REPORT

This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-15-059 Date: July 2015

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-15-059
Date: July 2015

User's Manual for The Tim Benefit-Cost (TIM-BC) Tool (Version: 1.0.0)

PDF Version (3.00 MB)

PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®

FOREWORD

The User's Manual for the Traffic Incident Management Benefit-Cost (TIM-BC) Tool provides State and local engineers, decisionmakers, and other users with methods for evaluating and comparing the monetary value of TIM programs. In this version 1.0.0, TIM-BC features a subtool, Safety Service Patrol Benefit-Cost (SSP-BC), for evaluating State and local Safety Service Patrol Program.

A Safety Service Patrol Program is an important part of a transportation agency's traffic incident management strategy, the primary focus of which is incident management and emergency response.

Through the use of text and screenshots of the tool, the user will become familiar with the SSP-BC subtool and will be able to enter information into the software to obtain benefit elements and the benefit-cost ratio of SSP projects.

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.

TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE

1. Report No. FHWA-HRT-15-059	2. Government Accession No.		3 Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle User's Manual for the Traffic Incident Management Benefit-Cost (TIM-BC) Tool			5. Report Date July 2015
			6. Performing Organization Code
7. Author(s) Jiaqi Ma, Taylor Lochrane			8. Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Leidos, Inc. 11251 Roger Bacon Drive Reston, VA 20190			10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
			11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-12-D-00020
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Office of Operations Research and Development Federal Highway Administration 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101-2296			13. Type of Report and Period Covered User's Manual
			14. Sponsoring Agency Code HRDO-20
15. Supplementary Notes FHWA Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR): Taylor Lochrane
16. Abstract This document serves as a user's manual for the Traffic Incident Management Benefit-Cost Tool (TIM-BC) Version 1.0.0 - Safety Service Patrol Benefit-Cost (SSP-BC) Tool, which is used to assist State and local engineers and decisionmakers with evaluating and comparing the monetary value of Safety Service Patrol (SSP) programs. The document describes how to use the tool by providing detailed instructions and screenshots of the tool.
17. Key Words research, safety, user manuals, benefit cost analysis		18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.
19. Security Classification (of this report) Unclassified	20. Security Classification (of this page) Unclassified		21. No. of Pages 26	22. Price N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)

Reproduction of completed page authorized

SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors

Table of Contents

1. Purpose
2. Introduction
3. Required User Inputs
4. Use Case: Estimating Benefits and Costs for an SSP Program

List of Figures

Figure 1: Screenshot. The Home screen
Figure 2: Screenshot. The About screen
Figure 3: Screenshot. Learn More screen
Figure 4: Screenshot. Open Dialog Box after user clicks Upload Project Data button
Figure 5: Screenshot. Project sidebar
Figure 6: Screenshot. Enter Project Name screen
Figure 7: Screenshot. Demonstration of typing new project name
Figure 8: Screenshot. Project Details screen
Figure 9: Screenshot. Example data entry on Project Details screen
Figure 10: Screenshot. Calculate Program Cost screen
Figure 11: Screenshot. Example Data Entry on Calculate Program Cost screen
Figure 12: Screenshot. Full Segment Information screen
Figure 13: Screenshot. Segment screen with data entered
Figure 14: Screenshot. SSP Program Information screen
Figure 15: Screenshot. Traffic Information screen
Figure 16: Screenshot. Segment cloning function
Figure 17: Screenshot. Incident Information screen
Figure 18: Screenshot. Project Output/Calculate Ratio screen

List of Tables

Table 1: Acceptable data elements for SSP Project Name/Project Title fields
Table 2: Acceptable data elements for the Project Details screen
Table 3. Acceptable data elements for the cost calculator
Table 4. Acceptable data elements for Segment Information fields

1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to describe to users how to use Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Traffic Incident Management Benefit-Cost (TIM-BC) Tool Version 1.0.0, featuring the Safety Service Patrol Benefit-Cost Tool (SSP-BC) subtool. This version of the TIM-BC tool was released on June 9, 2015 and future tools will include more subtools for other TIM strategies, such as Driver Removal Law or Authority Removal Law.

2. Introduction

The SSP-BC Subtool was developed primarily to assist State and local engineers and decisionmakers with evaluating and comparing the monetary value of Safety Service Patrol (SSP) programs. The following are the requirements for use of the Web-based tool:

9MB hard disk space; Microsoft® Windows® operating system, versions XP, 7, or 8.
Microsoft Internet Explorer® browser version 10 or above, Google® Chrome™ browser version 41 or above, Mozilla® Firefox® browser version 37 or above, and equivalent browsers.
Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet software.

