Can you identify TSM&O best practices within MDOT-SHA that can be shared with other states?

1. MDOT-SHA has incorporated TSM&O related objectives, strategies and performance measures into our Business Planning process for over 10 years.The MDOT-SHA Business Plan is structured around Key Performance Areas (KPA’s), each area being lead by an inter-disciplinary committee.These KPA’s include Mobility/Economy, Safety, Environmental Stewardship, System Preservation, Customer Satisfaction and Managing our Agency.In each area, specific objectives and strategies are identified, many of which directly support TSM&O implementation, particularly in the areas of Mobility/Economy and Safety.

2. As MDOT-SHA began working through the Capability Maturity Model self-assessment, we confirmed that many offices have been conducting TSM&O strategic deployment planning, at different levels of maturity, in a variety of discipline areas (for example, Traffic Incident Management, Travelers Information, Traffic Management, Maintenance Operations, etc.)The opportunity for our agency is to align these separate plans, and develop an umbrella TSM&O strategic plan for the entire organization.

3. MDOT-SHA has defined programs for at least some of the elements of TSM&O.A prime example is the Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART) which was identified as an independent office within the State Highway Administration in 1998, and has its own sustainable capital and operating budgets.

4. In order to ensure that CHART continues to support the various discipline areas involved in TSM&O, the program is governed by the CHART Board, which includes Senior Managers from Traffic, Maintenance, District Offices, Toll Facilities, Enforcement, Information Technology, Academia, Finance and Planning. Interagency and cross jurisdictional partnerships and formal agreements with clearly defined roles, responsibilities and protocols is a key strength of the program.

5. A greater degree of coordination between the operations and planning units of the agency ensures that the TSM&O initiatives are developed in a strategic manner. This includes strong leadership support to mainstream TSM&O in all functional areas across the organization at all levels.

6. MDOT-SHA uses an outcome driven performance management approach with strong data and analytical foundationsto implement a successful TSM&O program.

    

Your safety service patrol trucks now have a camera with a real-time live feed to the TMC. Please share the need, process, challenges and the technology associated with this effort.

1. Video camera feeds, in the CHART program, are used primarily to monitor the activities at incident scenes (e.g. arrival of resources, lane closure status, clean-up, etc.)This capability reduces the dependence on verbal reporting via radio by operators on the scene.Therefore, cameras on the patrol trucks facilitate monitoring of incident scenes from the Traffic Management Centers, which in turn improves the quality of our response and status reporting.

2. The truck-mounted mobile video units came as a result of two enabling technologies; Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and common platform video trans-coding.AVL was implemented for fleet management and supported wireless communication as well as geo-location of the vehicle/camera.Video trans-coding was developed through the Maryland MView program, which supports video sharing for homeland security initiatives, and provides standards for video compression, network architecture, transmission and sharing images between platforms.

3. Some of the considerations that went into implementation of the mobile cameras include:

   1. Asset Management – including procurement, inventory, maintenance and replacement considerations;

   2. Operating System Impacts – cameras were traditionally at fixed locations, management of the mobile cameras within the traffic management operating system had to be integrated with the AVL system;

   3. Usage Policies – fixed video cameras had preset views; guidance had to be developed regarding camera controls, views of incident scenes, potential uses to support enforcement and sharing images with the media as well as others.

       

You seem to have a good grip on Highway Incident Management, how about arterial management?

1. A substantial impact can be made on the efficient operation of Maryland’s highways by addressing many of the causes of non-recurring congestion (collisions, debris, work zones, weather conditions, etc.) through Traffic Incident Management (TIM).Arterial management requires more adaptive traffic management infrastructure, such as networked traffic signal systems, traffic metering, traffic flow monitoring, and alternate route management, to effectively address recurring congestion conditions.

2. Arterial management has been identified as a key opportunity area for MDOT-SHA . Active performance data monitoring programs have helped MDOT-SHA understand the reliability challenges on arterials. The Arterial Congestion Management program has expanded its range of mitigation solutions to include TSM&O and Active Traffic Management strategies like dynamic shoulder use, reversible lane operations, lane control systems and traveler information systems.

