,000 gallons of fuel a year. Ramp meters installed on metro-area Interstate entrance ramps have caused a reduction in travel times as high as 35 percent and increases in rush hour speed of 18 MPH. In the vehicle, GPS navigation systems and 511 traveler information provide drivers with real time traffic information taking them out of the back up, to alternate routes and on to their destinations. On Georgia 400, Cruise Card users bypass the backup at the toll booth and move quickly to their destination. Intelligent tolling systems will be at the heart of new High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes planned for I-85 in Gwinnett County. By no means is ITS limited to just highway users. With respect to transit, the Breeze card in metro Atlanta is also a piece of ITS technology, and it fits in your wallet. Passenger Information Systems provide real-time information as to the arrival of the next bus or train. In addition, some ITS technologies are transparent to customers but make transit operations more efficient, such as automated passenger counting, and safer, such as collision avoidance sensors. ITS is about safety and efficiency, regardless of whether it is highway-based, transit-based, or port-based. A study conducted by The Schapiro Group, and presented at the 2008 ITS Georgia Annual Meeting, indicated that Atlanta-area freeway users believe they would spend about 25 percent more time behind the wheel if they lacked information about traffic flow provided by ITS systems installed today. That translates to 2.2 million fewer trip hours, 200 fewer accidents and two billion fewer pounds of emissions in the metro Atlanta area, according to the study. ITS Bottom Line – As plans are being made for new transportation infrastructure and improvements, including ITS solutions will improve efficiency and safety and provide for a greener highway system. Both commuters and professional drivers know that ITS saves them time and money. A Successful Year for ITS Georgia From the Georgia Engineer, December 2008-January 2009 by Anthony Bradford, MBA - President, ITS GeorgiaThe year 2008 has been a good one for the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS Georgia). We developed a broader ITS constituency by increasing to 67 member organizations that are committed to improving the efficiency and safety of our transportation system in Georgia. Board meetings and luncheons were held monthly and discussion topics focused on transportation legislation, development of a statewide transportation plan, strategic deployment plan and ITS, transit and homeland security. Our annual meeting, held in conjunction with the Traffic Incident Management Enhancement (TIME) Task Force, was a huge success with more than 120 attendees, 22 exhibitors and 28 sponsors. I want to extend a special thank you to SERCO, and the annual meeting organizing committee for developing a strong technical program that provided enormous value to all attendees. Congratulations to Patrece Keeter of the DeKalb County Transportation Department for being elected to the ITS Georgia Board of Directors. I am happy to report that ITS Georgia has been selected as a finalist in the State Chapter of the Year awards program by ITS America. I want to thank the ITS Georgia board, volunteers, members and sponsors for helping to make that possible. In 2008, ITS Georgia joined the Get Georgia Moving Coalition and is a proud member of the Georgia Engineering Alliance. We believe that joining these organizations supports our mission to promote the use of intelligent transportation solutions to improve the safety and efficiency of our transportation infrastructure. We also supported education in the field of transportation engineering by contributing $1,000 to the Transportation Engineers of the Future Scholarship Fund at Georgia Tech and co-hosted a fund raising luncheon with the Georgia Section Institute of Transportation Engineers for Southern Polytechnic State University. We shared experiences with other transportation professionals from overseas, the nation and southeast. We tackled tough issues such as transportation funding with GDOT Commissioner Gena Evans, State House Transportation Committee Chairman Vance Smith and GEA’s Tom Leslie. Looking to the future, we learned about intelligent transportation research and development at Georgia Tech. Dr. Henrik I Christensen, the KUKA Chair of Robotics at Georgia Tech and director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, gave a fascinating demonstration of the capabilities of “Sting,” Tech’s DARPA Urban Challenge autonomous vehicle entry. Our Mission – ITS Georgia is a vibrant organization driven by its membership, board of directors and officers. We have an active board of directors representing, federal, state and local government, the private sector and academic community. We also have five standing committees: membership, activities, annual meeting, communications and elections. Our bylaws were updated in 2005 by vote of the membership and are published on our web site. Minutes of board meetings are available online for all to read, and our annual report to members discloses the chapter’s finances. The membership of ITS Georgia reflects contemporary state, national and international ITS communities. In 2008, our 67 member organizations represented all aspects of ITS research and development, deployment and operation. Our academic and private sector members are active in creating ITS technologies of the future. A summary of ITS research at Georgia Tech is one of the most downloaded features of our Internet Knowledgebase. Some of the latest in vehicle tracking and fleet efficiency is developed by member companies AirSage, Discrete Wireless and logistics giant UPS. Our public and private sector members partnered to implement Gov. Sonny Perdue’s “Fast Forward” project, an ITS intensive venture to reduce congestion in metro Atlanta.
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