If you are using a downloaded package of the software, after you unzip the package, go to folder "...\SSP-BC-Tool\dist" and double-click "index.html" to open this tool.

An expansion of the tool to cover three to five additional TIM strategies is currently under development, planned for a late 2015 completion.

Data must be entered by the user in order to get estimates from the tool. These data are described in Section 3, Required User Inputs. If exact local values are not known for an entry, a general estimate can be made by using regional or national default values.

The SSP-BC Subtool consists of a series of screens through which users navigate, beginning with high-level SSP program information, then with segment-specific information, and ending with a summary screen showing the calculated benefit elements and the benefit-cost ratio. A description of each of the screens follows. The user can move directly to any of these screens by clicking the menu symbol button.

Home Screen. Users can begin a new SSP project or load an existing SSP project file from this screen. Users can also click the "Learn More" link for resources about the tool, as well as click the button to see more information about the tool, such as whom to contact with questions or if issues are found.
Project Name. This screen allows users to enter or modify the name of the current SSP project.
Project Details. On this screen, users enter project-level information, including the State in which the program is located, the number of segments in the SSP program, the duration of the study period, the annual number of incidents on the program roadway, and the annual total program cost. The user can open a cost calculator to estimate a cost if the total is unknown.
Segment Information. This screen allows users to enter the details about the specific segment of the SSP program. If more than one segment exists in the current project, users can switch between segments on this screen. This screen requires the following types of input: roadway geometry, traffic information, incident information, and SSP operation time and incident duration savings. The list of all required inputs is included in Section 3, Required User Inputs.
Project Output. This screen summarizes the calculated benefits and benefit-cost ratio of the SSP program based on user inputs. It calculates benefits in terms of delay savings (in hours), fuel savings (in gallons), secondary incidents prevented, and emissions savings (MT (in metric tons)). Users can generate text reports with the results on this screen.

3. Required User Inputs

The required user inputs listed below are essential to develop accurate estimates of benefits and costs. The data elements are arranged in the order they appear in the tool, assuming users move through the tool in the default order. The tables below describe, for each required input, the acceptable data types and ranges.

3A. Project Name Screen

Tables 1-4 show the acceptable data elements for the various fields. Refer to the Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet "SSP_BC_Input_Output_Variables.xlsx" for more detailed explanations of each variable used in this tool.

Table 1: Acceptable data elements for SSP Project Name/Project Title fields.

ID	Information	Corresponding Interface Element	Format/Type	Valid Options	Required Input?
1	SSP Program Name/Project Title	Text entry box	String	Any string	Yes

3B. Project Details Screen

Table 2: Acceptable data elements for the Project Details screen.

ID	Information	Corresponding Interface Element	Format/Type	Valid Options	Required Input?
2	State	Drop-down box	String	Any of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia	Yes
3	Annual Program Cost	Text entry box	Double or Long	Any value > 0	Yes, unless cost details (#3a-3h) are provided.
4	Number of incidents on program roadway	Text entry box	Long	Any integer >= 0	Yes
5	Number of segments in program roadway	Text entry box	Integer	Any integer between 0 and 30	Yes
6	Study Period Duration in months	Text entry box	Integer	1, 2, 3, ... 12	Yes

3Bi. Cost Calculator Sidebar

If the overall total annual program cost (element 3 in table 2) is not known by the user, relevant program information and data can be entered into the sidebar in the following fields to build the cost:

Table 3. Acceptable data elements for the cost calculator.

ID	Information	Corresponding Interface Element	Format/ Type	Valid Options	Required Input?
3a	Patrol vehicle type	Text entry box	String	Any string	Yes, unless overall annual program cost estimate (#3) is provided.
3b	Driver's salary ($/hour)	Text entry box	Double	Any value > 0
3c	Fuel (gal/month)	Text entry box	Double	Any value > 0
3d	Vehicle maintenance ($/month)	Text entry box	Double	Any value >= 0
3e	Hours per day	Text entry box	Integer	Any integer >= 0
3f	Days per month	Text entry box	Integer	Any integer >= 0
3g	Number of vehicles	Text entry box	Integer	Any integer >= 0
3h	Provided Gas ($/month)	Text entry box	Double	Any integer >= 0
3i	Other ($/month)	Text entry box	Double	Any integer >= 0

3C. Segment Information Screen

Table 4. Acceptable data elements for Segment Information fields.

