Utah weather forecasters take to the roads.
By Andrew Johnson, ksl.com Contributor
SALT LAKE CITY — Forecasting Utah weather can be challenging, since much of the state’s population lives in the valley of northern Utah, with mountains on either side. During the winter, the Utah Department of Transportation has a unique challenge — forecasting and reacting to the dreaded “lake-effect” snow coming directly from the Great Salt Lake to the west of the capital city. More
U.S. Department of Transportation releases the 2011 update to the Intelligent Transportation Systems Benefits, Costs, Deployment, and Lessons Learned Desk Reference
This new report presents information on the benefits, costs, deployment levels, and lessons learned regarding ITS deployment and operations obtained since the 2008 report.
The report is based upon four related web-based databases, known collectively as the ITS Knowledge Resources (KRs). The Knowledge Resources were developed by the U.S. DOT’s ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) evaluation program to support informed decision making regarding ITS investments by tracking the effectiveness of deployed ITS. The Knowledge Resources contain over fifteen years of summaries of the benefits, costs, lessons learned, and deployment status of specific ITS implementations, drawn primarily from written sources such as ITS evaluation studies, research syntheses, handbooks, journal
The Intelligent Transportations Systems Joint Program Office’s (ITS JPO) research program focuses on the overall advancement of ITS through investments in emerging ITS technologies, as well as supporting the evaluation of deployed ITS.
ITS JPO is a program within the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Click here to view Report.
For persons who want an online opportunity to increase knowledge, refresh skills, and earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs); the Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE) is offering a series of blended courses throughout 2011:
Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) Equipment and Operations – October 14-December 17
A blended course is an exciting concept that combines the best features of both instructor-led and web-based instruction. For more information about lended courses in general, or for specific information about a particular course, please visit the CITE website.
ITS America has created wiki page for state chapters...click here to view
New report shows how Smart Technology can ease traffic congestion, improve transportation options and strengthen global competitiveness....
Do you have a funny, interesting or unique transportation photo you would like to share? Email to web@itsrm.org.
Traffic signals that spot large groups of vehicles and tweak a road’s signals to speed the traffic glut through will soon debut in Ada County.
An example would be adaptive signal technology, the next-generation of signal timing software and hardware that ACHD hopes to acquire this year and deploy in 2013. Such “smart signals” constantly monitor traffic
flow along major roads and adjust the amount of green time to best serve the demand. The technology differs from the existing signal timing in that it will deviate from pre-set timing programs – calibrated for the usual traffic volumes known to occur on specific days and times – and make adjustments to better move large groups of vehicles.
ACHD’s initial move to adaptive signalization is estimated to cost $600,000.
New technology is also helping ACHD target the application of deicer, sand and salt to fight slippery pavement this winter. New weather monitoring stations and software measure pavement-level temperature and the presence of ice and water, allowing ACHD to know where and when to roll its Winter Street Service crews. More
Technical and Scientific Papers are now being accepted for the 19th World Congress on ITS in Vienna, Austria, October 22-26, 2012. After the January 13th submission deadline passes the papers will be reviewed by a peer panel that will evaluate quality, relevance and significance of each submission.
ITS America is in need of volunteers to serve as Paper Reviewers for the 19th World Congress at this time. Volunteer reviewers will be assigned 2-3 papers in his/her areas of interest or expertise.
The reviews can be done completely online and we ask that reviews are completed within two weeks of receiving the papers.
To volunteer, please go to http://its2012-papers.brintex.com/Account/1/CreateReviewer to register yourself as a reviewer by January 13th.
December 13, 2011, Denver, CO - A $5.5 billion upgrade to the Global Positioning System moved a step closer to launch this week when a prototype arrived at a Lockheed Martin complex in Colorado to begin months of tests.
It's the guinea pig for a new generation of GPS satellites, called Block III, that's expected to make military and civilian receivers more accurate, powerful and reliable. More
December 1, 2011, SALEM, OR - Oregon stores a vast amount of geospatial data, which will grow exponentially as the state finds new ways to use location-based information. Oregon CIO Dugan Petty hopes to cut the cost of housing GIS data by joining with three other states in a joint cloud-based storage initiative. The initiative is led by Montana, which released a request for
information (RFI) in December 2010 asking vendors for input on how to best store GIS data from multiple states in the cloud. Along with Oregon, two other states — Utah and Colorado — have joined the effort, which has been dubbed the Multi-State GIS Cloud Services Assessment Team. More
November 21, 2011, DRAPER, UT- We've seen the impact of unmanned, or drone, aircraft in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now the Utah Department of Transportation is tapping the same technology to better analyze traffic at a troublesome intersection in Draper.
Last week, the intersection of 12300 South and Minuteman Drive reopened as a ThruTurn intersection. Left-hand turns have been eliminated, so there's an adjustment period for motorists. But an eye in the sky helped create an educational video that shows us how it works. More
October 17, 2011, SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Starting Monday, a person who attacks a police officer and flees could find his description flashing on highway signs and on news outlets within minutes.
Utah has created a "Blue Alert" — an Amber Alert-style warning system designed to get the public looking for people suspected of assaulting police officers. More
October 9, 2011, LARAMIE,WY - The flashing sign overhead indicates high winds and blowing snow are ahead for travelers on Interstate 80.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and hundreds of man hours to monitor and evaluate the data so the department can make traveling across the state safer, Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Rick Colling said.
When motorists don’t pay attention to the signs, or simply choose to ignore the warnings posted on the Variable Message System (VMS) boards, there is a problem. More
August 9, 2011, GOLDEN, CO - The Colorado Department of Transportation is trying to teach animals where to cross a busy highway.It may sound crazy to some people, but the effort appears to be working in Golden.CDOT has installed an 8-foot-tall deer fence along a 2.5-mile stretch of West Sixth Avenue between Heritage Road and 19th Street.
The fence has a single opening that funnels animals to a deer crossing.Infrared sensors detect when an animal enters the right of way. The sensors then activate flashing lights to warn motorists that an animal or animals may be present. More
