Georgia Engineer Magazine Column

	From the Georgia Engineer, April 2011 - May 2011 Marion Waters, P.E. President, ITS Georgia From time to time, I like to have outstanding members of our organization write the president’s column to give different perspectives on what intelligent transportation solutions bring to the transportation matrix. This edition features the thoughts of Kay Wolfe, an ITS Management Consultant for Stantec. The theme of this issue of The Georgia Engineer is ‘Transportation’ so; this column should be an easy one to write. After all, transportation is what I do, and as long as I’ve been doing it, it’s not just what I do; it’s who I am. As I sit here to pen this column, I reflect on my years in transportation and how it has evolved over time, and each time I think I have a great idea to write, I find myself daydreaming about the impending arrival of Spring. And just like my grandchildren, I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of that first pitch, that first dive into the pool, that first road trip to Florida, that first Spring migration, made possible, frankly, because of transportation. No matter how we choose to spend that ‘first’ for Spring, it very likely is made possible, or at least easier, because of what countless transportation engineers present and past contribute(d) to the practice. Now I’m sure that the engineers who designed the first roads back in the day believed with every fiber of their being that what they were doing was the most complex, earth-shattering work in the world; indeed for ‘back in the day’, it probably was pretty transformative. But as I reflect on my time in this industry, I can’t help but think about how extraordinarily complex transportation has become, and I find myself contemplating the ‘good ole days.’ For example, EVERY transportation project must meet stringent requirements for environmental compliance, public involvement and accommodation of nearly every disability. As if the previous conditions are not burdensome enough to the designer, add in the ability to accommodate a vast number of utilities, build it in a smaller footprint, construct it faster, have it last longer (sustainability), build it with locally-available, recycled materials and with minimal disruption to business and traffic. These constraints place a lot of pressure on today’s engineer, with which I dare say, the older engineers did not have to contend. On the other hand, the designer of today has much more accurate data to start with and computer aided design tools right out of Star Wars. Ironically, at the same time that the pressure on today’s transportation professional is ratcheting up, the expectations of the motoring public, media and political figures are sky high as well and climbing higher every day. Today, the modern marvels of communications and surveillance made possible by Intelligent Transportation Systems are so common place that motorists actually call 511 to lodge complaints that the estimated travel time posted on one of GDOT’s changeable message signs is different from the amount of time it actually took to traverse that segment. How dare they, I think! But then again, the public expects perfection. And they really have no idea how far we’ve come or that the road to ‘perfection’ is getting steeper and steeper by the day. I remember sound bite after sound bite during the recent ‘snowmageddon’ event was focused on how horribly the region’s transportation professionals were dealing with the snow and ice on the area’s roads. Apparently these people forget that every time a public agency lays off the people who cut grass and clean ditches, they also lay off folks who work in the most disagreeable conditions the night before everyone wakes to the beautiful blanket of snow. Sometimes, I think we should fight back. Other times, I think we should just move forward. Take, for example, the spectacularly vibrant and cheerful cardinal chirping away right now outside my window as I write this column. That cardinal and what he represents is proof that we should just move forward. Think for a moment about that ‘first pitch’ at Turner field. MARTA makes it so easy to fill your ears with the crack of bat hitting ball for the first time in months. Even if you choose to forego the convenience of MARTA and drive to Turner Field, the travel is possible, and at times, even pleasant because of an advanced network of roads engineered for efficient, safe travel. Further, its efficiency is heightened by the use of ITS technology, advanced by members of the Intelligent Transportation Society of Georgia; members of this very chapter. Think also about that first road trip to Florida this year and the annual spring migration commonly known as Spring Break. Without an advanced transportation network, these wonderful spring activities would look very different. Whether we travel by air, boat, bus, train, car or likely some combination of all of these, we have a transportation engineer somewhere to thank. There are many more reasons to be thankful for transportation. It is hard for me to imagine life without it. I urge you to consider all of the ways transportation impacts your life and to be thankful for the engineers among us who make it possible. Please visit our web site (www.ITSGA.org) for information about our monthly meetings for 2011 and our annual meeting to be held September 18 – 20, 2011 at the Reynolds Plantation near Greensboro Georgia.
