Winter 08/09 Newsletter - Vol. 8, No. 2

In this Issue....

Message from the President     
Wyoming Opens New Traffic Management Center       
Chapter Sponsors Students at NRITS          
New Transit Systems Aid Rural Montanans          
Diverse Partnership Nurtures Development at Lewistown Facility          
2008 Chapter Elections
News and Notes  

Message from the President, by Richard Hodges, Hodges Transportation Cons.

 

 

 

 

commiserate about funding.  However, there is also a groundswell of anticipation throughout the West about the potential for additional federal funding in the form of our new President’s Economic Stimulus Plan.  A new round of funding for infrastructure rehabilitation and construction may mean a huge boon to those states that are ready to act quickly and provide good rationale for their priorities.  It will be very interesting to see how the process plays out over the coming months as project sponsors make their cases.  It will also be interesting to see how ITS project and component funding ranks in the scramble for road and bridge construction.  Stay tuned and keep your seatbelts on.

This edition of our semi-annual (formerly quarterly) newsletter includes articles about Wyoming’s new TMC in Cheyenne, an update on officers and elections and reports from our NRITS scholarship winners.

Have you visited the Chapter website recently?  New information is being added every week.  If you would like to post an RFP, a job announcement or training opportunity simply e-mail web@itsrm.org.  Items are usually posted within  24 hours.

Remember, the mission of the Rocky Mountain Chapter is to “develop partners for the effective deployment of ITS across all surface transportation modes, thus providing a viable and sustainable system for the Rocky Mountain Region that will benefit all users.” We would like all members to become involved in the chapter and help get the word out about the quality of work being done in our region.   Please phone or email any comments, suggestions and opportunities to me at rmhodges@rmhodges.com or to our Chapter website. www.itsrm.org

Wyoming Opens New Transportation Management Center, by Bruce Burrows, Wyoming DOT

The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) took a big step forward in late 2008 with the start up of operations at the agency’s new transportation management center (TMC) in Cheyenne.

The center is housed in the basement of the former Qwest Building on Yellowstone Road in north Cheyenne, about a mile northeast of the WYDOT headquarters complex. The center houses both the emerging Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) operations function and a new dispatch center for the Wyoming Highway Patrol, which was relocated from the basement of the Highway Patrol building at WYDOT headquarters earlier in the year.

Wyoming’s TMC is the few such centers geared almost exclusively toward rural travel management and information needs. Also, it is one of the few where communications for DOT construction and maintenance functions are coordinated with communications for law enforcement.

A key feature of the new facility is the image display wall. The original plan called for a set of large video monitors to be mounted on a wall in the center; during construction, ITS personnel decided to instead use ceiling mounted projectors to create the video displays, resulting in a substantial savings and greater ease of use. 

The vision for a TMC in Wyoming can be traced back to the late 1990s, when WYDOT was developing a strategic plan for upcoming Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployments, now formally embodied within the Geographic Information Systems/Intelligent Transportation Systems (GIS/ITS) program.

Initially, the strategic plan called for limited-scale “transportation operations centers” in each of WYDOT’s five field districts. One driving force was the increasing inventory of devices  such as web cameras and electronic message signs, combined with continually growing public expectation that WYDOT provide timely and accurate traveler information.

By 2003, the concept had evolved into that of a single transportation management center. Cheyenne was selected as the center’s location due to the availability of ready technical support and infrastructure, plus the presence of a dependable and diverse work force and the opportunity to co-locate with Highway Patrol dispatch.

“Co-locating with Patrol dispatch makes sense. For the first time, we’ve brought  operations and law enforcement dispatching functions together under one roof,” according to Vince Garcia, GIS/ITS program manager. “It’s a great opportunity to improve communication flow and information sharing between Patrol and Maintenance, particularly when we have weather and crash-related road closures.”

The operational concept for the TMC continued to develop to where it will now inherit most maintenance and construction dispatching responsibilities which heretofore have been conducted at WYDOT’s field district headquarters offices.

Key aspects of the TMC include:

• Monitoring and control of roadside ITS devices including web cameras, DMS, VMS, RWIS, HAR, beacons, and automated speed sensors and road closure gates; as well as communication with radio operators in field district offices;

• Serving as a law enforcement communications hub for state and federal agencies by maintaining frequent contact with Highway Patrol troopers and personnel in other agencies;

• Managing communication with the traveling public via the 511 Travel Information service (telephone and internet components) and direct contacts with media outlets, visitor centers, and truck stops;

• Receiving and relaying road and weather reports from volunteers participating in the Enhanced Citizen-Assisted Reporting (ECAR) program, as well as dispatching for WYDOT construction and maintenance crews throughout the state.

