Q. Can you identify TSM&O best practices within Wisconsin DOT that can be shared with other states?

A. 1. The Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) Traffic Infrastructure Process (TIP) is WisDOT’s recently restructured ITS planning methodology.  The process is crafted to enable consideration and implementation of new and diverse technologies; invite all stakeholders to the table; document deployment decisions for ITS and other traffic operations investments to cost-benefit information; decouple timing and nature of decisions from funding source; and build a regular ITS planning business process for WisDOT.

2. An Arterial Integration Management (AIM) plan was developed as a process for identifying traffic management strategies and ITS deployment strategies for arterial roads.  Using specific arterial characteristics such as volumes, speeds, access, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, the AIM identifies costs, local agency coordination and system performance goals, as well as the recommended strategies to achieve these goals.  This valuable planning tool will be included in a broader TSM&O planning process and will help Wisconsin DOT deploy the right amount of traffic management infrastructure to provide high value on the state’s arterial network.

3. WisDOT reports out on many performance measures.  One in particular includes vehicle delay and reliability on the statewide interstate system on a quarterly basis.  The University of Wisconsin-Madison Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory (TOPS Lab) supports this by combining traffic volume data with the U.S. DOT’s National Performance Management Research Data Set to measure delay.  User cost data is included to measure user delay costs on the interstate system.  The data set provides travel time information that we use to report a planning time index for long corridors and urban segments.

4. WisDOT’s Statewide Traffic Operations Center (STOC) integrates multiple systems and data sources to meet its mission.  Some examples of these include:
• Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) – Weather information and weather management system that helps build situational awareness in the control room.  This system connects the weather forecasting, plowing and salting, and traffic management functions.
• Mobile Architecture for Communication Handling (MACH) – Law enforcement dispatch graphical user interface to garner situational awareness; only traffic-related information is available in the control room.
• Volume, Speed and Occupancy (VSPOC) Application Suite – Detector data curation system that captures and manages specific observations from WisDOT infrastructure from 1997 to present day.
• InterCAD – Law enforcement computer-aided dispatch (CAD) data from multiple local Sheriff Offices and State Patrol. STOC is supplied with traffic related information only.
• Traffic Incident Alert (TIA) System – Managed listserv to broadly communicate traffic incidents that close 50% or more of a state highway.  Subscribers include law enforcement, highway maintenance and traffic engineers, the media, etc. 
• Wisconsin Tracking, Resources, Alerts and Communication (WiTrac) System – Utilized to broadly communicate real-time traffic impacts with Emergency Medical Services.
• Transaction Information for Management of Enforcement (TIME) System – Secure teletype system that enables quick and broad communication with the law enforcement dispatch community.
• Google Maps Traffic Layers – Aggressively scanned and vetted to capture minor incidents and congestion outside the view of WisDOT owned infrastructure.  These are typically along rural interstate corridors that see peak freight, tourist and special event traffic.
• 511 Wisconsin Twitter – Automated Traffic Incident Alerts are fed to 511 WI Twitter account and the same account is aggressively used to add “humanized” specifics to the most severe incidents.     

5. Unique to Wisconsin, the Division of State Patrol (DSP) falls under the WisDOT. The Division of Transportation System Development (DTSD) and DSP hold regular meetings to clarify and unify the direction, structure, and expectations for cross-functional programs and operations of DSP and DTSD. This allows the two divisions to provide necessary executive-level prominent oversight and management direction of significant issues and risks that affect the transportation system and to ensure that the issues have critical support and direction.

6. WisDOT has entered into many shared-resource agreements whereby we have received dark fiber in exchange for the longitudinal use of WisDOT’s controlled-access highway right-of-way (ROW).  Revenue from ROW occupancy and dark fiber leases is used to operate and maintain ITSNet. Overall, ITSNet is composed of fiber built by WisDOT and also obtained through trades.  This network is robust enough to accommodate real-time data, voice, and video transmission in emergency situations, and it is not to be used for traditional office automation functions. We work with other departments within WisDOT (such as State Patrol), other state agencies, municipalities, and telecommunication providers to share resources and expand the network.  The chief objective of ITSNet is strategic and efficient deployment and management of a communications network that supports traffic operations, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), security, and emergency communications. Our extensive backbone fiber network will be essential for future connected vehicle communication.

