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ACTT Workshop: Wyoming
September 21-22, 2004, DuBois, Wyoming

[Archived] Appendix C (continued): Skill Set Reporting Forms

Traffic/Safety/ITS

Traffic/Safety/ITS Team
Mike Gostovich-WYDOT, Cheyenne
Scott McCanna-Oregon Department of Transportation
Vince Garcia-WYDOT, Cheyenne
Richard Gatten-FHWA, Vancouver, Wash.
Recorder-Cathi Lutz-WYDOT, Cheyenne
Brian Chamberlain-Utah Department of Transportation
Curtis Clark-WYDOT, Basin
Christina Spindler-WYDOT, Cheyenne
Facilitator-Greg Jones-FHWA, Atlanta
Notes - Traffic/Safety/ITS Skill Set
Idea (short name) Idea (detailed description) Implementation Details (barriers, skill set coordination, etc.)
Is there a current system working in Wyoming?
  • Wildlife crossing system.
  • Pilot project canyon used combination of tech. Building system west of Pinedale-yes pilot project and putting in a system-not sure if it works or not or how effective it will be-Nugget Canyon with static sign. The Pinedale is blank out signs-combo garage door trip lines, cameras, etc, cleoforms (ground sensing movement)-may have animals above trip lines in the ground-number if FAOSE calls other things besides deer can trip system.
  • Crossing places easy to define. All date stamped and recorded. Areas of high concentration of deer kills data good. District 3 has extensive data and not just a couple of weeks worth.
  • Getting one system to track all. Not really high numbers. Vehicle/minimum crashes-could plot this info because recorded in safety not increasing design speed.
  • Crash data not drastically high but very political. Many people around country and area as what happens with game.
Power and communications  
  • Not available-looking into solar.
Fencing an option versus technology
  • Doubtful.
  • Interrupts migration-Forest Service doesn't like fencing, can look at fencing for underpasses-less kills with underpasses-15 mi of this without kills so far with an 8-ft mesh fence.
Deer reflectors work?
  • Triangle device and shines into ditch and reflects and holds deer back.
  • Not sure if it works or not-had more deer kills with reflectors but manufacturer said we didn't install them right.
Steve Albertson, Montana
  • Using some tech-should check into their system-western research.
 
Snowfall visibility and snowfall
  • Camera not affected because beam could be broken but ground sensing and trip wire main sensors.
  • How concentrated-too expensive to be over too many miles-that's why only approx 2-mile sections.
  • Cameras automated or manual. Would be manual. In past sat on a ridge and watched and cameras would replace this watching feature.
  • Two-mile section costs about $1 million. Fencing handles bigger area.
Fencing static
  • Haven't had to use if fencing farther back and funneling still to underpasses.
 
Clearing trees from right-of-ways
  • Great idea-no studies to document-but works according to wildlife.
  • It reduces problem and somewhat medicates-Forest Service not happy about us cutting trees-would have to have continuous maintenance to keep trees cleared-only allowed 20 ft.
Federal land has used
  • Reflectors, wildlife crossings which don't help during construction, after construction use a funneling concept-limited in National parks but tried under road crossings and on road where decent side.
 