WYDOT TMC -- by the numbers

ITS devices
Roadside images from 45 web camera locations;
Data from 32 remote weather reporting stations;
Displays on 51 electronic signs;
Information from 31 automated speed sensors; and
Reports broadcast by 22 low-power “highway advisory radio” (HAR) units.

WYDOT maintenance forces and volunteers
A total of 58 maintenance crews based in 54 locations, numbering about 425 plow drivers and equipment operators; and road condition reports received from 170 “ECAR” volunteers.

WHP and other law enforcement
About 200 Patrol officers and troopers, another 200-plus personnel from state and federal agencies including game wardens, brand inspectors, crime investigators and rangers.

Chapter Sponsors Students at NRITS Conference, by Jenna Buddemeyer and Michelle Edwards

In September, we were given the great opportunity of traveling to Anchorage, Alaska for the National Rural ITS Conference.  We are both graduate students at the University of Wyoming and are each working on projects concerning various ITS components on rural interstate corridors in southern Wyoming.  Having been to numerous ITE and TRB meetings where much of the focus is geared toward urban issues, we greatly appreciated the rural focus of this meeting in Anchorage.  The technical sessions were centered on topics that we found interesting and were beneficial to us in our research. 

We participated in the Mega Tour that visited the Whittier Tunnel, Turnagain Pass, and allowed us to see some beautiful scenery.  Learning about the control and monitoring system of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was fascinating.  We also thoroughly enjoyed the social activities that allowed us to experience the Alaskan culture while networking with fellow transportation professionals.

We’d like to thank ITS Rocky Mountain for providing us with the NRITS conference student scholarships for this trip.  It would not have been possible for us to attend without your assistance!

 

 

 

 

 

New Transit Systems Aid Rural Montanans as reported by the Montana Department of Transportation 

With Montana’s wide open spaces and small population, access to medical facilities, employment, shopping, and educational opportunities can be difficult for many residents.  In 2005, SAFETEA-LU increased federal transit funding over 200 percent for Montana’s non-urbanized areas (areas with fewer than 50,000 people).  The additional funding has enabled MDT to help 24 communities create new community transit systems.  Among the many beneficiaries are the residents of Bozeman, Granite County, and the Hi-Line.

In Bozeman, Streamline started transporting passengers in August 2006.  Prior to that, Bozeman’s only bus service was Bobcat Transit, operated by the Associated Students of Montana State University.  Bobcat Transit provided 40 rides per day.  During the design phase for Streamline, planners projected a ridership of 279 rides per day.  The new service met that number in December of 2006, just five months after it started.  A year later, ridership climbed to 554 per day and topped out at 693 rides per day in January of this year.  On February 2, 2008, Streamline hit an all-time high of 922 daily rides.

In rural Granite County, where public transportation of any type is severely limited, Granite County Medical Center plans to use federal capital funding to purchase a new 12-passenger bus with six wheelchair stations.  Currently, the center uses an older bus (supported with federal operating funds) to provide countywide rides for the elderly, disabled, and general public.  This service is a lifeline for Granite County’s transit-dependent population.

Along the Hi-Line, Northern Transit Interlocal (NTI), began providing rides to Great Falls and Kalispell from its home base in Shelby on March 3.  Rimrock Trailways formerly served the Hi-Line but stopped service in 2005 leaving the area without much-needed transportation.  A 25-passenger bus travels from Shelby to Great Falls on Mondays and Thursdays stopping in Conrad to pick up and deliver passengers.  On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the same bus travels to Kalispell with stops in Cut Bank and Browning.  A smaller bus serves the communities of Sweet Grass, Sunburst, Kevin, and Four Corners with service to Shelby and back on Mondays and Thursdays.  NTI also coordinates its schedule with Amtrak’s Empire Builder service.

Diverse Partnership Nurtures Development at Lewistown Facility by the editorial staff at the Western Transportation Institute

The Cold Region Rural Transportation Research Testbed., better known as the Lewistown Research Facility, has achieved some important milestones in recent months, thanks to a dedicated partnership of local, state and federal partners.

The testbed is a state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary research facility located at the existing Lewistown, Montana airport. Using the runways, taxiways, and other assets at the airport, researchers can study a wide range of rural transportation issues related to designing, maintaining and operating roadways in a cold climate. Access to this large facility allows researchers to test multiple variables at once, in a safe and controlled environment.