7. WisDOT has been awarded two grants for implementation of a truck parking availability system.  One through the U.S. DOT’s Truck Parking Facilities Program in 2012 and one through the U.S. DOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant Program in 2015 as part of an eight state plan with Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio. Current plans include outfitting 11 public rest areas along the I-94 corridor. One technology being implemented is video pattern recognition, which uses an array of three cameras to recreate parking stalls in 3D and tracks the parking occupancy. Another technology being considered for implementation or investigation include magnetometers and microwave detection. Parking availability will be processed and calculated by a contractor and updated every five minutes.

Truck parking availability will be disseminated to the 511 XML feed, posted on roadside DMS, sent wirelessly to motor carrier cab communications and posted on the University of Minnesota website and used by Michigan. This system will bridge traveler information between Minnesota and Wisconsin and will connect with Minnesota’s truck parking notification system already in existence. The system will be fully operational by fall 2016.

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

A. Greater emphasis has been given on arterial management with an integrated corridor management (ICM) project where arterials in the Milwaukee area used diversion routes that are being managed with dynamic message signs, hybrid DMS, monitored with CCTV and outfitted with Bluetooth detection to capture travel times.  WisDOT recently started posting arterial travel times on newly available arterial DMS for additional traveler information during one of the state’s mega projects. The Zoo Interchange project team publishes performance measures that include the arterials within their project footprint.  Many arterials recently changed over to adaptive traffic signal control methods to improve traffic flow. 

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

WisDOT’s MAPSS Performance Improvement program focuses on the five core goals and associated performance measures that guide us in achieving our mission "to provide leadership in the development and operation of a safe and efficient transportation system."   To learn more about WisDOT’s MAPSS program including the goal areas and to view the scorecard and performance improvement report http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/performance/mapss/default.aspx.

Additional performance analyses have been done separately for the purpose of project programming upon request, based on the delay and reliability process that has been established to support the WisDOT’s MAPSS mobility measures. Seasonal urban freeway reliability results are being used in the STOC control room to work towards notifying the public when travel times exceed the 95th percentile reliability index time to encourage them to avoid the excessive delays.  Additionally, WisDOT is planning to leverage existing volume, work zone (Lane Closure System), incident (Traffic Incident Alerts, ATMS incidents), weather and special event data and databases to draw conclusions on the sources of delay for specific periods.  A project is currently underway to draw these links between the data and our performance measures.  This will increase WisDOT’s ability to make effective decisions regarding construction, traffic incident management, operations and maintenance, traveler information and traffic management.

WisDOT is also developing a new monthly report that tracks various performance measures for the STOC in categories such as Freeway Service Team assists, control room activity, 511 usage, incident management, and mobility statistics.  The report is designed to be compatible with WisDOT’s existing report styles and the MAPSS Performance Improvement program. 

Q. Can you speak on WisDOT TSM&O funding?

A. WisDOT has three primary funding sources for TSM&O: the highway improvement (construction) program, Highway Systems Management & Operations program, and more recently the Standalone ITS & Signals program. With highway construction projects, we are able to deploy and/or maintain TSM&O assets on that segment of highway. The main operations and maintenance appropriation for WisDOT is the Highway Systems Management & Operations program which funds salt procurements, roadside facilities, pavement marking, signing, and other traditional highway operations and maintenance functions. Historically, this program has been underfunded, and as a result, are really only able to use this program for lighter maintenance of TSM&O assets, as well as STOC control room staffing.

In the 2013-2015 Wisconsin State Budget, the Standalone Signals and ITS Program was created in response to legislative changes allowing for the deployment of standalone ITS and signal installations, replacements, and rehabilitation projects. The provision appropriates $10 million annually for traffic signal and ITS projects through 2019. WisDOT Regions and the Bureau of Traffic Operations apply for this funding annually. Project applications are reviewed and awarded by a statewide committee using an objective process that evaluates each project in areas of mobility, accountability, preservation, safety and service, the five core goals of the department MAPSS Performance Improvement program.