	From the Georgia Engineer, February 2011 - March 2011 The theme of this issue of The Georgia Engineer is Celebrating Engineering, and I agree; we should. For those of you don’t know, the Intelligent Transportation Society Georgia (ITS Georgia) is a different type of organization than most of the other societies and associations that are featured by The Georgia Engineer and the Georgia Engineering Alliance. There are a significant number of professional engineers in our ITS Georgia organization, but there is no special requirement or status awarded for being an engineer. At our regular monthly meetings, we have a large number of attendees who represent many other professions. Our members include public sector and private sector engineers, vendors, educators, contractors, suppliers, operators, service providers, integrators, emergency responders, law officers and others; but we are all focused on making the transportation system safer, more efficient and more effective. While ITS Georgia has several individual members, ITS Georgia is a public-private trade group made up of more than 70 public agencies and private firms that do business in Georgia. Each firm or agency can have as many ITS Georgia participants as they wish, but as set forth in our By-laws, each member organization has only one vote on official matters. The glue that holds us all together is the belief that the transportation system - highways, transit, rail, air, etc. - can be made better by the use of applied technologies that make the system operation more efficient and less wasteful. This modernization and deployment of new technology is not a new concept, and indeed, many will argue that the emergence of traffic engineering back in the 1950s was the pre-cursor to ITS. After all, the addition of uniform markings, signs and signals to roadways and the uniform application of laws, so-called rules of the road, that we take for granted today, is not really all that old in the grand scheme of modern transportation. As we move further into the new decade, our challenges are no less than they have been and without question, the economic situation continues somewhere between flat and bleak for our profession. I am not informed enough to tell if we have actually reached bottom, or if we are just used to dealing with a low and flat outlook. Not to be overly pessimistic, but it is fact that our country still does not have a national transportation bill, and the prospects of resolving the long-term funding for transportation at the national level remains somewhere near the empty mark for 2011. The good news is that the motorists pay less per mile for travel than they ever have before. More good news is that there is hope for funding resolution at both the State and local government levels in Georgia due to the regional sales tax referendum opportunities provided by HB 277, that issue is by no means settled and proponents have much education to do before the August 2012 vote. Nevertheless, we have much to celebrate: Safer Roads – Deaths from traffic crashes have continued to decline and are at the lowest rate in modern transportation history and the lowest actual level of deaths in more than 50 years. Some would argue that the decline is because of the economy and the decline in the number of cars and trucks using the highways. I argue that the numbers of vehicles are still there, and that we should celebrate the engineering that has resulted in a better designed and operated transportation system in Georgia. Modernization and new technologies on the transportation network – The Georgia NaviGAtor is arguably the most advanced, largest continuously monitored freeway and arterial management system in the United States. It offers the only 511 system in the US with an option to talk with a human operator. It continues to be upgraded and its capabilities reinforced with new control software being offered for statewide deployment. The Highway Emergency Response Operators (HEROs), provide Incident Management at the most aggressive level of any state in the U.S. and the most extensive coverage for motorist assistance in the country. The ramp metering deployment (approximately 160 ramps metered) is the fourth largest in the nation. There are many more reasons to celebrate engineering in this issue of The Georgia Engineer. I urge you to consider all of them and to enjoy our successes. Please visit our revised web site (www.ITSGA.org) for information about our monthly meetings for 2011 and our annual meeting to be held September 18 – 20, 2011 at the Reynolds Plantation near Greensboro Georgia.