3. Bringing Freeway Management and Arterial Management closer together is an opportunity area for MDOT-SHA , as identified by our Capability Maturity Model self-assessment. MDOT-SHA is evaluating the potential mainstreaming of Adaptive Signal Control Systems with pilot studies. MDOT-SHA is working on a FHWA Integrated Corridor Management pilot that includes freeways and arterial operations on I-95, US 1 and MD 295 in the Baltimore region.

4. MDOT-SHA envisions MDOT-SHA ring resources, including traffic flow monitoring, communications infrastructure, outage reporting, and video monitoring between our freeway management system and arterial management systems to improve the operational efficiency of both services.

Are you managing using performance measures? If yes can you expand on that?

1. MDOT-SHA has a strong performance management program with a focus on outcome based metrics. Each of the Key Performance Areas (KPA’s) mentioned earlier has strategies and associated performance measures to determine progress and impact.For example under Mobility/Economy KPA, a clearly defined Travel Reliability objective calls for “Achieve an annual user cost savings of at least $1.1 billion as a result of congestion management.” Input and output performance metrics have been instrumented to track progress. For example, “Percent of freeways/expressways with planning time index (PTI) greater than 2.5 in evening PM peak hour” provides a system level reliability indicator of the MDOT-SHA highway system.

2. The CHART program has worked with the University of Maryland to conduct independent evaluations of the Emergency Patrol Program each year over the past 15 years.This evaluation compares the duration of incidents that include CHART Traffic Incident Management support to those without CHART involvement.In 2013, the reduction in delay was 32.65 million vehicle-hours, and the average incident duration was 21.64 minutes.

3. CHART also uses records of incident responses to assess the level and characteristics of each metropolitan region’s (Washington, Baltimore and Frederick) Traffic Incident Management activities.Recently, leadership has asked for an assessment of contributing factors related to lane closures. MDOT-SHA monitors the additional delay incurred by motorists to ensure safe and effective work zone strategies.

4. Effects of signal system retiming efforts and multimodal strategies such as HOV and Park and Ride operations are tracked to ensure their effectiveness in saving the end user time and money.

    

Can you speak on funding MDOT-SHA ’s TSM&O funding?

1. As mentioned earlier, for many of the TSM&O activities, MDOT-SHA established the CHART program (or the Office of CHART & ITS Development) as a separate office in 1998, with dedicated capital and operations budgets.A large percentage of the budget is federally funded, in support of congestion mitigation initiatives.Assessing the program, and providing confirmed return on investment has provided justification for the expenditures, including an expansion in 2014 of the Emergency Traffic Patrol program to operate overnight and on weekends.

2. As MDOT-SHA develops a TSM&O strategic plan, and begins comparing management and operations strategies against construction alternatives, new funding resources will need to be identified and programmed in order to support multi-discipline, multi-office management and operations projects and activities.

3. Over the years, MDOT-SHA has invested in data and analytical products including in-house resources and collaborating with the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Transportation Technology Laboratory (CATT Lab). This provides a solid foundation to establish a travel time reliability monitoring program on its systems. State-of-the-art visual analytics provides great opportunities to leverage data to streamline processes.

    

Do you have business processes in place? Can you elaborate on this?

1. MDOT-SHA has multiple business processes in place to support TSM&O activities. The current MDOT-SHA Business Plan has key TSM&O elements with clearly defined objectives, performance metrics and strategies. Some are documented in greater detail than others. As part of the FHWA SHRP2 L06: Organizing for Reliability project, MDOT-SHA is developing a TSM&O Strategic/ Implementation Plan. One of the goals of the MDOT-SHA ’s current TSM&O strategic planning process will be to align our business process to be more uniform and to support our key strategic directions.

2. As some examples, MDOT-SHA has a documented business process for the design and installation of Intelligent Transportation System field devices (e.g. Dynamic Message Signs, cameras, traffic detectors, etc.)There arerigorous business processes for our Traffic Management Center (TMC) software development, to assure that operating system continues to be stable and fully support traffic management operations.The CHART Operating system is guided through compliance with the Business Area Architecture (BAA).Documentation of our software development processes can be viewed online at http://www.chart.state.md.us/readingroom/readingroom.asp .