ID	Information	Corresponding Interface Element	Format/ Type	Valid Options	Required Input?
6	Segment Number	Drop-down box	String	Segment #, where # = (1, 2, 3, ... n) and "n" is user input #5	Yes
7	Segment Region	Drop-down box	String	Various options within State chosen in input #2	Yes
8	SSP Operation Time on Segment	Option selection	1, 2, or 3 options to select	AM Peak, PM Peak, Off-Peak	Yes
9	Study Period Duration in months	Text entry box	Integer	1, 2, 3, ... 12	Yes
10	Incident Duration Savings Metric	Option selection	Toggle button	Average duration, by lane blockage	Yes
11	Average Duration Savings (minutes)	Text entry box	Double	>= 0	Only if Average Duration is selected in input #10.
12a	Shoulder Blockage (duration savings)	Text entry box	Double	>= 0	Only if By Lane Blockage is selected in input #10.
12b	One-Lane Blockage (duration savings)	Text entry box	Double	>= 0
12c	Two-Lane Blockage (duration savings)	Text entry box	Double	>= 0
12d-g	Duration savings estimates for three-, four-, five-, and six-lane blockages	Text entry box	Double	>= 0
13	Segment length in miles	Text entry box	Double	>= 0	Yes
14	Number of traffic lanes by direction	Text entry box	Integer	Any number between 2 and 6	Yes
15	General terrain	Drop-down box	String	Flat, Level, Rolling hills, Mountainous	Yes
16	Horizontal curvature	Drop-down box	String	Straight, Mild, Sharp	Yes
17	Posted mainline speed limit, miles per hour (mph)	Text entry box	Integer	37.3-74.5 mph (Note that this value is the actual speed range for calculation. Since the speed may be reduced according to ramp density and curvature, the actual input range may be slightly different than this.)	Yes
18	Traffic volumes (VEH/H/LANE) by operation time	Text entry box	Long	500-2200 vehicle/hour/ lane	Yes
19	Truck percentage by operation time	Text entry box	Double	0-25	Yes
20	Weather type and percentage	Drop-down box (weather type); text entry box (percentage)	String, double	Weather: Clear, Light Rain, Heavy Rain, Snow, Fog, Icy conditions, Low Visibility, Wind; Percentage: 0-100	No
21	Average Incident Duration (min)—by Operation time and lane blockage	Text entry box	Double	1-240 minutes	Yes
22	Number of managed incidents in study period—by operation time and lane blockage	Text entry box	Integer	> 0	Yes
23	Percentage of estimated secondary incidents	Text entry box	Double	>= 0	Yes

4. Use Case: Estimating Benefits and Costs for an SSP Program

The remainder of this User's Manual demonstrates how users would progress through each main screen of the SSP-BC Subtool to get an estimate of the benefit-cost ratio of their SSP program. The subsections include instructions and screenshots from the SSP-BC Subtool.

4A. Home Screen

The Home Screen welcomes users to the SSP-BC Subtool. From this screen, users can initiate a variety of processes, described below. A screenshot of the Home screen is displayed in figure 1.

Figure 1: Screenshot. The Home screen.

The Home screen provides users with the following options:

About/Information: This screen, accessed by clicking the question mark icon, explains the purpose, development, and version of the SSP-BC Subtool. It also includes contact information for users to ask questions or provide feedback regarding the tool. This screen is displayed in figure 2.
Figure 2: Screenshot. The About screen.
Learn More: This screen, shown in figure 3, explains the history and purpose of the tool. It describes the requirements for using the tool, including computer settings and Internet browser requirements needed to run the tool. The screen also includes a link to the User's Manual (the document you are reading) and a resource explaining the calculations of benefits and costs. Users can get to this screen by clicking on the Home screen.
Figure 3: Screenshot. Learn More screen.
Start New Project: Click the "Start New Project" button on the Home screen to create a new SSP program configuration on which to estimate benefits and costs. This selection walks the user though a set of data entry pages where users enter details about the SSP program.
Upload Project Data: Click the "Upload Project Data" button on the Home screen to import a data file for a previously entered SSP program configuration on which benefits and costs were estimated. When users select this option, a dialog box (figure 4) opens to allow users to select a file saved locally on their computer for import.

Figure 4: Screenshot. Open Dialog Box after user clicks Upload Project Data button.