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

A. 1. In 2009, the Traffic Operations Infrastructure Plan (TOIP) was completed which developed a methodology and tools to evaluate ITS across the major corridors in Wisconsin including cameras, detection, incident management, traffic signal systems, ramp metering, communications and traveler warning and information.  The plan included cost benefit analyses and aligned with WisDOT planning and programming processes.

As mentioned earlier, the Traffic Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) Traffic Infrastructure Process (TIP) is Wisconsin’s next generation traffic operations infrastructure planning toolbox.  In the past, Wisconsin had used a longer range Traffic Operations Infrastructure Planning (TOIP) tool to match ITS and TIM infrastructure needs with improvement projects.  The new TSM&O TIP concept of operations was designed to meet agency mobility and safety goals (reduce delay, increase reliability, reduce crashes, and actively manage traffic). 

2. In an effort to educate internal and external stakeholders, media and the commuting public, WisDOT has been developing business case papers on a multitude of program areas and devices. These in-depth papers allow individuals not familiar with our mission to better understand the history, benefits, planning process, costs, etc., of devices and programs. The papers have also streamlined the process of providing legislature with key information during hard economic times.

How about MPO involvement and collaboration?

WisDOT works closely with Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO’s) to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated approach to local, regional and state transportation planning in Wisconsin's urbanized areas.  WisDOT central office and region staff coordinate with MPO’s to complete Transportation Improvement Programs and Annual Work Programs.  WisDOT hosts quarterly meetings with MPOs and Regional Planning Commissions (RPC’s) to provide open dialogue on a variety of topics including: identifying emerging trends, reviewing new legislation or priorities, sharing best practices, and scheduling of annual activities. WisDOT provides input into Transportation Management Area’s (TMA’s) congestion management plans to incorporate ITS infrastructure. 
 
WisDOT collaborates with MPOs on projects within the MPO planning areas.  The level of MPO involvement varies based upon project type and scope.   Projects with MPO’s that receive federal aid must be listed in the MPO TIP. 

In November 1982 the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission in cooperation with WisDOT initiated a detailed study of the freeway traffic management system in Milwaukee to improve the operation of the highway system and regional arterial system.  The study resulted in a report which ultimately recommended the establishment of a TMC in Milwaukee; the development of ATMS software; the creation of freeway service patrols; and expansion of ramp meter deployments to create an integrated system of ramp meters.  This study was instrumental in the development of the freeway management system in the Milwaukee area in the mid-1990s. 

In South Central Wisconsin, the Madison MPO is making an effort to use all available resources to integrate, partner and deliver the most efficient and useful transportation services to their customers with the development of a Regional Strategic ITS Plan. The primary purpose of this plan is to create a road map for the implementation of an integrated system of ITS strategies that enhance the efficiency and safety of the transportation system and achieve other identified regional transportation system goals. The plan will build off of the work already completed by WisDOT, which focuses primarily on the freeway system in the Madison area.

Efforts are underway by WisDOT Southwest Region staff to increase MPO and other area stakeholder involvement and coordination with a TSM&O CMM workshop in La Crosse held in October 2015.   This area specific workshop was a pilot workshop that may be considered for other areas of Wisconsin. 

Q. 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?

Attracting workforce and developing TSM&O workforce is a challenge facing agencies. Identifying the KSAs needed to address rapidly changing technology and funding the necessary training is a critical issue. In addition to the traditional Civil Engineers, WisDOT has several electrical engineers and IT staff supporting the STOC and ITSNet communication network.  Fostering a culture of continuous improvement is a priority in addition to ensuring that TSM&O is recognized and understood at all levels.   In the last three years key members of management have participated in the Operations Academy.  In 2014 WisDOT was the host state for a Regional Operations Forum.  Another goal from the TSM&O CMM workshop is to host a Regional Operations Forum for supervisors and staff.

Currently, the WisDOT uses onsite consultant professionals to provide services for the STOC control room and Traffic Incident Management Enhancement programs.  WisDOT program leads provide direct strategic direction and manage program activities on a day-to-day basis, while outsourced staff provide the diversity of backgrounds and strengths needed to deliver on these strategies.  Some of the experience and education backgrounds of current onsite consultants include law enforcement, security, media, dispatch, IT and even air traffic control.

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?