3. MDOT-SHA has developed a Reliability Roadmap that adopts a capability maturity approach and identifies a phased approach to develop an analytical framework that informs policies, programs and projects to improve travel time reliability on its systems. The roadmap calls for steering the planning process to include TSM&O programs and projects for programming and implementation. Some of the task activities are being implemented thru’ the ongoing SHRP2 L38: Reliability Products. MDOT-SHA is also developing advanced analysis, modeling and simulation tools for reliability and TSM&O evaluation.

Anything you would like to add on your TMC software(s)?

1. The CHART operating system is a custom, turnkey TMC software which has been under continual growth and development since 2001.Each release of the software is developed to support requirements identified in coordination with operations staff through Joint Application Development (JAD) sessions, and is implemented through strict Configuration Management processes to ensure system stability and continuity.All activities performed through the system are event based, assuring that system resources allocated by event, are managed by specific, identified operators who are assigned to each event, and that all resources are released once the event is over.

2. Looking at the future of our TMC software, we are moving toward developing expert systems to facilitate the process of creating and managing an event on the system, with the system constructing recommended response plans for the operators in real-time.Another goal is to incorporate the associated traffic impacts (delays, queues, alternate route volumes, etc.) into each event record.In support of the direction to more closely coordinate freeway and arterial management, we are also planning for more dynamic information on signal system status and arterial performance.

How about MPO involvement and collaboration?

The Metropolitan Planning Organizations of Baltimore (the Baltimore Metropolitan Council - BMC) and Washington (the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments - MWCOG) have played a role over the past two decades in fostering inter-agency coordination, particularly in Traffic Incident Management and Homeland Security.  One of the Capability Maturity Model self-assessment objectives for MDOT-SHA  is to mainstream TSM&O into the planning process.  Several initiatives  are underway to strengthen the MPO role in planning TSM&O improvements.

1. BMC and MWCOG have both been invited to participate on the MDOT-SHA TSM&O Strategic Planning Committee;

2. BMC and MWCOG have both been invited to sit on the CHART Board, and to participate in the CHART Board coordination activities;

3. Mainstreaming TSM&O planning will involve evaluating operational improvements against construction and infrastructure strategies.The Metropolitan Planning Organizations will have a role in that assessment and decision making process.

    

Is attracting workforce and developing TSM&O workforce a challenge? If yes what are you doing about it if not, what have you done to manage that?

1. The challenge of developing a TSM&O workforce is that TSM&O does not consist of a single discipline, nora coordinated and related set of disciplines.Some of the disciplines and knowledge areas required for TSM&O include: Traffic Engineering, Information Technology, Traffic Control, Emergency Response, Communication, Geographic Information Systems, Highway Maintenance, Towing and Recovery, Hazardous Material Management, and Statistics.

2. MDOT-SHA ’s CHART program has defined two tracks for TSM&O to groupthe skill sets to support Traffic Management Center and Field Operations.For TMC operations our Human Resource Office has created the Highway Operations Technician (HOT) series that requires skill sets in traffic engineering, communications, geographic information systems and highway maintenance and statistics.For Field Operations,the Emergency Response Technician (ERT) seriesrequires knowledge in emergency response, traffic control, communications, towing and recovery, and hazardous material management.Each series consists of three working-level steps (e.g. HOT I, HOT II and HOT III) and a supervisory level (HOT IV).Promotion through the levels requires meeting specific training and testing goals. For Office of Maintenance activities, t

    

Do you have a TSM&O plan? If yes can you share it with us? If not, are you working on it and what is the status?

1. MDOT-SHA is currently working on developing its TSM&O organization wide strategic plan.Through the Capability Maturity Model Self-Assessment, our organization identified key areas to focus on improving, including mainstreaming operational strategies as alternatives in the planning process; broadening the participation in TSM&O activities to include representatives from Planning, Information Technology , and Finance; coordinating the freeway and arterial management programs; and developing multi-discipline measures that characterize the overall level of performance of Maryland’s highway transportation system.