Note that the file selected from this dialog box:

Must be a file generated by the SSP tool during a previous session and saved locally to the user or another user's computer.
Must have a .json extension.
Must not be modified by the user or another user after being saved during the initial session.

The tool also includes a sidebar to aid in navigation between screens. This sidebar is available from any screen in the tool. For the current project, it allows users to switch easily between the Home screen, Project Name screen, Project Details screen, Segment Information screen, and the Project Output screen. As required information is entered into each screen, the following screens become activated and selectable. Users cannot select a screen from the sidebar if required inputs on earlier screens are not entered. An image of the sidebar is shown in figure 5.

Figure 5 This screenshot shows the sidebar. The word Project appears at the top. Under that, the word Home appears and it is highlighted. Project Name, Project Details, Segment information, Project Output, Segments, and No segment found also appear in a list down the left side of the screen. To the right, a portion of the Get Started screen appears. The user can see a portion of the green circle and a portion of the Start New Project button.

Figure 5: Screenshot. Project sidebar.

4B. Project Name Screen

The first screen requiring user input is the Project Name screen. On this screen, users enter a name for the SSP project, such as "Northern Virginia Safety Service Patrol Program." This name should describe the project as it will be used in any reports and saved data files.

Figure 6 This screenshot shows the Project Name screen. In the upper-left corner, the words SSP-BC Subtool appear. Under that, a box of horizontal bars appears, indicating that the user will click on that icon to reveal the sidebar. In the upper-right corner, the words Start New Project and Upload Project Data appear. Below the word Data, a question mark inside a blue circle appears. In the center of the screen, a blank line appears, indicating a place where users can type the name of the project. An X appears to the right of the blank line. Beneath the blank line, an Edit Project Details button appears. Beneath that, an Upload Project Data button appears.

Figure 6: Screenshot. Enter Project Name screen.

The main screen for entering the project name is shown in figure 6. Position the cursor in the text entry area and type the new name (figure 7). Click the "x" to the right of the text entry area to delete the entry and start over.

Figure 7 This screenshot shows a blank line. The word Example appears above the blank line. An X appears to the right of the blank line.

Figure 7: Screenshot. Demonstration of typing new project name.

4C. Project Details Screen

The Project Details screen (shown in figure 8) includes fields for the user to enter project-level information, including:

The State where the program operates.
The number of segments of SSP operation (each up to 20 miles long).
The duration, in months, of the study period. This entry relates to the numerical entries in the rest of the tool. For example, if 12 months is entered here, all numerical estimates based on a time period should be for this 12-month period.
The number of annual incidents on the program roadway.
Annual total program cost:
- If the user knows the annual total program cost, it can be entered in the data entry box on this screen.
- If users do not know the annual total program cost, they can click the "Calculate" button on the right. This opens the Calculate Program Cost sidebar, which is explained below.

Figure 8 This screenshot shows the Project Details screen. In the upper-left corner, SSP-BC Subtool appears. Under that, a box of horizontal bars appears, indicating that the user will click on that icon to reveal the sidebar. In the upper-right corner, the words Save Project Data, Start New Project, and Upload Project Data appear. Below the word Data, a question mark inside a blue circle appears. In the top-center of the screen, the word Example appears. Beneath that, the word State appears, with a drop-down box under State. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. In the drop-down box, Alabama appears. Beneath that, Number of Segments appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 1 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. Beneath that, Study period duration in months appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 12 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. Beneath that, Number of Annual Incidents on Program Roadway appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 0 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. Beneath that, Annual Total Program Cost appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 0 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. To the right of the Annual Total Program Cost text field, a Calculate button appears. Beneath the Annual Total Program Cost text field, a Project Name button appears and a Segment Input button appears.

Figure 8: Screenshot. Project Details screen.

Figure 9 shows an example of data entered on the Project Details screen. Note that for any of the data entry fields on this screen, the user can hover over the "i" icon to the right of each label for a tooltip of the expected data entry value.

Figure 9 This is a screenshot of data entered into the Project Details screen. The word Example appears in the center of the screen. Beneath that, the word State appears, with a drop-down box under State. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. In the drop-down box, Alabama appears. Beneath that, Number of Segments appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 1 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. Beneath that, Study period duration in months appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 12 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. Beneath that, Number of Annual Incidents on Program Roadway appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 525 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. Beneath that, Annual Total Program Cost appears. A circle with a lowercase i appears next to the words. The number 56518.68 appears in the drop-down box beneath the words. To the right of the Annual Total Program Cost text field, a Calculate button appears. Beneath the Annual Total Program Cost text field, a Project Name button appears and a Segment Input button appears.

