Publications Search Results

Case Studies & Lessons Learned

State DOT Social Media Survey

These documents are AASHTO’s annual look at the use of social media among state DOTs, informed by a survey to which all but nine state DOT’s responded. The 2014 annual AASHTO social media survey reveals a continuing trend toward increasing social media adoption by state departments

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Informational Product

AASHTO Connected Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Analysis

This report provides the results of an analysis of the potential approaches for deploying the infrastructure components of Connected Vehicle (CV) systems by state and local transportation agencies, as well as the role of AASHTO. Identifying applications that best serve state and local transportat

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Informational Product

AASHTO TSM&O Guidance: Culture Dimension

These three documents are guidance on improving agency capability in TSM&O with respect to the culture dimension, as developed through NCHRP 03-94 and SHRP2 L06, available in this database. Culture is defined as “the combination of values, assumptions, knowledge and expectations of the agency

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AASHTO TSM&O Guidance: Organization / Workforce Dimension

These three documents are guidance on improving agency capability in TSM&O with respect to the organization/workforce dimension, as developed through NCHRP 03-94 and SHRP2 L06, available in this database. Organization/workforce is important to TSM&O because “efficient execution of process

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Case Studies & Lessons Learned

Active Traffic Management: The Next Step in Congestion Management

Active Traffic Management is a complete package of strategies that recognize that there is an increase in travel demand, a growth in congestion, a commitment to safety, and a shift in agency culture toward active management and system operation that focus on the customer. This document assesses E

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Informational Product

Advancing Metropolitan Planning for Operations: An Objectives-Driven, Performance-Based Approach – A Guidebook

This guidebook presents an approach for integrating TSM&O strategies into the metropolitan transportation planning process that is designed to maximize the performance of the existing and planned transportation system. Planning for operations is recommended as a means to meet federal transpor

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Advancing Metropolitan Planning for Operations: The Building Blocks of a Model Transportation Plan Incorporating Operations - A Desk Reference

This document is a resource designed to enable transportation planners and their partners to build a transportation plan that includes operations objectives, performance measures, and strategies that are relevant to their region, that reflect the community’s values and constraints, and that move

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Applying a Regional ITS Architecture to Support Planning for Operations: A Primer

This primer offers transportation planners and operations managers a menu of opportunities for applying the regional ITS architecture to enhance planning for operations. Because many TSM&O strategies are underpinned by ITS, the coordination of planning for ITS among agencies at the institutio

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Best Practice

Best Practices in Traffic Incident Management

Traffic incident management (TIM) is a planned and coordinated program to detect and remove incidents and restore traffic capacity as safely and quickly as possible. This report describes task-specific and cross-cutting issues or challenges commonly encountered by TIM responders in the performanc

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Best Practice

Best Practices of Rural and Statewide ITS Strategic Planning

The purpose of this document is to support the agencies and groups that are beginning the process of rural or statewide Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployment planning. Along with the previously published Rural Toolbox (FHWA-OP-01-030), this best practice document guides users throug

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CHART Non-Constrained Deployment Plan

This report discusses future actions and the role of The Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART). This is Maryland’s highway operations element for the state’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program - whose focus is on mitigation of non-recurring congestion that occurs due to

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Congestion Management Process: A Guidebook

This guidebook provides practitioners with an understanding of the individual elements of a Congestion Management Process (CMP) and includes practical examples of how to implement a successful process based on lessons learned from MPOs across the country. The document addresses the role of the CM

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Designing for Transportation Management and Operations: A Primer

This primer is focused on designing for operations; i.e., the collaborative and systematic consideration of TSM&O during transportation project design and development. Effectively designing for operations involves the development and application of design policies, procedures, and strategies

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Standards & Recommended Practices

Developing and Implementing Transportation Management Plans for Work Zones

This guide is designed to help transportation agencies develop and implement Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) in accordance with FHWA’s work zone regulations (the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule published in 23 CFR 630 Subpart J) updated in September 2004. This rule provides a decision-m

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Research

Developing Transportation Agency Leaders

This report examines leadership development programs in 25 states and seven private-sector firms to address succession management among transportation agency leaders at a time when many experienced leaders are retiring or moving on to other opportunities. Today, technical skills are not sufficien

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Research

Handbook for Communicating Travel Time Reliability Through Graphics and Tables

Reliability information is desired by various audiences in different ways. Those with an interest in information range from decision makers, operators, and developers of reliability monitoring systems, to road users and shippers.  This handbook offers numerous ideas on how to communicate rel

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Research

Evaluating Alternative Operations Strategies to Improve Travel Time Reliability

The objective of this project is to identify and evaluate strategies and tactics to satisfy travel time reliability requirements of users of the roadway network. This study involved the following tasks:

Discuss different needs of various roadway network users Address agencies’ perform
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Field Operations Guide for Safety/Service Patrols

The primary contributions of safety/service patrols are to reduce traffic congestion, improve travel time reliability, and improve safety on freeway and arterial systems. The intent of the guide is to reinforce procedures and provide reminders for various incident scenarios. The document provides

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Freeway Management and Operations Handbook

The document is a resource document originally publishing in 2003 and updated in 2006 that provides an overview of the various institutional and technical issues associated with the planning, design, implementation, operation, and management of a freeway network. Freeway management and operations

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Research

Freight Transportation: National Policy and Strategies Can Help Improve Freight Mobility

This report identifies current and project constraints on freight mobility at the national level and its associated economic, environmental, and health costs to consumers, shippers, carriers, and urban environments in general. It highlights several challenges to advancing freight improvement proj

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Research

Identification and Evaluation of the Cost-Effectiveness of Highway Design Features to Reduce Nonrecurrent Congestion

This report focuses on geometric design treatments that can be used to reduce delays due to nonrecurrent congestion. The report provides a method for incorporating the economic savings due to delay reduction and due to reliability improvement, respectively for specific design treatments duri

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Design Guide for Addressing Nonrecurrent Congestion

This document classifies highway design treatments that may be used to reduce nonrecurrent congestion and improve the reliability of urban and rural freeways.

This product is accompanied by a report titled Identification and Evaluation of the Cost-Effectiveness of Highway Design Feature

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Publications

Guidance on Data Needs, Availability, and Opportunities for Work Zone Performance Measures

This document provides guidance on work zone performance measurement, including data source identification, selection of performance measures, and data collection, assessment, and application (computational methods). In the context of highway work zones, there are three major data needs for perfo

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Best Practice

Guide to Improving Capability for Systems Operations and Management

The Guide examines the way transportation agencies should be organized to successfully execute operations programs that improve travel time reliability. After the Guide was submitted for publication, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) converted the SHR

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Publications

Guidelines for Disseminating Road Weather Advisory & Control Information

These guidelines build on previous work dating back to 2008 to develop specific recommendations for communicating road weather information (content, format, and timing) in a way that is consistent with what travelers need, want, and will use when making travel decisions. They are intended to augment
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Best Practice

Guidelines for the Use of Variable Speed Limit Systems in Wet Weather

This report provides guidelines for the design, installation, operation, maintenance, and enforcement of wet weather variable speed limit (VSL) systems. The use of VSL systems during inclement weather or other less than ideal conditions can improve safety by decreasing the risks associated with t

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Best Practice

Impacts of Technology Advancements on Transportation Management Center Operations

Directed by the Traffic Management Center (TMC) Pooled Fund Study, this report provides guidance to TMCs and transportation management agencies on how to better position themselves operationally in anticipation of future technology changes and advancements. Eight top trends of TMC operations are ide
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Best Practice

Improving Traffic Signal Management and Operations: A Basic Service Model

This report provides a guide for achieving a basic service model for traffic signal management and operations. The basic service model is based on simply stated and defensible operational objectives that consider the staffing level, expertise and priorities of the responsible agency. The report in
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Case Studies & Lessons Learned

Improving Traffic Signal Operations: A Primer

Traffic congestion is a major problem in cities of all sizes. This report describes how some relatively simple, low-cost adjustments to a traffic signal system can reduce traffic congestion and lead to big payoffs in time savings, environmental benefits, and safety. The report is organized in th
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Publications

Information Sharing Guidebook for Transportation Management Centers, Emergency Operations Centers, and Fusion Centers

This guidebook provides an overview of the mission and functions of transportation management centers (TMCs), emergency operations centers (EOCs), and fusion centers (FCs). Functional areas for each of these centers include:

TMCs – management of traffic control systems and assets, incid
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Publications

New National Center Will Support Better Transportation Safety and Mobility

The National Operations Center of Excellence launch press release with quotes from transportation agency and association leaders.
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Publications

A 2014 Synthesis: The Status of Intelligent Systems Deployment

This annual report or *synthesis* is a living document that captures the considerable progress that has been made in developing a comprehensive approach to ITS deployments, particularly through the systems engineering process.

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Standards & Recommended Practices

Unified Response Manual (URM)

A high level planning instrument meant to capture general agreement with respect to how first responders will work together to advance the concepts and principles of traffic incident management.