2. Key elements of the proposed TSM&O Plan will include but not be limited to the followingopportunity Areas:

   1. Integrating Freeways and Arterial management and operations

   2. Focus on Arterial operations

   3. Focus on Life-cycle of TSM&O Strategy (capital + O&M)

   4. Develop TSM&O performance metrics and analytical tools to understand effects

   5. Trade-off tools to decide traditional capital vs TSM&O focused projects

   6. Risk Analysis and Operations Scenario Planning (technology, policies etc.)

Can you speak on Regional partnerships that exist in Maryland?

1. Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination (MATOC): MATOC is a coordinated partnership consisting of the District (of Columbia) Department of Transportation (DDOT), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Transportation Planning Board at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).  Its mission is to promote inter-agency information sharing and coordination to provide situational awareness of transportation operations in the National Capital Region (NCR). MATOC is funded by DDOT, MDOT and VDOT, and the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT) Lab provides administrative, technical, and leadership support for MATOC.

2. Traffic Incident Management for the Baltimore Region (TIMBR): TIMBR is a subcommittee of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region, and includes representatives from local and state response agencies as well as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  It is focused on enhancing communication, cooperation, and coordination between agencies, jurisdictions, and modes at traffic incidents in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

3. Potomac Committee Region or Highway Operations Group (HOG): The I-95 Corridor Coalition is a partnership of transportation agencies, toll authorities, public safety, and related organizations, from Maine to Florida, with affiliate members in Canada. The Coalition’s member agencies have designated three primary focus areas (Travel Information Services, Coordinated Incident Management and Safety and Intermodal Movement of Freight and Passengers) where coordination among multiple modes and multiple jurisdictions is  highly beneficial in furthering transportation improvements.  The Potomac Committee Region or HOG is one of five regional groups (New England, Tri-State (New York Metro), Potomac, Delaware Valley, and Southern) within the I-95 Corridor with a focus on Coordinated Incident Management and Safety. The primary focus of this group is the efficient and safe response to highway incidents – especially those involving first responders from multiple jurisdictions.

4. I-81 Corridor Coalition (CC):  This coalition was formed to oversee I-81 corridor operations regarding safety, freight movement, environment, technology and infrastructure in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee. The key goals and objectives of the I-81 CC include developing protocols and the technical capabilities (including an ITS system) to provide real-time sharing of incident management information to mitigate traffic delays and avoid secondary accidents, developing a website to communicate real-time sharing of critical information, sharing information and expanding planning and outreach efforts to consider economic development opportunities as they relate to transportation.

5. Delaware/Maryland/Virginia Coordination Group: This is a regional hurricane evacuation group which works on evacuation plans for the Delmarva Peninsula.

    

Where is MDOT-SHA on TIM, Work Zones, Road Weather, and Traffic Signals?

1. Traffic Incident Management is one of MDOT-SHA ’s strongest TSM&O disciplines, and is managed by the Office of CHART & ITS Development, which was created in 1998.MDOT-SHA has TIM agreements with partner agencies (police, fire, rescue, towing, local governments, etc.) and is meeting the goals of SHRP2 inter-agency TIM training.

2. Implementing advance TSM&O strategies in work zones is an opportunity area for MDOT-SHA .Some strategies we are considering (but haven’t widely implemented yet) include work zone CCTV monitoring;travel time information through work zones; stopped vehicle monitoring; queue warning; and dynamic lane closure warning.

3. MDOT-SHA has acomprehensive roadway weather management system that includes atmospheric/pavement condition weather stations, customized regional weather reports, AVL on all snow removal vehicles, resource tracking for de-icing materials (i.e. “salt”), and a geographic information system to track last plowing/de-icing of roadways.

4. As mentioned earlier MDOT-SHA is looking to bring freeway management and arterial management closer together, to support more dynamic adaptive traffic signal system strategies (please see the response to question #3).

5. MDOT-SHA has piloted applications to evaluate work-zone performance metrics, snow emergency operations using real time probe-data with support from UMD CATT. These analytical tools are further being evaluated to mainstream them in TSM&O performance management initiatives.