In 2012 WisDOT and partner agencies participated in a SHRP 2 L06 TSM&O CMM workshop and developed a list of actions. In June 2015 WisDOT and partner agencies assessed progress and refined goals during a TSM&O CMM workshop.  One goal identified is to develop a formal TSM&O plan for WisDOT.  This is also identified as a goal in the Division’s Business Plan. Another goal from the workshop is to develop a TSM&O Working Group that will include regional partners and stakeholders.

Q. Can you speak on Regional partnerships that exist in Wisconsin?

A.1. WisDOT is a member of the Great Lakes Regional Transportation Operations Coalition (GLRTOC), which is a partnership of Great Lakes agencies ¬that coordinates operations across jurisdictional boundaries, and addresses transportation operational issues on a larger, multistate and international scale. In general, the focus of GLRTOC is on addressing traveler information, congestion management, and incident management on freight and passenger interstate traffic across the member agencies’ transportation networks. The U.S. DOT Multistate Corridor Operations and Management (MCOM) Program has provided grants that have led to Connected Centers and Gateway Traveler Information System Expansion, Smart Work Zone Coordination, and Interstate Corridor Performance Management.

2. WisDOT provides administrative support to the Lake Michigan Interstate Gateway Alliance (LMIGA), which is a voluntary organization with active member participation from WisDOT, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Tollway, the Indiana Department of Transportation, the Indiana Toll Road Concession Company LLC, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Skyway Concession Company LLC. The goal of LMIGA is to focus on operations along the corridor to ensure that traffic moves safely and efficiently. This goal is realized by interagency communication and coordination, improvement projects, training efforts, and region-wide planning.

3. Due to a study commissioned by the Governor post Hurricane Katrina, the state identified the need to create and enhance evacuation planning and documentation for the twelve most populated cities in Wisconsin. With the large range of possible evacuation needs, it was necessary to use an emergency mobility approach for the planning effort with each county, responder discipline and county emergency management.  The Evacuation Route and Traffic Control Guidance component of Wisconsin’s emergency evacuation plans are an informational resource that focuses on providing incident commanders and responders guidance in planning for and implementing evacuation requirements at almost any location within the jurisdiction.

4. The Freight Policy Administrators (FPA) group is WisDOT’s executive team responsible for advising the Office of the Secretary relative to freight mobility decisions affecting the state of Wisconsin. The purpose of this group is to develop an organizational structure to address and respond to both the short and long term needs of freight mobility.

Enhancing freight mobility is a top priority for WisDOT.  The Wisconsin State Freight Plan will provide a vision for multimodal freight transportation and position the state to be competitive in the global marketplace by ensuring critical connections to national freight systems remain, or become, efficient. The State Freight Plan will include these key elements:

i. Linking transportation investments to economic development activities
ii. Placing Wisconsin within a national and global context
iii. Engaging and reflecting the interests of a wide array of freight stakeholders
iv. Implementation – from planning to project development to programming
v. Performance measures and management

5. WisDOT has a close working partnership with The University of Wisconsin’s Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory since its inception in 2003.   The TOPS Lab leverages its four multi-disciplinary program areas to solve a variety of mobility and safety issues throughout the state, region, and country to improve the quality of life.

6. WisDOT’s TIME program has been instrumental in strengthening partnerships across the state.  See more details below. 

Where is WisDOT on TIM, Work Zones, Road Weather, and Traffic Signals?

1. The Traffic Incident Management Enhancement (TIME) Program began 20 years ago in the Southeastern part of the state and today facilitates 27-30 meetings a year in all five WisDOT Regions. Responders from all disciplines are invited to attend the meetings, which disseminate information about the TIME Program, any changes in policy or protocol in regards to TIM and to open lines of communication. The TIME Program has, on the average, approximately 700+ responders a year attend the regional TIME Meetings.

The TIME Program also supports and facilitates meetings of the TIME Coalition. The TIME Coalition was established in 2012 and consists of 17 associations and/or organizations from all responder disciplines that represent over 37,000 responders in the state, e.g. law enforcement, fire service, EMS, air ambulance, county highway departments, medical examiners, the insurance industry and others. The TIME Coalition was created in order to have a unified voice in Wisconsin in regard to TIM and to ensure all disciplines are represented when discussing TIM procedures. 

