February 15, 2018
Innovation of the Month:
Using Data to Improve Traffic Incident Management
The use of data from computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems is an advanced approach to implementing the Every Day Counts round four (EDC-4) initiative on using data to improve traffic incident management (TIM).
Data from State police CAD systems provide a more complete picture of what’s happening statewide than data from localized advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) alone. Integrated CAD can also help automate data collection. The result is an improvement in the quantity and quality of data available for TIM performance analysis.
Examples of approaches include the following:
- The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is working to procure the same CAD software as the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) so that when THP enters data, TDOT can pull the information directly into its new centralized ATMS.
- The California Department of Transportation is exploring use of California Highway Patrol CAD data in the California Performance Measurement System (PeMS). An analysis of more than 1.5 million records identified that PeMS contains robust incident information that could be leveraged for statewide TIM performance analysis.
- Through integrated CAD, the Minnesota Department of Transportation uses Minnesota State Patrol data to streamline data collection at the traffic management center in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.
For information and technical assistance on using data to improve TIM, contact Paul Jodoin of the Federal Highway Administration Office of Operations.
Florida Develops Tool to Evaluate Pedestrian Facilities
To support its effort to reduce pedestrian fatalities, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) needed a cost-effective tool to evaluate the safety and accessibility of pedestrian facilities and prioritize improvements. With the help of State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive funds, FDOT developed the Safe and Accessible Pedestrian Facilities Inventory Model (SAPFIM), a software application to collect and manage information on facilities such as sidewalks, curb ramps, and crosswalks. SAPFIM enables State and local agencies to efficiently inventory sidewalk infrastructure and safety features using tablets and simple measuring tools. SAPFIM includes data management features that can incorporate high-priority needs into work programs. For information, contact Gabrielle Matthews of FDOT.