Fake owls or ?
Keeping animals out of area
  • Fake hunters?
  • Put fake owls on radio towers for birds, but works only a little while-not real effective-got to watch changing migratory pattern.
Identify ITS applications-delays
  • Communications issues.
  • Portland area.
  • Alternate route.
  • Everyone wants to be gateway to Yellowstone.
  • Have minimal delays. Is it reasonable-the goals. Many months of construction with stop-go in same route versus full closure.
  • California on Redwood Hwy had multiple work zones a mile apart with 20-minute delays between reach.
  • Summer time: 3,500 cars-pilot car open for 10 miles couldn't get through and delays too great-increased travel time by an hour.
  • Construction constraint reduces time through a project. Have to maintain one lane in one direction-keep open.
  • Capacity on mountain won't be an issue if not extended long distances.
  • Work zone analysis a little easier-first unit going in April-volumes won't go up that much in April.
  • Allow 20-30 minutes delay where this project is 10-minute delays-make sure in contract with contractor and define peak hours to allow longer time for closure. The max delay through the whole project should be clarified up front.
  • Stop-hold come to a dead stop where delay is a change in mi/h. The difference needs to be explained to the public up front-user costs won't be used in this project because it will kill the project.
  • Traffic control pay person a bid item-main traffic control devices and make sure traffic moving and public and workers safe. TCS charge of devices and traffic control. Helps to allow longer closures during non-peak hours.
  • Stop-hold criteria comes into play only when down to one lane-happens in conflict points (crossovers).
  • Rural 15 minutes, other 20 minutes according to spec book. Free flow and through construction cannot be longer than 20 minutes.
  • Construction people and one-lane traffic happens in slide repairs, bridge replacements and culvert operations.
  • Bridges.
  • Incentives and bonuses work.
  • One lane problems.
  • Get away from traditional design.
  • If go to a different type of design.
  • Is there added benefit having traffic counting info-would that be of value for public-current counters don't record speed.
  • Putting temp cameras on jobs great, some temp some not.
  • Put overall time to trip versus possible delays and leaving public questioning. Time and difference and knowing how long it is going to take better option.
  • Moran Junction and before project limits its needs to be here ... both directions.
  • Proposal to purchase permanent DMS is in the works now at MP 2.5, and 52.5.
  • Highly recommend having portable north and south and Diversion Dam 287 and 26, at 287 and 26 committed and not great. Now 45 minutes away, OK for Oregon but for Wyoming another story.
  • Have signs on construction delays-come back to an area like Dubois so that drivers can be in a town shopping, etc., instead of stopped on the roadway.
  • DMS.
  • Public affairs perspective on Web sites-video from construction zones-cams.
  • Ext highway cam network-64 cameras in metro area multiple directions-and variable message signs in advance of metro areas in real time. During commute peaks give time frame to get there. Very dynamic based on traffic flow and loops in the pavement. Even use portable VMS for work zones. Need to be warned at appropriate times. Since no alternate routes, post so that can take an alternate route. Jackson doesn't want that but time savings may be more of an issue than towns. Need to be fair to everyone. It is after all just communication for everyone. Informational purposes and needs to be shared-gives driver chance to choose alternate route. Do have Web trip site and can see interactive changes occurring on road. Internet an excellent tool. Radio and TV great resources but do a dynamite the airport with info going on Hwy 26 in Dubois, Lander, and Riverton.
  • Sometimes these routes add significant hours to route-2 to 3 hours at times. Parking structure sometimes not great, time perspective can't encourage them to take another route and politically kill towns-affects community.
  • Need to keep this in perspective-have some data-have an auto counter in town and last place to be constructed-gave us an idea of traffic volume-have hourly counters data over 3 months. West of town data is about 150 cars maximum and drops to 100 over mountains. Taken in July and August of 2004.
  • If going to maintain two lanes of traffic trying for 10 minutes versus alternate routes-town perception on construction project concerns town folk-don't want it going over a long amount of town so could do two jobs at one time.
  • Town, county, etc., stop-delay seems awful but 30 mi/h OK. Fed highway did 86 and 2000, get in, get out. Get work done as quickly, safely, and economically in as little time as possible. Stop-go at one set mi/h okay versus 5 at one point, 10 at another, 30 at another, very frustrating.
  • People rather take alternate route and have construction area totally closed. Having multiple work zones okay so long as separated.
  • Unacceptable.
  • Under certain sections can't delay because of. Can open up 2 miles at a time.
  • If start adding truck traffic, etc., with 1,500-3,000 ADT where the one lane in each direction is okay except grades and semis.
  • Lengthy two-lane operations sting-won't see the lengthy work error in here. Work zone area short and queue build up-should be small. Capacity-wise for backup should be good even though the public concerned about this.
  • Dubois stop-delay bothered them. As long as they are moving they are okay. 30 mi/h set for this project. Even with delay in this case public likes it better. Can't exceed over 20 minutes delay. Difference in projects.
  • Better to maintain traffic mobility especially with Dubois being so small. 3-hour delay scares people away. Nighttime temp around here may not allow paving.
  • Only problem; two lanes okay.
  • Special provision can change this but, if you get behind a slow vehicle or animal delays, this time factor may be blown out of the water.
  • Don't know for sure if there will be other things causing delays; passing lanes and large cuts could be complicated but with the right amount of protection.
  • One is being realigned-easy; other one for acceleration contractor is I/D clause-to replace on very important routes-temp signal, detour-look real import told to contractor, needs to be done in a month. Bridge work done up front and can be replaced in weekend. Plan I/D clause for certain section like bridge and narrow right-hand curve and won't be able to be two lanes, will have to be flagged area so offer bonuses for the I/D areas and give reason especially the incentives.