Development of the center dates back to 2003 when former Fergus County Commissioner Vern Peterson first proposed the idea of using the airport in new ways. “Vern had the vision to turn the airport – which was physically under utilized – into a regional asset,” said Western Transportation Institute (WTI) Director Steve Albert. “He and Port Authority member Don Bost have shown unwavering commitment to turning the concept of a research center into reality.”

In 2006, U.S. Senator Max Baucus was instrumental in securing a $4 million federal earmark for Lewistown, which provides $1 million a year for four years towards growth and development of the center. The airport location and facilities have already proven themselves to be well-suited to innovative transportation research of national significance. Through partnerships with agencies such as the Office of Public Instruction, state departments of transportation, and FHWA, WTI has four active projects on site, which include:

• Teaching novice drivers defensive driving techniques that can prevent accidents
• Establishing the best methods for removing snow and ice from roads
• Comparing the performance of deicer products

The fourth project is particularly notable, because it demonstrates the size and complexity of research that can be addressed at the facility. The Roadside Animal Detection System (RADS) Testbed project is an $800,000 effort to evaluate nine different roadside animal detection systems from five vendors. On a portion of the airport property, researchers have constructed the test site, installing sensors to activate the detection systems and fencing to guide animal movements. Large animals such as horses or llamas will be used to “trip” the systems, allowing a side-by-side comparison of how well the systems work under similar circumstances. This research could provide invaluable information to transportation agencies trying to select a reliable and cost effective system to improve safety for both animals and drivers.

Recent developments at Lewistown will allow the facility to continue to grow, diversify, and attract a growing number of partners. WTI, Montana State University (MSU), and the Lewistown Airport Board have signed a 10 year lease that will ensure continued access to the airport facilities for research activities. Designs for a new research building have been completed, and construction will soon begin. Having a dedicated research building will allow research partners to install specialized research labs or equipment on site, and allow staff to have a dedicated workspace for the length of the project.

Partners in the Lewistown Testbed are confident that the benefits of research at the facility will extend well into the future. At a recent event to thank participating agencies and recognize the progress that has taken place, MSU President Geoff Gamble stated that “WTI’s presence in Lewistown will function as a magnet for other business opportunities.” WTI Director Steve Albert agreed, adding that “by attracting research dollars from other states, research here will lead to economic development that supports the community, similar to the impact that the North Carolina research triangle has on the surrounding local economies. Working together we have created a strong foundation that will nurture research and development in Montana for many years to come.”

2008/2009 Chapter Elections, by ITS Rocky Mountain Editorial staff

2008/2009 Elections will be held via email ballot beginning December 23rd.  Voting members of the ITS Rocky Mountain chapter will receive a ballot directly and are asked to review, complete and return the ballots by Friday, January 9th.  For information purposes, we have provided a brief bio for each candidate as well as a summary of all current officers.

The property, affairs, and business of the Chapter are managed and controlled by its Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors is limited in number as outlined in the Bylaws and consists of the following individuals (from Bylaws):

The number of individuals within the Board of Directors shall not exceed sixteen (16) including the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Immediate Past President (known collectively as Officers), and up to twelve (12) State Senators (Senators). 

Each state is represented on the Board of Directors by at least one, but also up to two Senators from the respective state.  Each Senator serves a term of three (3) years.  In 2008, both Idaho and Colorado seats are open for election.  Terms will begin immediately upon election and end at the close of the Annual Meeting or Elections in 2011.

Colorado Candidates

Navin Nageli
Navjoy, Inc.

Navin has over 15 years of experience in ITS and Traffic Operations. Prior to founding Navjoy in 2003, Navin worked as an ITS consultant for IBI Group for two years. He also formerly served as the Traffic Operations Program Manager and Traffic Operations Engineer for Denver Regional Council of Governments for over seven years.  Navin has a Master’s degree from Marquette University.  He also has a MBA.  Navin is currently involved in several major projects in Colorado such as Denver Union Station Study, Downtown Denver Timing, Statewide ITS Management system implementation.