	From the Georgia Engineer, December 2010 - January 2011 It was my pleasure, as President of the ITS Georgia Chapter, to attend the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers Dinner honoring the new Professional Engineers in Georgia for 2010. Since the new PEs being honored are scattered across all of Georgia, only about 40 of the more than 200 new engineers were able to attend. The keynote speaker was Todd Long, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Director of Planning. Mr. Long did a fantastic job, obviously speaking to the new professionals directly from his heart and personal experiences. His advice was excellent and is applicable to the ITS industry’s professionals as well. Some of the key points he shared were: 1. Focus on a vision of what you want to achieve and work toward that goal. 2. Understand that success most often requires dedication, hard work and frequently requires extra hours and personal sacrifice. 3. Education must be continuing. Experience is a great teacher if we listen. Learning is never finished. 4. Working in a profession where funding comes from taxes creates an obligation to the public welfare. 5. If you supervise others you are responsible for the quality and accuracy of the work of those people. 6. Be patient and “stay the course.” Regularly evaluate your position and the people you work with asking yourself if you like what you are accomplishing and the people with whom you work. Your job may never be perfect, but very few are and they are reserved for perfect people. I thank the Georgia ITS Chapter for allowing me to represent them at the GSPE event. 2010 Annual Conference and Exhibits ITS Georgia annually recognizes exceptional accomplishments of organizations in our industry. They are the leaders and our recognition of them and their accomplishments sets our goals higher every year. The ITS Georgia Chapter Award Winners were announced at our annual meeting held in late September at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro Georgia. We congratulate the following award winners: 1. Outstanding Volunteer – Patrece Keeter 2. Project of Significance – Cobb TMC 3. Outstanding Public Member Agency – Gwinnett DOT 4. Outstanding Private Member Organization - Gresham, Smith and Partners 5. Outside the Box Award – GDOT Regional Traffic Operations Program As we close out the 2010 year and look forward to our activities in 2011, let me remind you of our planned meetings. We begin our monthly meetings on January 28, 2011 with a presentation covering the latest in ITS technology for tolling. This is of significance to Georgia because of the I-85 High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes project on I-85 and others in the planning stages. Meetings dates and programs will be posted and updated on our web page, www.itsga.org. With the exception of the January meeting, our meetings are be held on the last Thursday of each month at the Georgia Tech GTRI building located at 250 14^th street. Don’t forget to mark your calendars and plan on attending our next annual conference. While the program is not completely final yet, we anticipate the meeting to begin the weekend of September 17, 2011, and the event will be held again at Reynolds Plantation near Greensboro Georgia. Again, thanks to everyone who worked on and at the ITS Georgia Annual meeting. It was the best ever!
	From the Georgia Engineer, October - November 2010 Marion Waters, P.E. President, ITS Georgia The ITS Georgia 2010 Annual Meeting, held at the Reynolds Plantation Resort September 19 – 21, was a wonderful event. The success of this meeting was a direct result of the work of a host of folks beginning with the program committee, the speakers, the moderators and, of course, the attendees. Certainly, we could not have had a successful event without our generous sponsors and the exhibitors. A list of the program committee members and our meeting sponsors is at the end of this article and on our web pages. Please accept my sincere thanks for this excellent and informative conference and visit www.itsga.org where we have more detailed information about our meeting including pictures. I am happy to report the re-election of Patrece Keeter of DeKalb DOT and the election of Kenn Fink of Kimley Horn and Bayne Smith of URS to the board of directors of the chapter. These are three hard working individuals and will serve the chapter well. A special thanks to outgoing board members Taylor Stukes and Shaun Green. The Annual Meeting Opening session keynote speaker was Gerald Ross, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation. Mr. Ross shared his vision for the future of Transportation in Georgia and his presence allowed ITS Georgia to announce the ITS Georgia Annual Award for the “Outside of the Box Award” personally to him. This award, given at the Monday night dinner event was specifically for the Regional Traffic Operations Program (RTOP) is credited to a number of GDOT leaders, but the strong leadership of Deputy Commissioner Ross was a key factor in making this program happen. Scholarships were awarded to several outstanding students who received a total of $4000 to help them continue their education in 2011. A listing of scholarship winners is posted on our web page at www.itsga.org. As we approach the end of our most active year to date, it is appropriate to both voice our 2010 successes and look forward to doing more for 2011. First, let’s take a look at what we did in 2010 · We increased our membership - This was a financially challenging year for our industry. In a