  • Sometimes the max delay and the I/D area will be a problem.
  • Identify them and put in one contract and bite the bullet and get them out of the way in 1 year so the remainder of the construction won't affect the two-lane traffic. Problem is how the grades fit and can we tie in with other part of roadway if going 20 ft. If great differences in grades, very difficult.
  • Let contractors have some flexibility to help.
  • No need for cameras, average delays, etc. not great. Cameras are a huge selling point for the public, so can go on Web site to see weather and how the job is going and progress.
  • Helps value on project, especially this one, sometimes there is nothing on roadway because of volume on project. The speed could come in to benefit the problem lack of volume.
  • Travel time is a real good feature. The city could have an interactive exchange area in Dubois and get info on project and find out the time to get from point A to B. Give parameters without mi/h. Using the ITS educates the public, can also partner and give info on Dubois, things to do in Dubois, and construction info.
  • Do on north/south before junction at least one-half mile.
  • Real time info becoming the wave of the future-great way to go-even though have to build it first, it would be money well spent.
  • Real time info becoming the wave of the future-great way to go-even though have to build it first, it would be money well spent.
  • Will they be effective?
License plate recognition
  • Do you have expert with infrastructure to provide activity to project devices...need to get power to it and possibly can use satellite, have satellite systems in place in remote areas, but none in area five yet.
  • On land site potentially up to 30 miles, is the phone service above able to handle this, Jackson has a phone line.
  • Do we look at picking up time over corridor or project?
  • Could do a combination; good to find out average travel time and then look at delay in work zone to give those averages, based on what is seen in the work zone. Use radios to keep up on time constraints, etc.
  • General overview on project with projected delays a good concept for this project.
  • Generally have a 5-minute window.
  • Antenna outside of Laramie gives awesome info on time, etc., maybe can get some portable larger antennas to help with info gathering and give time delays, etc.
  • If going to detect speed throughout project, capture license plate recognition, and beginning and end of project can determine mi/h versus counters. A camera system that focuses on cars and passes info from point A to point B to determine time.
  • Need to check ending of lines.
  • Sometimes someone stops to site see, so data can get messed up. Need to be able to kick out outliers. Sometimes cheaper to have high school kid out there manually doing this than spending lots of money on tech. equipment in work area
  • Congestion problems won't be significant because of traffic flow. Pick peak times to get type best average.
  • Can talk longer instead grabbing the 10-second view for the license plates.
Safety
  • Have tow truck on project for the just-in-cases. Don't do much.
  • I-5 thru Oregon-3,000 feet long on one lane bridge had tow truck at each end; suspension bridge in Portland have one on call so only pay as used.
  • Could have a couple of trucks patrolling for the whole corridor.
  • Difficult in this scenario to have any detection.
  • If no pullout, areas can be difficult-in pulloff areas get them off the road.
  • Shouldn't be an issue to deal with stuck vehicles.
  • Can pullout areas be put in for some of the troubled areas and what is a reasonable distance between the pullout areas?
  • Second choice works better but for us. The distance the truck has to come could be too significant.
  • Should have them just roam.
  • In past have told contractors to get them off the road. This project a little more questionable.
  • Usually head-to-head traffic on high-volume roads bigger jobs 5-6 mi apart. If take into consideration the train, should pullouts be closer together? Too many locations may not be that helpful. There should be parking and scenic areas all the time.
Vehicle assist on site
  • Helps keep traffic going everywhere. Would this help to have one available?
  • Can have it as part of contract or have a motorist assistance, which would be more flexible to do versus liability issues with changing stuff from contract. At this time does not have a road assist vehicle available.
Larger rebuild cut sections
  • Are implementing temporary concrete barriers.
  • Determined by how close to fill or edge. Once at a foot drop off and running adjacent to it, then puts up a barrier. Contractor sometimes uses fill back and barriers to use as a retaining wall versus safety issues
ITS-geology
  • Instrumenting slopes-would real-time ITS be beneficial?
  • Develop communication to access info later or better in real time...more worried about traffic volumes in this group, but combining a communication system that accesses both groups could be beneficial.
Ways with multiple projects on pass to make sure traffic control coordinated to make sure traffic control coordinated
  1. Have corridor traffic control supervisor (inspector) hired by contractor-Oregon has a spec on this that will forward. Coordinating the traffic control can make a big difference in the corridor and could let drivers run all the way through without stopping. Traffic control supervisor better than using inspector because sometimes run out of inspectors, so let contractor handle TCS and make sure they are supervised, can pay by hour or day and would be logical to have them out when needed versus every day. Have to advise project manager when needed and he gives yeah or nay. Not paid until work the day. Putting on contractor relieves major burden on DOT. Can be a contractor employee or a subcontractor.
  2. If have multiple contractor and in first contract before others done, how does the TCS switch between projects and how is the TCS paid over the different projects?
  3. Become an entity of the DOT and get better consistency and sharing versus conflicts. Let it as a separate contract as related to the TCS duties, traffic control inspector would help in the multiple contracts and he would handle the overall control between all projects. Avoids conflicts of interests.
 