Figure 9: Screenshot. Example data entry on Project Details screen.

The Calculate Program Cost screen (shown in figure 10) assists the user with estimating annual program costs. The user can enter an annual fixed cost value in the upper data entry field, which may represent something like IT system costs that are fixed throughout the annual period.

The user builds additional cost components by entering data into the rows (figure 11). Users enter the numerical data, such as a driver's hourly rate, hours worked per day, days worked per month, and resource use estimates, required in each column of the table to get costs related to each patrol vehicle type in the SSP program. If there are additional distinct patrol vehicle types in the SSP program, users can click the "Add Row" button to show additional rows for data entry.

For each row in the table, the monthly costs are calculated in the Monthly Total column. The annual estimate of total costs, including the fixed cost component, is shown at the top just under the Sidebar heading.

After completing the information in the sidebar, users click "Submit" to return to the Program Details screen. The calculated annual total program cost appears in the appropriate blank on this screen and will be carried forward through the tool.

Figure 10 This screenshot shows the Calculate Program Cost screen. The title, Calculate Program Cost, displays in the upper-left part of the screen. An X appears in the upper-right part of the screen. Beneath the title, Annual Total: $0 displays. Beneath that, Annual Fixed Cost and a text entry box displays. A 0 is shown in the box. A table appears with the following headings: Patrol Vehicle Type, Number of Vehicles, Driver's Hourly Rate ($/hr), Working Hours per Day, Working Hours per Month, Fuel (gal/month), Provided Gas ($/month), Vehicle Maintenance ($0/month), Other ($0/month), Monthly Total. Each table entry below that has 0 in it, except Patrol Vehicle Type, which has Vehicle Type in it, and Monthly Total, which has $0 in it.

Figure 10: Screenshot. Calculate Program Cost screen.

An example of a completed Calculate Program Cost screen is shown in figure 11.

Figure 11 This screenshot shows the Calculate Program Cost screen with data entered. The title, Calculate Program Cost, displays in the upper-left part of the screen. An X appears in the upper-right part of the screen. Beneath the title, Annual Total: $56518.68 displays. Beneath that, Annual Fixed Cost and a text entry box displays. 12000 is shown in the box. A table appears with the following headings: Patrol Vehicle Type, Number of Vehicles, Driver's Hourly Rate ($/hr), Working Hours per Day, Working Hours per Month, Fuel (gal/month), Provided Gas ($/month), Vehicle Maintenance ($0/month), Other ($0/month), Monthly Total. In the second row, the following data appear: Type 1, 2, 15, 4, 20, 100, 0, 150, 180, $3709.89.

Figure 11: Screenshot. Example Data Entry on Calculate Program Cost screen.

4D. Segment Information Screen

The Segment Information screen is the heart of the user's data entry for the SSP-BC Subtool. Figure 12 shows a full screenshot of the Segment Information screen.

Figure 12 This screenshot shows the Segment Information screen. In the upper-left corner, the words SSP-BC Subtool appear. Under that, a box of horizontal bars appears, indicating that the user will click on that icon to reveal the sidebar. In the upper-right corner, the words Save Project Data, Start New Project, and Upload Project Data appear. Below the word Data, a question mark inside a blue circle appears. A Left Panel, Central Panel, and Right Panel are shown, each outlined in red. The Left Panel is the Segment screen. Below the word Segment is a drop-down box with Segment 1 shown in it. Beneath that drop-down box is a text field with First segment displayed. Beneath that is a drop-down box with Modesto, CA displayed. Beneath that is a highlighted box called Roadway Geometry. A green checkmark inside a white circle appears to the right of Roadway Geometry. Beneath that, Segment Length in Miles appears, with the number 10 displayed in a text entry box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, Number of Ramps appears, with the number 0 displayed in a text entry box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, General Terrain appears, with Flat displayed in a drop-down box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, Horizontal Curvature appears, with Straight displayed in a drop-down box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. A Calculate Ratio button and a Reset Information button appear at the bottom of the screen. The Central Panel includes the title SSP Program Information. Beneath the title, Operation Time appears. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of Operation Time. Beneath Operation Time four checkboxes appear, each with the following text: AM Peak (which is checked), PM Peak, Weekday Off Peak, Weekend. Beneath the four checkboxes, Incident Duration appears. Choose how to enter savings appears beneath that, and a lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right. An Average Duration button and a By Lane Blockage buttons appear beneath Choose how to enter savings. Beneath the buttons, Enter Average Duration Savings (Minutes) and the number 10 appears in a text entry box. Also in the Central Panel is a Traffic Information section. A green checkmark in a white circle appears to the right of the Traffic Information Title. Beneath the Traffic Information title, Posted Mainlane Speed Limit (MPH) appears. To the right, the number 70 appears in a text entry box. Beneath that, the words Time, Traffic Volume (VEH/H/Lane), and Truck Percentage (0-100) appears. Beneath Time, AM PEAK appears. Beneath Traffic Volume (VEH/H/Lane), the number 2000 appears. Beneath Truck Percentage (0-100), the number 12 appears. Another section, Weather Information (ensure selections add up to 100%) appears. The Right Panel shows the Incident Information screen. Beneath the Incident Information title, AM Peak displays. Under AM Peak, Incident Blockage Severity, Average Incident Duration (Minutes), and Number of Managed Incidents appear on a line. Beneath the line, Shoulder Blockage displays. The number 15 appears in the text field beneath Average Incident Duration (Minutes) and 250 appears in the text field beneath Number of Managed Incidents. Beneath that line, One Lane Blockage appears and the number 27 appears in the text field beneath Average Incident Duration (Minutes). The number 100 in the text field beneath Number of Managed Incidents. Beneath another line, percentage of Estimated Secondary Incidents (enter as 0-100) appears. The number 4 appears in the text field.