time when firms have been reducing the number of employees and looking for ways to cut costs, our society of ITS related firms has remained strong. We lost several member firms, but added others, ending the year with more members than we had in 2009. · Nine monthly chapter meetings – Many ITS local state chapters only have an annual meeting. In 2010, our Georgia Chapter monthly meetings have been great. The programs have been appropriate and informative, and the meeting attendance has been larger than any year previous. We were able to reduce meal fees for every participant. With our increased attendance and because of our monthly meeting sponsors, we were still able to “break even” on the meetings. · We were able to award $4000 for individual scholarships (more than ever before) in addition to the donation of $2000 for the GDOT Transportation of the Future Scholarship Fund. · Our Board of Directors and our committees have been very active and stronger than ever. These ITS GA members often go without recognition, and I take this opportunity to thank them for their participation and support throughout 2010. · While it has not happened at the time of this writing, it is also appropriate to recognize our chapter sponsorship of the Transpo2010 meeting in Jacksonville Florida in December as an accomplishment. For 2011, our primary goals are simple but solid · First, to serve our member organizations and their designated chapter participants even better, by providing reasonability priced opportunities for networking, technical information, outreach and training. · Continue our monthly meetings with pricing to encourage attendance and speakers to both inform and create interest in our industry. · Add more varied programs and changes of venue for our monthly meetings to meet our members needs and provide networking opportunities · Complete our 2011 annual meeting planning early for an even better meeting and begin planning for the 2012 annual meeting. · Participate and encourage member program participation in the joint 22^nd Annual Meeting and ITS World Congress in Orlando, Florida October 16-20, 2011. The World Congress only comes to the USA every third year and with the convention in our neighboring state, the expenses are more manageable than other venues. Again, thanks to everyone who worked on and at the ITS Georgia Annual meeting. It was the best ever!
	From the Georgia Engineer, August - September 2010 Marion Waters, P.E. President, ITS Georgia The ITS Georgia 2010 Annual Meeting is fast approaching and if you have not done so, please visit www.itsga.org and register for this excellent conference. Transportation professionals from vendors to consultants to government officials will be in attendance to learn about the latest in intelligent transportation solutions and share lessons learned. Sponsorship opportunities and space for exhibits are available, so join us September 19 -21 on beautiful Lake Oconee. Getting Rid of Big Traffic Headaches A key part of our mission is to promote the benefits of intelligent transportation solutions. This month, ITS Georgia Board Member Christine Simonton of Delcan details the success of a program that affects thousands of metro Atlanta commuters. “Atlanta is the third most congested city in the nation, with an incredible 57 hours of delay annually for each traveler, according to the Texas Transit Institute. Every year, the average Atlanta motorist wastes 40 gallons of fuel sitting in congestion. Wasted fuel not only costs money, but also results in unnecessary emissions of carbon dioxide which has considerable negative air quality and environmental impacts. The demand for highway travel by Atlantans will continue to grow as the population increases to an expected six million persons by 2030. This increase in population will result in the continued growth of traffic volumes, with commercial vehicle traffic expected to grow twice as fast as car traffic. The volume of freight movement alone is predicted to increase 260% by year 2035 with commercial vehicles carrying 86% of the freight moving through Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). An increase in commercial vehicle traffic inevitably results in an increase in traffic accidents involving commercial vehicles. In 2007 it took almost four and a half hours (269 minutes) to open travel lanes after the occurrence of an average tractor trailer incident! GDOT has implemented an innovative solution for mitigating the congestion of tractor-trailer incidents. GDOT and its strong partnering state and local first responders, is reducing the impact of major traffic incidents by aggressively clearing commercial vehicle incidents in less than 90 minutes! Implemented in January 2008, the Towing and Recovery Incentive Program (TRIP) pays qualified heavy-duty towing and recovery companies monetary bonuses for the quick clearance of large commercial vehicle incidents in the Metro Atlanta area. The Program promotes safe, fast and efficient management of commercial vehicle incidents in an effort to reduce congestion, crashes and secondary incidents. TRIP is a result of collaboration among organizations including the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Federal Highway Administration, in close coordination with the Traffic Incident Management Enhancement (TIME) Task Force. Approved towing companies must meet and maintain stringent training and equipment requirements to participate in the TRIP program. The Program ensures only well-trained, competent operators with proper heavy duty equipment are dispatched to the