Performance specs for traffic control
  • If have goals and objectives, lends itself to performance specs. Here's what we want and you figure out how you are going to do it.
  • New in Oregon DOT-designed in-house.
  • Out of house.
  • Coordinates with design and construction philosophy.
  • Design done by ODOT-biddable document and specials. There is an out where traffic control has to supply traffic control info, can be accepted or rejected by contractor, ODOT can approve change or just use ODOT's.
  • Want to hand off to consultant and we don't maintain than information, on larger projects submit spec very general with general guidelines and deliverables and approve accordingly. Give the framework and let them fill in. Contractor doesn't do that, consultant does that.
Acceleration
  1. Overall project completion. Finish the job in so two. Many days and give a bonus, can we close the road at night totally. Night volumes midnight to 6 a.m., may have 20 cars an hour max both ways (120 cars still being shuffled).
  2. Portable lighting would need decent generators and flagging removed.
  3. Have done the night work in the forest.
  4. Make tough projects as one project and then do others separate from that.
  5. Alternate routes through forest, etc. Forest can't handle the traffic.
  6. Identify common structure areas that cause problems.
 
Afternoon
Wildlife crossings
  • Use data on movement.
  • Incorporate in design, use preused technologies, and target a few locations, optimal size to be determined.
Snowmobile crossings
  • Use migrations areas for snowmobile crossings.
  • Animals usually somewhere else in winter.
Self sufficient
  • Needs to be in regards to communication.
  • Needs to be more automated. If cost prohibitive to keep communication going via technology/camera-focus more on an activation system (garage door-trip wire), etc.
Location of crossings
  • All over the place. None really concentrated.
  • Clearing strategy would be helpful.
Section crashes
  • Mostly wildlife crashes versus other crashes especially in certain areas-try in two different high-crash areas.
  • Use two areas as a trial and, if it works, apply in other areas.
If tunnel too long
  • Wildlife won't use it.
  • Have about 10,000 animals cross in a year.
  • They need to see light at the other end of the tunnel.
  • Can drill through median and have skylights put in (what ODOT did but maintenance a mess).
Crashes
  • Most of them are at night.
  • Could light the tunnels (not).
A+B way to go if minimizing traffic, but are there other considerations
  • For pre-qualifications and meeting requirements.
  • Mobilization problems come in if project supposed to be done by fall and inclement weather postpones this ODOT will negotiate where doesn't penalize.
 