Figure 12: Screenshot. Full Segment Information screen.

Users should note this section refers to the three panels, outlined in red rectangles, shown in figure 12. Those panels are referred to as the "Left Panel," "Central Panel," and "Right Panel." The tool can identify erroneous data entered by the users. If there are input errors, the panel remains blue. The panel turns green, as shown in figure 12, once all inputs are correct. The tool can detect potential errors by turning the input box red. As long as the panel is green, the tool will be able to calculate final results.

The images in this section each focus on a panel of the screen so that more details can be shown. Each of the features is described subsequently, beginning with figure 13.

Figure 13 This is a screenshot of the Segment screen. Below the word Segment is a drop-down box with Segment 1 shown in it. Beneath that drop-down box is a text field with Interstate 99 NB displayed. Beneath that is a drop-down box with Huntsville, AL displayed. Beneath that is a highlighted box called Roadway Geometry. A green checkmark inside a white circle appears to the right of Roadway Geometry. Beneath that, Segment Length in Miles appears, with the number 15 displayed in a text entry box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, Number of Ramps appears, with the number 2 displayed in a text entry box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, Number of Traffic Lanes By Direction appears, with the number 2 displayed in a text entry box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, General Terrain appears, with Rolling Hills displayed in a drop-down to the right of the text field box. Beneath that, Horizontal Curvature appears, with Mild Curves displayed in a drop-down box to the right. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of the text field box. A Calculate Ratio button and a Reset Information button appear at the bottom of the screen.

Figure 13: Screenshot. Segment screen with data entered.

Figure 13 shows the left panel of the Segment screen in which users enter the following information:

Segment selection: From the drop-down menu, users select which segment is currently being edited. The number of segment choices available in this menu is directly related to the number of segments entered on the Project Information screen.
Description: Under the Segment drop-down menu, users can enter a brief description of the current segment, such as "Interstate 99 NB." This field is limited to plain text.
Region selection: Under the Description field, users select from the drop-down menu the region where the program operates. The regional choices are directly based on the State selected on the Project Information screen.
Segment Length in Miles: Users can enter a positive integer to indicate the length of the segment in miles.
Number of ramps: Users can enter the number of entry and exit ramps within the segment, using a whole number zero or greater.
Number of traffic lanes by direction: Users can enter the number of traffic lanes in one direction on the segment by entering a whole number from two through six. The data in this box will update the quantity of user entry boxes in the other panels of this screen.
General terrain: Users can select from one of the options to indicate the grade of the segment. The options available are Flat, Level, Rolling Hills, and Mountainous, which equate to around 0 percent, 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent grade on the roadway, respectively. If the actual grade is not equal to one of these options, users should select the one that best approximates the actual grade.
Horizontal curvature: Users can select the horizontal curvature of the segment. The options available are Straight, Mild Curves, and Sharp Curves. If the actual horizontal curvature is not equal to one of these options, users should select the one that best approximates the actual curvature or run the tool using two different scenarios for this field to determine the benefit-cost ratio.

