March 23, 2023

EDC-7 Virtual Summit Recap: NextGen TIM- Technology for Saving Lives

Last month, transportation practitioners from around the country gathered virtually for three days to learn more about the seven innovations that will be promoted during EDC-7 (2023-2024). If you missed sessions or breakouts, you can still view these on-demand at the summit website.

The theme of day one was Improving Safety for All Users, and one of the featured innovations was Next-Generation Traffic Incident Management (TIM): Technology for Saving Lives.

During the sessions, several States joined the FHWA team co-leads to provide an overview of how technology can be a “game changer” for State and local TIM programs. Improvements in responder safety, motorist safety, and clearance times are all made possible through the application of six proven TIM technologies being promoted in this innovation:

1. Advance Warning Technologies inform road users of potential roadway incidents ahead. Warnings may be delivered via smart device, in-cab systems, or visual cues like roadway and vehicle-mounted message boards.
2. Debris Removal Systems, like those used by the Missouri Department of Transportation, allow service patrol operators to complete this dangerous activity without ever leaving the cab of their truck.
3. Emergency Vehicle Lighting augments warning technologies by providing an appropriate intensity, color and flash pattern based on interfaces with vehicle systems like the transmission, brakes, doors, and vehicle electronics.
4. Emergency Vehicle Preemption allows responders to get to an incident scene quickly by interacting with traffic signal systems and providing an emergency response vehicle a “green wave” for faster response.
5. TIM Technologies for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to Support Post-Crash Care are improving the safety and efficiency of EMS personnel on crash scenes and are viewed as an important part of the National Roadway Safety Strategy.
6. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) continue to support multiple TIM activities, and tethered UAS, those attached by cable to a ground base unit, can fly continuously for hours at an altitude of about 150 feet, piping images to responders on the ground or to remote locations via an IP address.

In addition to the Next Gen TIM Summit Presentation, there were two panel discussions. A Post-Crash Care Round Table Discussion was held with experts from the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field. The unique format of the topical discussion allowed for the panel to describe critical elements for outreach to the EMS discipline, opportunities for engagement in state and local TIM coalitions, and how TIM-related technologies might improve the efforts of responders who are providing patient care at crash scenes.

A second panel discussion was held on Advanced Warning Technologies. Staff from the North Carolina DOT spoke about the alerts they send to drivers using navigation apps and to commercial vehicles with electronic logging devices. Staff from Indiana DOT spoke about providing warning alerts at the back of an incident queue with a truck using an arrow board and motorist alert system.

You’re invited to watch all three recordings on-demand. For more information on Next-Generation TIM: Technology for Saving Lives, visit the innovation page or contact Co-Leads Paul Jodoin, James Austrich, or Joseph Tebo.

Discover Home-Grown Innovations from Around the Country

Are you interested in homegrown innovations being used by your peers in other parts of the country? Check out the National STIC Network Showcase, a component of the EDC-7 Virtual Summit. Registering for the event allows you to access all the content through February 2024.

The showcase prominently features several innovations focused on roadway safety. Learn about the New Mexico DOT's Crash Investigation Technology Innovation, which uses unmanned aerial systems to help safely and quickly manage and clear crash sites. Using this technology has helped reduce the time to clear a crash site from 2-4 hours down to 10-45 minutes.

The Department reports that this technology reduces the opportunity for additional crashes, additional pedestrian injuries, the amount of time motorists are stopped, and the amount of police resources required to investigate the crash site. Additionally, the increased speed in clearing sites grants faster access to emergency response for injured parties.

Celebrate the ingenuity of your peers and read about these innovations—developed and deployed in-house at transportation agencies nationwide. Additionally, we invite you to watch the one-hour presentations on-demand that feature many of these and other innovations.

New Innovator Now Available!

The March/April issue of Innovator is now available, accessible from your computer, tablet, or mobile phone to optimize your reading experience!

In this issue:

• States Use Data to Drive Road Safety Improvements
• U.S. DOT Leadership in Innovation: The Digital Revolution in Project Development and Delivery
• The Fight to Reduce Rural Roadway Departures: FoRRRwD's Legacy
• Building Relationships that Advance Innovation
• And more...

Comments? Questions? We'd love your feedback! Drop us a line and let us know what you think.

Read past issues and sign up to receive Innovator by email here, or text "FHWA Innovation" to 468311 to get Innovator on your smartphone.

Stay Up to Date on the EDC Innovations That Interest You Most

EDC teams are always on the move! If you blink, you could miss out on important webinars, case studies, tools, videos, and more. To never miss information for the EDC innovations that interest you most, visit the subscription page and select the topics you’d like to receive updates on directly from the teams that coordinate them.

Recent bulletins:

Strategic Workforce Development 3/17/2023
Strategic Workforce Development 3/16/2023
Local Aid Support 3/15/2023
NextGen TIM 3/10/2023
Strategic Workforce Development 3/10/2023

About EDC

Every Day Counts, a state-based initiative of the Federal Highway Administration's Center for Accelerating Innovation, works with state, local and private sector partners to encourage the adoption of proven technologies and innovations to shorten and enhance project delivery.

EDC News is published weekly by the FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation.

Notice: The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this presentation only because they are considered essential to the objective of the presentation. They are included for informational purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement of any one product or entity.

Recommended Citation:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
EDC News; February 23, 2023
Washington, DC
https://doi.org/10.21949/1521907