Combine units or focus on hot spots
  • Grades over 5 percent in every section, horizontal curves of 45 mi/h trouble. Units highest is 2 and 3, unit 1 gone out of this since going off in April 2005.
  • Can bid on 1 and 2 knowing that the design can be done on 2 within a certain time frame knowing that unit 1 is already designed and ready to go.
  • Mobilization significant in dollars, to develop, award, etc costly, efficiency gained by contractor staying on site and quality control of product is more consistent.
  • To take care of geotech problems may cause road closures and one-lane traffic.
  • Do unit 1, put 2 and 3 together taking care of grades.
  • Make sure to award jobs together rather than all separate; not geared up to do design that quickly.
  • Innovative finance comes into play, two units would drain the budget combining units okay but what about doing the hot spots first then the other units.
Need to minimize delays
  • Let contractor buy into them having a traffic control manager regardless of the cost to handle the flow through the corridor.
  • If constrain ourselves that recs fully implement, then limiting ourselves.
  • Software, optimized timing already available; if communication a problem build a couple of towers.
  • One or two good suggestions could make the difference.
ITS
  • Put in power and communication to make it work.
  • Community perception causes concern.
  • ODOT-conservative but generally okay on traffic control; a hard sell to the community because of the "do or die" fear with the community.
  • Towers aren't a good option because of Forest Service, but maybe there is a shared facility.
  • Consider pulling power and fiber optics through project to keep communication open; not easy but doable.
  • Time to get the power, and fiber in place could be started from both ends; telephone poles not an option but burying them is the option and it is less problem; putting power and telecommunications together is the optimum rather than placing power and communication lines separately.
  • Is a camera really beneficial or the talking back and forth better-public loves the visual and in PR prospective worth their weight in gold. Works great in Cheyenne because there are alternate routes.
  • 4 p.m. running 50-100 cars per hour both ways from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Many hours between midnight and 6 a.m. maybe 1 to 2 cars an hour.
  • Could be one of the main tools. In Phoenix set up video cameras to control traffic on regular highway so could help on construction sight by making sure product of their people moving adequately.
  • Tourists possibly would choose alternate routes because of construction delays and closures. Need lots of PR to keep public calm and get them the information they want.
  • Currently Forest Service uses radio frequency to communicate.
  • Obviously getting Ma Bell to coordinate with us for future use with minor maintenance from time to time would be a benefit.
  • Could put up a temporary facility until everything hooked up.
  • Makes closing of road at night a bigger benefit with the less trafficked road.
Pineal
  • Have an ITS project in place and waiting for results-burying conduit not a great thing to do right now, but if environmental wants to address this then say that this should be considered.
  • 65 mi/h with low design speed and now will be reducing speed and have more of a dispersion and there will not be different speeds through the tunnel. Speed 65 mi/h, and design speed is 55 mi/h (especially curves) clear zone will drop back down to 55 mi/h also. Posted speed should be 5 to 10 mi/h over design speed. There will still be some 45 mi/h curves too.
High water-flood planes should be considered
  • Shouldn't be a problem
 
Geotech construction for hot spots and for traffic congestion
  • Bite the bullet and do the hard parts first.
 