2. WisDOT uses a web-based Lane Closure System for tracking closures and restrictions on Wisconsin interstates, expressways, state highways and some local roads. Closures and restrictions are exported to the state’s 511 system and available for freight trip planning purposes.

In 2014 the Wisconsin web-based Transportation Management Plan system (WisTMP) was implemented to facilitate TMP development, approval, standardization, and electronic storage of documents for future reference. TMPs are required on all state let projects, so the online system allows searches on “best practice” strategies from the basic projects to the mega projects.

3. WisDOT uses a variety of activities to monitor road weather. One system includes nearly 70 roadside weather stations (RWIS) that collect atmospheric information such as winds, air temperature, dew point, and precipitation.  These sites also gather pavement information including pavement temperature, status (wet, dry, snow-covered, etc.), amount of chemical on the road, and the freeze point of the chemical solution.  These fixed sites are augmented by pavement temperature sensors mounted on approximately 700 snow plow vehicles.

Wisconsin also uses the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) to provide accurate weather forecasts to the county highway departments that maintain Wisconsin’s state highway system.  The system is used by almost all of the 72 county highway departments.  MDSS provides hourly forecast updates for over 400 routes statewide. In addition, it provides the users recommendations on when to apply chemical and plow. To keep MDSS constantly updated, WisDOT has installed AVL-GPS on over 900 county highway vehicles.  These units track the activity of winter maintenance vehicles, including where they have plowed and applied chemical. WisDOT has also deployed weather monitors for public use in its rest areas.  These monitors provide constantly-updated weather information such as radar and current weather conditions to help travelers decide their future plans.

4. WisDOT deployed its first adaptive signal system in the Milwaukee area in 2013. Since then these systems have expanded to include over 50 intersections. There has also been 14 intersection adaptive signal systems installed jointly with the City of Madison.  There are several other corridors being studied for adaptive upgrades.  Results have been generally positive; however, one of the systems deployed has had issues with its detection hardware and software, causing operational issues. WisDOT plans to focus more on getting remote communication to the signals and developing performance based decision tools from our central system and signal performance metrics application.

WisDOT also has used a test intersection to evaluate non-intrusive detection technology.  Working with the UW TOPS Lab, we have started a second phase of this project in hopes of testing additional technologies, and developing a decision tool to help signal engineers in considering the strengths and weaknesses of the technologies.

WisDOT implemented the signal performance measures web-based tool that was developed by the Utah DOT via the AASHTO Innovation Initiative (formerly AASHTO TIG).  These signal performance metrics are able to display both real-time and historical performance at signalized intersections.  With this information, WisDOT staff can identify detector (both vehicular and pedestrian) malfunctions, optimize progression of traffic along a corridor, and improve safety.  WisDOT currently has all of our Econolite controllers with fiber communication on the system and will be expanding to include all Econolite controllers with any form of communication, and is hoping that UDOT will soon release a new version that can also handle Siemens controllers.  The long term goal is to have 100% of the signals in the system polling data to improve daily operations.

5. WisDOT partnered with the University of Wisconsin’s TOPS Lab to develop a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) translation software system.  Since 2008, Wisconsin’s InterCAD system has normalized and filtered approximately 250,000 dispatched incidents for direct integration and use in the ATMS system.  Law enforcement agencies that are currently providing CAD data for WisDOT’s traffic management purposes include: Wisconsin Division of State Patrol, Milwaukee County Sheriff, Waukesha County Sheriff, and Dane County Sheriff.  WisDOT is currently pursuing adding other county Sheriff agencies to the InterCAD system and creating other ways to offer valuable real-time information for their operations to achieve our state’s collective traffic incident management missions.

6. Wisconsin’s Division of State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies use the Mobile Architecture for Communication Handling or MACH system as their primary incident and event management system.  Non-sensitive law enforcement information is fed to and used, in real-time, at the STOC control room.  The control room is able to benefit from this statewide system by viewing a large common operating picture and sharing situational awareness to make timely internal, media and driver notifications and appropriate real-time traffic management decisions.  The tool includes geo-located incidents, incident clustering, a traffic incident management and ITS device mapping layer, a communication layer that allows chatting one-on-one or in groups with other MACH users, an alternate route designation mapping feature, a hazardous materials event management layer, and others.