This screen also includes the Calculate Ratio and the Reset Information buttons, shown in figure 13. The Calculate Ratio button collects all the user inputs (for all the segments) and calculates the benefit and cost elements. Note that this button should not be selected until all required inputs for each segment have been entered correctly (i.e., all panels turn green). Otherwise, the results on the Results screen may include partial segments or incorrect information. The Reset Information button resets all user entries on the Segment Information screen (for all segments) to the starting, or default, values.

Figure 14 The Central Panel includes the title SSP Program Information. Beneath the title, Operation Time appears. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of Operation Time. Beneath Operation Time four checkboxes appear, each with the following text: AM Peak (which is checked), PM Peak, Weekday Off Peak, Weekend. Beneath the four checkboxes, Incident Duration appears. Choose how to enter savings appears beneath that, and a lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right. An Average Duration button and a By Lane Blockage buttons appear beneath Choose how to enter savings. Beneath the buttons, Enter Average Duration Savings (Minutes) and the number 5 appears in a text entry box.

Figure 14: Screenshot. SSP Program Information screen.

Figure 14 displays the SSP Program Information screen (also shown in the top-center of figure 12). This screen allows users to choose the operational time (AM Peak, PM Peak, Weekday Off Peak, or Weekend) to be incorporated in the analysis. Users need to enter the average savings of their SSP program as a single averaged value by types of lane blockages, if any. Users can use the recommended values provided in the tool or use the local value from field data.

Figure 15 This is the screenshot of the Traffic Information section. A green checkmark in a white circle appears to the right of the Traffic Information title. Beneath the Traffic Information title, Posted Mainlane Speed Limit (MPH) appears. To the right, the number 65 appears in a text entry box. Beneath that, the words Time, Traffic Volume (VEH/H/Lane), and Truck Percentage (0-100) appear. Beneath Time, AM PEAK appears. Beneath Traffic Volume (VEH/H/Lane), the number 2700 appears. Beneath Truck Percentage (0-100), the number 12 appears. Another section, Weather Information (ensure selections add up to 100%) appears. Beneath the Weather information (ensure selections add up to 100%) title, the words Weather and Percentage (0-100) appear. Three drop-down boxes are beneath the Weather heading. Clear is displayed in the first drop-down box, Light Rain in the second drop-down box, and Snow in the third drop-down box. Beneath the Percentage (0-100) heading, 80 appears in the first text entry box, 15 appears in the second text entry box, and 5 appears in the third text entry box. An Add Weather button and an Undo button appear at the bottom of the screen.

Figure 15: Screenshot. Traffic Information screen.

Figure 15 displays the Traffic Information screen, also seen in the bottom-center of figure 12. This lower part in the Central Panel allows users to enter Posted Mainlane Speed limits (in miles per hour), Traffic Volume (vehicles per hour per lane), and Truck Percentage numbers (0-100) of the target roadway segment. Users can also enter weather information for this segment. Note that the Free-Flow Speed (FFS) used in this tool will be based on ramp density and roadway curvature. The range of speed used in calculations should be from 60-120 kilometers per hour (37.3-74.5 miles per hour), within which the tool results are most accurate. If the calculated speed used in real calculation is out of that range, after clicking "Calculate Ratio," an error message displays, indicating the calculated/reduced speed is out of range. Users should either adjust speed input or ramp/curvature input to make the calculation valid. The tool still produces suggested results by using the nearest reasonable value to your input on the variable bounds in its calculation.

Traffic volume ranges should be from 500-2,200 vehicles per hour per lane (VEH/H/L), the range within which the tool results are most accurate. If entered values are out of the range, the tool will use the nearest reasonable value to your input on the variable bounds in its calculation.

Figure 16 The Segment cloning sidebar is displayed. A black X displays in the upper-right corner of the sidebar. The title, Project, displays on the left side of the sidebar. Beneath Project, Home, Project Name, Project Details, Segment Information, (which is highlighted), and Project Output appear in a list. The word Segments displays beneath the list. Beneath Segments, testSegment01 testSegment01, and testSegment01 appear in a list. To the right of that list, Copy and Delete display next to each entry. An icon of a computer disk with an arrow and an icon of a trash can appear next to each instance of Copy and Delete, respectively. The SSP Program Information screen appears to the right of the Segment cloning screen. The SSP Program information screen is grayed out. Beneath the SSP Program Information title, Operation Time appears. A lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right of Operation Time. Beneath Operation Time four checkboxes appear, each with the following text: AM Peak (which is checked), PM Peak (which is checked), Weekday Off Peak (which is checked), Weekend (which is checked). Beneath the four checkboxes, Incident Duration Savings appears. Choose how to enter savings appears beneath that, and a lowercase white i appears in a black circle to the right. An Average Duration button and a By Lane Blockage buttons appear beneath Choose how to enter savings. Beneath the buttons, Enter Average Duration Savings (Minutes) and the number 20 appears in a text entry box.