Construction
  • Have a corridor wide traffic control manager and have nighttime closures.
 
PR coordination
  • Have info area in Dubois to give out traffic info (kiosk) and combine that with a town public info center. Cameras at this location would be good. VMS boards are available but limited to what can be posted on them. There could be other things posted like where to eat, but radio a better media for it.
  • Have to PR within our own PR to convince that we can do it. Need to find out what they need for us to be successful. Want speeds, times, who is the end user, what?
  • Advance info in Riverton and Lander a strong possibility as well as coming out of Jackson, but the towns don't want anyone to discourage people from coming to their town. PR should figure out how to handle this. Violent public pose a problem so warn them in advance. Let them know there is construction and there are delays but the delays are bearable and it is worth your while to continue our way. Real-time info helps public make a better educated choice and most frequently, if well-informed, public will continue on construction path rather than taking an alternate route.
  • National trend is how long does it take to get through the corridor-travel time versus corridor time. What is a good time to say? Travel time would be a more positive tract. Delay sounds kind of negative, and if don't stick to amount of delay said, causes problems. Distance would be a good item to know too. Post possible delays for possible hours on Web site for advance communications. Most commuters got the information. Schedule to minimize traffic delays. Get them on the Web site, HAR, etc. Give plenty of time to notify others via contractor of delays like the blasting area in the corridor. If an alternate route doesn't work then come up with advance communication to advise commuters.
FM HARs/AM HARs
  • Lots of people using FM versus AM, look at going FM.
  • AM travels farther and lower frequencies.
I/Ds work
  • Better if can find gray area where sting isn't as bad.
  • Use an incentive and disincentive; ODOT usually caps both and also sets a daily amount too for both, even on-time amounts; pays more in incentives versus disincentives
Lane rental
  • Cost is determined by parameters set. We don't get really high dollars because volumes not that high.
  • If not racking up a lot of user costs, can't worry about lane rental costs.
After talking to other groups
Construction
  • How much can we restrict to one-lane (distance)?
  • Are there going to be clauses where there will be no more than this amount of one lanes for this amount?
Geotech
  • Do you want COMS-us to monitor slope, stability, etc.
  • Go with 2-mile limit at 30 mph, takes about four minutes to travel that, so to set maximum time to travel through.
  • Identifying hot spots-yes-let's bite the bullet up front-hot spots for them-land-side mitigation, bride construction and off-land construction (could be I/D clauses or incentives, etc.)-could shave one year off of project; animal protection issues.
  • Two miles no problem with 15-minute delay-urban areas should limit it by the mile.
  • Contract-wanted to shift one of the units around-switch Togowtee Pass (October 0 8) and Rosie's Ridge (October 07) flip flop-looking to shave off a year.
Geotech
  • Wants hot spots dealt with first-do early contracts.
 
Environmental
  • Understood lack of its technology but want to utilize structures already in place.
 
Contract
  • Lane rentals maybe, but looking at bank hours.
  • Rock work.
  • Early completion.
  • Don't want to do the whole thing at once.
  • Distance of limit for single land operation.
  • Traffic control coordination/TCS still a possibility.
  • Safety should have wet reflective tape on pavement.
  • Roving vehicle good idea for gas, diesel, flats, etc.
  • If have to close hours, would give them 500 hours at night and 50 hours during the day; disincentive for overusing but no incentive for not.
  • Require advanced notice for lane closures.
  • Incentive and disincentives should apply.
  • Time factor not a distance factor.
Public Relations
  • Want accurate and real-time information on delay and travel times.
  • Would like to use VMS and HAR radios to get information out.
  • Hot spots-community standpoint is don't do this because will lose job and take money away from them, etc; just as soon have more steady and consistent work over the life of the corridor project.
  • Web cams not a biggie.
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Updated: 02/20/2020
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