Overview
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) Program and Action Plan establishes the strategic direction for the advancement of TSM&O in Missouri. TSM&O consists of operational strategies and systems that cost-effectively help optimize the safety, reliability, and capacity of the transportation system. MoDOT is continuously working to improve safety and alleviate congestion on its roadways; the effective application of TSM&O strategies outlined in this plan will help to further improve MoDOT’s roadways by directly addressing many of the root causes of recurring and non-recurring congestion. The mission of the MoDOT TSM&O program, as documented in this plan, is shown below.
The TSM&O Program and Action Plan both aligns directly with MoDOT’s foundational mission and supports existing initiatives, such as Missouri’s Blueprint ~ A Partnership Toward Zero Deaths. It also builds upon previous MoDOT efforts to advance TSM&O in the state. Most notably, in 2013, MoDOT participated in a TSM&O-focused Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) workshop which helped MoDOT understand its strengths and areas needing development in institutional and processbased areas. Completing the self-assessment provided MoDOT with a base from which to further advance operations, and a high-level implementation plan was adopted in 2014. This implementation plan outlined seven priority actions, including a task to identify a core team of champions from across the organization to lead the advancement and integration of TSM&O into MoDOT’s structure and culture. The TSM&O Program and Action Plan formalizes these previous efforts and provides a roadmap to move forward with the advancement of TSM&O in Missouri. The content and high-level takeaways of the plan are summarized below.
Section 1.0, Introduction presents the transportation challenges specific to Missouri that the TSM&O program will cost-effectively address; effectively making the business case for TSM&O in the state.
Section 2.0, Moving MoDOT Forward: Where We Have Been documents previous efforts, existing plans, and the organization of the TSM&O Core Team, Senior Management Team, and supporting teams that resulted from the 2014 implementation plan.
Section 3.0, Moving MoDOT Forward: Where We Are Going gives an overview of MoDOT’s three initial priority focus areas for the TSM&O program—Traffic Incident Management (TIM), Work Zone Management (WZM), and Advancing Technology and Roadway Operations—and provides a set of detailed actions for advancing in each area. These actions comprise the work program for each focus area and are outlined in tables that document the actions; the larger objectives that they support; the steps needed to accomplish each action; the prioritization of the actions (high, medium, or low), the anticipated timeline to complete; potential measure of success; and the responsible MoDOT staff. Importantly, each action includes measures of success to highlight the importance of revisiting and updating the work programs in the tables—encouraging plan maintenance to ensure the program plan remains both dynamic and current. The work plans for each of the three priority focus areas are summarized below.
Traffic Incident Management (TIM) – TIM is a planned and coordinated program process to detect, respond to, and remove traffic incidents (such as a crash or an impaired vehicle), and restore traffic capacity as safely and as quickly as possible. MoDOT coordinates with many partners such as law enforcement, fire and rescue, EMS, public safety, and towing and recovery to maintain an effective TIM program. For this focus area, the plan outlines 11 action items centered around refinement and expansion. The action items are organized by the following four categories of objectives:
- Get Organized: Form TIM Improvement Subcommittee under the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety (MCRS) Executive Committee.
- Get Trained: Provide TIM training to all MSHP and MoDOT team members who will be responding to traffic incidents.
- Improve on I-70 and I-44 First: Develop I-70 and I-44 corridor traffic incident response plans.
- Improve MoDOT TIM Policies: Jointly review and revise any MoDOT TIM policies that could improve traffic incident clearance times.
Work Zone Management (WZM) – WZM is a planned and coordinated process to manage traffic during construction to minimize traffic delays, ensure motorist and worker safety, and complete roadwork in a timely manner. MoDOT maintains processes and procedures during plan development to apply work zone design principles on roadway design and construction projects. For this focus area, the plan outlines 14 action items, organized by the six dimensions addressed in the CMM workshop:
- Collaboration: Provide guidance on building greater relationships with partners.
- Business Processes: Improve planning and programming processes for transportation management plans (TMP).
- Systems/Technology: Encourage the exploration, expansion, and application of technology in work zones.
- Performance Measurement: Enhance performance measurement reporting and data acquisition on work zones.
- Organization/Workforce: Assess staff capabilities and needs for a stronger work zone program.
- Agency Culture: Improve technical understanding and support to work zone strategies as part of the TSM&O program.
Advancing Technology and Roadway Operations – MoDOT has deployed a number of technology solutions to enhance the reliability of the transportation network through active management of the system in the urban areas and statewide. Statewide programs include TIM programs and road weather applications. MoDOT has focused programs to proactively manage traffic in major urban areas at TMCs in St. Louis (Gateway Guide), Kansas City (KC Scout), and Springfield (TMC of the Ozarks). Some of the current MoDOT technologies in use include: CCTV, ramp meters, DMS, traffic detectors, and the supporting communications systems. Data collected from these systems support many of the TSM&O strategies. Finally, autonomous and connected vehicles are quickly changing the way DOTs think about technology applications on the transportation network. This new generation of cars and trucks together with technologies on the transportation network will further capitalize on the investments MoDOT has made to advance operations. For this focus area, the plan outlines 25 action items, organized by the six dimensions addressed in the CMM workshop.
- Collaboration: Increase awareness and provide outreach opportunities and encourage the advancement of TSM&O within MoDOT and partner agencies.
- Business Processes: Improve planning and programming processes for increased focus on TSM&O.
- Systems/Technology: Encourage the application, integration, and expansion of TSM&O solutions.
- Performance Measurement: Enhance performance measurement reporting and data acquisition. Identify purpose and applications for each performance measure.
- Organization/Workforce: Assess staff capabilities and needs for TSM&O-specific staffing needs and assignments.
- Agency Culture: Improve agency technical understanding and support of the overall TSM&O program.
Section 4.0, Strategic Planning goes beyond these three focus area and provides a broader strategic approach to advancing operations in Missouri. These themes, shown below, are not necessarily tied to specific actions and often involve greater integration with DOT activities. To help facilitate the advancement of TSM&O within MoDOT, this section provides a table of actions that fall within each of the strategic planning themes.
Planning for Operations – Planning for operations places focus on how TSM&O strategies and solutions are incorporated into, broadly speaking, the planning processes that support the improvement of transportation system reliability and efficiency.
Workforce Development – The workforce and staffing to support TSM&O requires both the traditionally trained DOT staff of traffic engineers and designers, planners, and managers, as well as those staff more technology focused such as computer engineers, database specialists, communications engineers and technicians, and programmers. Staffing and training programs must develop and sustain the knowledge and talent needed for an effective application of TSM&O. Job descriptions must accurately portray the skillset needed for the positions. Staff turnover must be accounted for and training programs in place to quickly replace staff with equivalent skill sets.
Performance Measurements – The performance management (PM) dimension of the CMM selfassessment scored very well, indicating a mature PM program meeting the criteria established for integrated PM programs. Areas to explore to further advance PM were to expand rural and arterial applications of PM through increased data collection to supplement existing data.
Section 5.0, Looking Ahead highlights how the plan is designed as a living document. Tables detailing specific actions and who is responsible to carry them out are included with the expectation that the document will be updated regularly as the program continues to evolve and additional focus areas are added. It is anticipated that as the TSM&O program evolves, additional focus areas will be brought forward. Some of these may include more direct application to multi-modal operations, freight, traveler information, travel demand management, weather operations, or emergency management. It is recommended that this plan be revisited twice a year to close out actions that have been completed, introduce new actions for continuous improvement, and consider the addition of new focus areas as the program grows