large commercial vehicle incidents that have a significant impact on major interstate traffic. The current eleven TRIP-certified companies are inspected annually by GDOT and the Department of Public Safety Motor Carrier Compliance Division. For more information, please visit http://www.timetaskforce.com/trip.html The results of TRIP show a dramatic reduction in the average duration of commercial vehicle incidents from 269 minutes in 2007 to 106 minutes in 2008 and 89 minutes in 2009. This time savings is three additional hours that motorists can invest into more worthy activities, such as working, helping children with homework, taking care of elderly parents or volunteering in their communities, to name a few.” For more information, contact Christine at c.simonton@delcan.com. From the Georgia Engineer, June - July 2010 Marion Waters, P.E. President, ITS Georgia Leaders and managers in Departments of Transportation, at every level of government, are struggling with operational budgets. It is in the Georgia news almost every day that another city or county is reducing the number of employees by hiring freezes, early retirements and layoffs. Furloughs and pay cuts are now routine - services are being cut and maintenance is being deferred. We have the State Legislature to thank for a little light at the end of the tunnel with the passage of HB 277. There is still a long way to go before the voters have a chance to endorse the plan in late 2012 and if approved, the funding is still several years coming. Nevertheless, our Legislators did take action and for that, we in the industry applaud their actions. It seems to be much easier to obtain funding for new capital improvements than it is for operations and maintenance. It might seem to some that this is a new problem, but in fact, from my own personal experience, I can assure you, it is not. Likewise, the requirement to educate the highest-level decision makers about the need to build ONLY that which can be maintained and operated must be included in every budget, every year. Our organization is only one of many that have recognized this crisis situation and the continuing deficit of future funding to address the region’s transportation operations and maintenance needs. The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has renewed its emphasis on planning for operations with its PLAN 2040 document. Details about this report have been published at www.atlantaregionalcom/transportation/plan-2040. The Atlanta Region PLAN 2040, officially begun in February 2010, is proposed as “the metro Atlanta area’s plan to accommodate economic and population growth sustainably over the next 30 years.” One of the PLAN 2040 critical themes for regional assessment is to: *“Provide access to safe, affordable and efficient transportation choices.”* I believe this statement encompasses much of the purpose of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Business as usual will only get us ONLY WHAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST, and today, that simply is not good enough. As evidenced by the traffic situation in the metro Atlanta area. The specialized real-time traffic engineering/information business known as ITS is not a substitute for pavement, rails, rolling stock and bridges, but it is rather an enhancement to those essential infrastructure elements. ITS enables the operation of the complex transportation systems in a more safe, efficient and effective manner, thereby, providing a reliable system with predictable travel times. Remote monitoring can and does substitute well for adding more technical employees or contractors and helps to provide enough information that repairs and maintenance can be prioritized. We cannot be in two places at the same time, nor can we (yet) transport ourselves from one place to another at the speed of light, but we can visit many different locations in a short period of time virtually... None of this is new, but as our industry is challenged to do more with fewer people, outsourced labor and lower budgets, ITS (remote monitoring, diagnostics and response) is one of the more attractive solutions. Our ITS Georgia Chapter is pledged to do everything it can to support the transportation system at every level. Recognizing the state of the economy and the continuing need to support and educate the professionals who make Georgia’s transportation work, ITS Georgia has reduced its fees for the monthly luncheon and is making every effort to provide programs that are both interesting and eligible for Professional Development Hours (PDH’s). ITS Georgia supports better transportation and the more efficient use of our existing transportation infrastructure. Transportation includes all options for individual mobility including walking, cycling, transit and private vehicles. ITS must be part of the solution if the social, environmental and economic needs of the region are to be met. From the Georgia Engineer, April - May 2010 Marion Waters, P.E. President, ITS Georgia Save the Dates – ITS Georgia has two opportunities for learning this year. First and foremost mark your calendars for September 19 – 21 as the dates for the ITS Georgia 2010 annual meeting and exhibits. This year we will be at a new centrally located venue that will provide great opportunities for information and networking. We will meet at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee for the first time. This excellent meeting location in the very middle of Georgia should be convenient for everyone and our planning committee has done a wonderful job of