Figure 16: Screenshot. Segment cloning function.

Additionally, the tool offers a convenient function for cloning segments, as shown in figure 16. When users have completed all inputs for one segment, and if the information is similar across all project segments, users can directly copy segments and modify new segments as needed.

Figure 17 The Right Panel shows the Incident Information screen. Beneath the Incident Information title, AM Peak displays. Under AM Peak, Incident Blockage Severity, Average Incident Duration (Minutes), and Number of Managed Incidents appear on a line. Beneath the line, Shoulder Blockage displays. The number 15 appears in the text field beneath Average Incident Duration (Minutes) and 375 appears in the text field beneath Number of Managed Incidents. Beneath that line, One Lane Blockage appears and the number 25 appears in the text field beneath Average Incident Duration (Minutes). The number 150 in the text field beneath Number of Managed Incidents. Beneath another line, Percentage of Estimated Secondary Incidents (enter as 0-100) appears. The number 4 appears in the text field.

Figure 17: Screenshot. Incident Information screen.

This right panel of the Segment Information screen, shown in figure 17, allows users to input detailed information for current incident information (including Incident Blockage Severity, Average Incident Duration (Minutes), Number of Managed Incidents, and Percentage of Estimated Secondary Incidents) for each analysis period and lane blockage condition. The Average Incident Duration field is for current conditions with SSP implemented. The Incident Duration Savings field (see figure 14) will be added to the number to obtain the Incident Duration without SSP. Note that it is better to keep both incident durations with and without SSP within the range of 1-14,400 minutes, a range within which the tool calculation results will be most accurate. The tool will use the nearest reasonable value to your input in its calculation if entered values are out of the range.

4E. Project Output Screen

Figure 18 The Project Output/Calculate Ration screen shows the title Test_Case_2. Beneath and to the left of the title, Segments appears. Beneath that, a Select All button and a Select None button appear. The Select None button is grayed out. Beneath the Select All button, two checkboxes appear. Both checkboxes are checked. The first checkbox displays Test2_seg1 and the second checkbox displays Test2_seg2. To the right of both checkboxes and text, a pencil icon and a trash can icon appear. A Produce Report button displays beneath and to the center of that content. To the right of that content is a Savings box. The Savings box displays the following content: the text, Study period duration: 12 months. Beneath that is text that reads Delay Savings (Hours) and to the right of that is a text box with 87.01 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that line is text that reads Fuel (Gallons) and to the right of that is a text box with negative 17602.79 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that line is text that reads Secondary Accidents and to the right of that is a text box with 2.35 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that line is text that reads Hydrocarbon (HC, MT) and to the right of that is a text box with negative 1.09 displayed. Beneath that line is text that reads Carbon Monoxide (CO, MT) and to the right of that is a text box with negative 8.13 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that line is text that reads Nitrogen Oxide (NOx, MT) and to the right of that is a text box with negative 0.54 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that line is text that reads Carbon Dioxide (CO2, MT) and to the right of that is a text box with negative 175.45 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that line is text that reads Sulfur Oxide (Sox, MT) and to the right of that is a text box with negative 2.82 displayed. There is a checkmark inside a square to the far right. Beneath that list is text that reads Benefit-Cost Ratio of Chosen Factors. Beneath that line of text is a text box with the numbers 8.45.

Figure 18: Screenshot. Project Output/Calculate Ratio screen.

The Project Output screen (figure 18) displays after you click "Calculate Ratio." You can view the results on the right panel directly, but you can also access a printable PDF report with more detailed results by clicking the "PRODUCE REPORT" button.

Page Owner: Office of Research, Development, and Technology, Office of Operations, RDT

Topics: research, operations, intelligent transportation systems, ITS
Keywords: research, operations, intelligent transportation systems, ITS, research, safety, user manuals, benefit cost analysis
TRT Terms: research, Communication and control, Telematics, Intelligent transportation systems
Scheduled Update: Archive - No Update needed

This page last modified on 09/25/2015