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TR News July-August 2014: Performance Management in Practice

The full PDF version of the TR News July-August 2014 issue assembles a comprehensive how-to on performance management in transportation. Authors explore current thinking, lessons learned, tools and techniques, and issues related to performance management—what works and what does not. Features det

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Research

TRB Security, Emergency Management, and Infrastructure Protection Research Status Report

Since September 11, 2001, 145 security-, emergency management-, and infrastructure protection-related planning and implementation projects have been initiated through programs managed by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). One hundred eleven of these projects have been completed; 24 projects

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Traffic Signal Operations and Maintenance Staffing Guidelines

This report provides a guideline to estimate the staffing and resource needs required to effectively operate and maintain traffic signal systems. The results of a survey performed under this project, as well as a review of the literature and other surveys indicated that agencies achieving a high

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Statewide Opportunities for Integrating Operations, Safety and Multimodal Planning: A Reference Manual

This reference manual on Statewide Opportunities for Integrating Operations, Safety, and Multimodal Planning is intended to assist managers and staff at State DOTs in their efforts to more effectively integrate operations, safety, and planning. The manual builds on a previous Federal Highway Admi

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Statewide Opportunities For Linking Planning and Operations

This primer is designed to raise awareness of the benefits and opportunities for coordinating planning and operations activities within State DOTs - targeted at mid-level DOT planning and operations staff. The primer explains the relevance of planning to operations and operations to planning and

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Showcasing Visualization Tools in Congention Management

This publication is a summary report describing visualization practices used as part of the congestion management process (CMP), and is a supplement to the CMP Guidebook. These visualizations include maps, charts, graphs, photographs, videos, and computer illustrations and simulations. The report

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The Role of Transportation Systems Management & Operations in Supporting Livability and Sustainability

This primer describes the role of transportation systems management and operations (M&O) in advancing livability and sustainability. The document highlights the connections between M&O and livability and sustainability objectives and the importance of a balanced, comprehensive approach to

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Best Practice

Creating an Effective Program to Advance Transportation System Management and Operations Primer

This Primer was created to raise awareness of the opportunities for improving the effectiveness of State and local Transportation System Management and Operations (TSM&O) activities. The Primer provides high-level guidance focused on key program, process, and organizational capabilities that

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Operations Benefit/Cost Analysis Desk Reference

This Desk Reference is intended to meet the needs of a wide range of practitioners looking to conduct benefit/cost analysis of operations strategies. The guidance provided in the Desk Reference includes basic background information on benefit/cost analysis, including basic terminology and concept

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FAQs / Benefits Brochure

Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations

More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefits of strengthening links between planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness of transportation systems related to operations and planning is through the use of an

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Regional Transportation Operations Collaboration and Coordination: A Primer for Working Together to Improve Transportation Safety, Reliability, and Security

This primer on Regional Transportation Operations Collaboration and Coordination is based on the premise that to improve the reliability, safety, and security of transportation systems operating across jurisdictional and organizational boundaries, continuous collaboration and coordination is esse

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Case Studies & Lessons Learned

The Regional Concept for Transportation Operations: A Practitioner's Guide

This practitioner’s guide is a collection of the observed successes and lessons learned from four metropolitan regions as they developed Regional Concepts for Transportation Operations (RCTOs), a management tool used by planners and operations practitioners to define a strategic direction for imp

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Regional Concept for Transportation Operations: The Blueprint for Action - A Primer

A Regional Concept for Transportation Operations (RCTO) is a management tool to assist in planning and implementing management and operations strategies in a collaborative and sustained manner. Developing an RCTO helps partnering agencies think through and reach consensus on what they want to ach

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Getting More by Working Together — Opportunities for Linking Planning and Operations

This resource guide is designed to help planning and operations managers understand the value of working together and realize the benefits of pursuing management and operations strategies at the regional scale. This goes a step beyond jurisdiction and agency coordination on planning and investmen

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The Collaborative Advantage: Realizing the Tangible Benefits of Regional Transportation Operations Collaboration

This reference manual is designed to help managers and decision makers within local, regional, and state agencies who participate in transportation operations and planning to understand the range of benefits that can be gained from participating in multi-agency collaborative efforts. It illustrat

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Presentation

Connected Vehicles and the Future of Transportation

Presentation on connected vehicles and automated transportation prepared for the SHRP2 Project L36 Regional Operations Forums pilots.

The Regional Operations Forums are a new total-immersion week-long training activity that offers transportation agency leaders the opportunity to learn a

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Presentation

How To Organize for Operations

Presentation on how to organize for operations prepared for the SHRP2 Project L36 Regional Operations Forums pilots.

The Regional Operations Forums are a new total-immersion week-long training activity that offers transportation agency leaders the opportunity to learn about le

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