making it an excellent value. In addition to learning about the latest in intelligent transportation solutions, we will hear about policy and funding affecting ITS deployment, new NaviGAtor software and system enhancements, announce newly elected members of our officers, board of directors and name the winner of the second annual Wayne Shackelford ITS scholarship. Additionally, we will be recognizing outstanding ITS projects, organizations and individuals. Our program committee will soon be calling for program participants. Watch for further announcements and opportunities to participate in this program! A very important part of our annual meetings is exhibit and sponsorship opportunities for firms to showcase their equipment, solutions and integration capabilities. Please visit www.itsga.org or follow us on twitter at itsga for the latest on our 2010 annual meeting. Second, ITS Georgia is one of the sponsors for Transpo 2010 to be held in early December in nearby Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Save the dates of December 12-15, 2010 when we will share information with our Florida ITS partners. More information is available at http://www.itstranspo.org. The Lowly Traffic Signal, May They All be in Harmony – Traffic signals – you love them when they are green, hate them when they are red and sometimes don’t know what to do when they are yellow. Regardless of their color, traffic signals are a very visible, very important part of our state’s transportation infrastructure. They contribute to safety, and when functioning in harmony with surrounding signals, can greatly improve the efficiency of our streets and highways. A high-profile and important part of State’straffic congestion mitigation and emissions reduction program initiative was the timing of traffic signals in key metro Atlanta traffic corridors. Timing of signals is operating them to allow the most efficient flow of traffic down a corridor. A well timed thoroughfare permits traffic to keep moving with minimum stops and wait times. The program, carried out under the direction of the Georgia Department of Transportation and with the support of local governments throughout the state, was recognized as the Outstanding ITS Project in 2009. By retiming a corridor or a system, traffic engineers are able to optimize traffic flow through a series of closely spaced intersections with signals. This allows for better traffic progression along the corridor, which results in reduced delays. Reduced delay over key corridors in the 20-county metro Atlanta region, which encompasses 32 local agencies, led to tangible savings in the number of hours motorists spend in their vehicles. Retiming then translates to reduced costs to motorists, community health benefits as a result of reduced emissions, and safety benefits as a result of a reduction in stops and associated rear-end collisions. Under this program, signal equipment was repaired and timing was completed for over 80 traffic signal systems, consisting of over 900 intersections. To sustain the efficiency of operations at traffic signal systems that were retimed, signal timing maintenance is being performed every quarter. As a direct result of the success of this program and in order to continue to advance the state of efficient transportation, GDOT has recently embarked on a new program to monitor, operate, improve and operate regional corridors of significance in the metro Atlanta region where congestion is at its worst. We look forward to learning more about this program at our annual meeting in September. This is NOT and inexpensive program, but one which is extremely effective. The total program-to-date cost for the signal timing project is $3,514,410. The annual estimated savings in terms of reduced delay and fuel consumption is $76,382,111, resulting in a benefit-to-cost ratio of almost 22 to 1, considering a life cycle cost analysis of two years. Overall, improvements in terms of air quality include an estimated reduction of nitrogen oxides by 5.3 percent, carbon monoxide by 14.6 percent, and volatile organic compounds by 27 percent. That reduction amounts to more than 718 tons of pollutants removed from the air each year in the Atlanta area. While other benefits are difficult to quantify, such as more predictable travel times, system performance and less congestion, it is absolutely certain that improved air quality benefited everyone living in metro Atlanta as the program delivered the benefits of reduced stops, reduced pollutants and increased safety. You can bet the people who travel these corridors every day know when their signals are in harmony. From the Georgia Engineer, February - March 2010 Marion Waters, P.E. President, ITS Georgia It is a great honor and privilege for me to represent the Intelligent Transportation Society of Georgia as chapter president. I want to thank the membership of the organization for allowing me to serve. Special recognition is due Anthony Bradford, immediate past president of ITS Georgia, Kenn Fink, former vice president and Susie Dunn, the long time treasurer and founding member. These fine people, along with the board of directors, have served the chapter and their fellow Georgians tirelessly and are continuing to do so. I look forward to serving with newly elected officers Mark Demidovich as vice president, Christine Simonton as treasurer and Kristen Turner as secretary to build on the success of our predecessors. Over the next two years, I look forward to sharing with you the benefits of Intelligent Transportation System solutions - how they improve the safety and efficiency of our transportation system and help to stretch the taxpayer’s transportation dollar. I urge you to be involved with the important work of the ITS Georgia chapter as we recognize innovation, support students entering the field and raise awareness about the many benefits of ITS technology. I also want to acknowledge our many sponsors who provide support so that the chapter can carry out its mission. Please review the list below and join me in saying thank you. ITS in Georgia – 20 years in the making In keeping with the theme of this issue of the Georgia Engineer to “celebrate engineering,” it is appropriate to realize how far we have come in a short time. It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch announced that “the City of Atlanta” would host 1996 Olympic Games – kicking off a flurry of activity to build infrastructure to support the games. The legacy of the Olympics is visible all around in the form of sporting venues and Centennial Olympic Park. While these reminders of the games are important, one legacy that improves the quality of life for thousands of Georgians everyday is the state’s intelligent transportation system known as the Georgia NaviGAtor. Georgia’s ITS program was initiated to provide a showcase of American advanced transportation management system technology and to manage the press of traffic expected for the games. It has evolved and grown into a world-class system of incident management, traveler information and improved efficiency - all managed from the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Management Center (TMC) and the equally important satellite traffic control centers located at MARTA, the City of Atlanta and those located in other cities and counties surrounding the metro Atlanta area. From Google to Garmin to Captain Herb, information collected by the TMC alerts motorists to real-time traffic problems. The information flow to the TMC and passed on from there allows system traffic managers to coordinate with other agencies and adjust traffic signals, freeway ramp meters and respond to accidents and other problems. The popular GDOT Highway Emergency Response Operators, or HEROs, are dispatched and managed out of the TMC and have become a part of the local lexicon. From buses to rail, intelligent transportation technology plays an important role in improving the efficiency of our public transit systems. A pilot program was put in place during the 1996 games by MARTA, NationsBank and VISA to test the idea of a stored value card that could be used to pay for transit. That successful pilot laid the groundwork for the Breeze card used by MARTA riders to pay their fare today. So, the next time your navigation system suggests an alternate route, you use the Breeze card on MARTA or your car radio warns of traffic ahead - remember that you’re experiencing a system built on the Olympic legacy of Georgia’s intelligent transportation system. 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: ITS Georgia encourages partnerships that lead to its members engaging in demonstrable transportation solutions fueled by ITS applications. ITS Georgia members play a strong role in promoting planning, deployment, and evaluation of ITS solutions. ITS Georgia identifies emerging ITS activities (whether or not it has a direct role in their development) as a way of increasing awareness and understanding of these initiatives, promoting greater involvement, and contributing to the greater knowledge base of ITS within the chapter and across the United States. 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: David Williamson, Assistant Director for Georgia Tech Campus Transportation, discussed deploying ITS technology to move 20,000 students on a tight schedule around the campus in a busy urban environment. Mike Cleveland provided a guide to outdoor broadband wireless and the various types of wireless technologies available to provide network connectivity to IP devices for ITS applications. Todd Long provided the chapter an update on how the TRIP program is improving the efficiency and safety of our Interstate system. Sabrina David, Federal Highway Administration’s Director of Program Development – Georgia and Federal Transit Administration’s David Shilling provided insights on the federal stimulus program and what it means for Georgia ITS programs. 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 Georgia We 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. Four of the cities with worse congestion than Atlanta have smaller populations. Minneapolis, which took Atlanta’s place in the top ten, has two million fewer people. Seven cities that ranked above Atlanta in traffic congestion had more road miles analyzed for the study, meaning their misery was spread over a larger area. INRIX analyzed 936 miles of Atlanta roadways for the studies. Traffic congestion in the Atlanta area, as measured by the study, is 21% that of Los Angeles, the most congested city for the past two years. The congestion in the Atlanta area, as measured by the study, dropped by 36% in 2008, 7% better than the national average. The amount of time it took to travel to work, or home, during rush hour improved by 5.6%, compared to the national average of 3.5%. Our worst rush hour is 5 p.m. on Fridays. No surprise there, but our worst rush hour is ranked 20^th nationally. We are better off than motorists in Nashville and Baton Rouge, LA in that category. 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 Georgia The 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.