John Muscatell, PE
URS Corporation

John Muscatell, PE, PTOE, has 31 years of experience in the transportation industry with 24 years in the public sector and seven years in consulting.  Most of his public sector work was in traffic engineering positions with the Colorado Department of Transportation. His experience includes planning, operating, and maintaining CDOT’s Denver district ramp metering system and HOV lane, managing CDOT’s courtesy patrol, and managing CDOT’s ITS Branch including the statewide traffic management center.  He was the program manager for the Colorado “shared resources” effort that developed a public private partnership with a telecommunication firm to install fiber optics in interstate rights of way. John also coordinated the initial planning effort of six agencies to convert the I-25 HOV lane to an HOT lane. As a consultant, he recently completed management of project to update the ITS strategic plans and regional architectures of Colorado.  He is currently completing design on the ITS elements of a new seven mile freeway in Texas.  John has been a member of ITS America since 2006.

Idaho Candidates

Bob Koeberlein, PE
Idaho Transportation Department

Bob earned his Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering at the University of California, and his Master's degree in Engineering Science from the University of Santa Clara.  He joined the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) in 2001.  His group is responsible for ITS, 511, Winter Maintenance, Signal Operations and Emergency Management. 

Prior to joining ITD he spent 15 years with the Federal Government, at the Voice of America (VOA), managing design and construction of radio relay stations throughout the VOA worldwide telecommunications network.  He completed international projects in Botswana, Kuwait, and Saipan, plus domestic projects in California and Ohio.

He also spent several years in the consulting engineering world in California, Florida, South Carolina and Massachusetts.  Bob is a Registered Professional Engineer in California and Idaho.

Jim Larsen, PE
Ada County Highway District

Jim has been with ACHD the past 12 years and has held the title of the Traffic Operations Engineer and is currently the Congestion Management Supervisor.  Jim manages the ACHD Traffic Management Center, signal timing staff and servers as Project Manager on ACHD ITS projects.

Prior to working at ACHD Jim worked for the City of Redmond, Washington as Traffic Operations Engineer for almost eight years and for the City of Auburn, Washington as Traffic Design Engineer.

Jim is a past ITE Idaho Chapter President and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Rocky Mountain ITS Chapter.  Jim graduated from WSU with a BS in Civil Engineering.

Officers and Senators who are continuing to serve:
President – Richard Hodges, Hodges Transportation Consulting, Inc. (2-year term expires in 2009)
Vice-President – Mark Owens, Meridian Environmental Technology, Inc. (2-year term expires in 2009)
Secretary/Treasurer – Brandi Hamilton, Montana Department of Transportation (3-year term expires in 2010)
Montana State Senator – Steve Keller, Montana Department of Transportation (3-year term expires in 2009)
Montana State Senator – Mike Bousliman, Montana Department of Transportation (3-year term expires in 2009)
Utah State Senator - Bryan Chamberlain, Utah Department of Transportation (3-year term expires in 2010)
Wyoming State Senator – Kevin Cox, PE, Wyoming Department of Transportation (3-year term expires in 2010)
Wyoming State Senator – Keith Trimels, IDT Group (3-year term expires in 2010)

News and Notes...

Meridian Promotes Theisen
Meridian Environmental Technology, Inc. has promoted Julie Theisen to Director of Advanced Transportation 
Information Services. Mrs. Theisen is responsible for the  coordination of the Meridian 511 team, providing  
customer support and assistance for 511 contract customers and the overall day-to-day operations and
enhancement of the Meridian multi-state 511 system. Meridian currently  operates statewide 511 traveler 
information services for North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Nevada, and 
Georgia.

Beginning her career at Meridian in 2002 as a forecaster, Theisen now brings her forecasting knowledge and understanding of weather impacts on transportation to the advancement of transportation information services by serving as a member of the National 511 Working Group and the American Meteorological Society. An awarded student leader in research at the University of North Dakota, and nationally recognized by the National Weather Service for her efforts in science, she graduated from UND with her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Atmospheric Sciences.

Meridian Environmental Technology is the only provider with over 10 years of 511 operational experience. The Federal Highway Administration adopted Meridian’s #SAFE model for the Nation’s First 511 Guidelines in 2001. This led to Meridian’s construction of the nation's first statewide 511 system in the state of Nebraska, and today provides services are nationwide.

Call 5-1-1 for the latest travel information or visit our website at:http://safetravelusa.com/.

US Transportation Department Launches Website to Track Hazardous Materials
The Transportation Department unveiled a Web site on Friday to help the federal government coordinate
efforts to monitor the shipment of hazardous materials across the nation. 
(More...http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081031_7034.php?zone=ngtoday) 

WTI Installs one of Country's Largest Driving Stimulators 
BOZEMAN -- The Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University is now home to one of the 
largest and most sophisticated motion-based driving simulators in the United States.  The $915,000 simulator 
uses real vehicle bodies mounted on a   motion platform and surrounded by a 240-degree arc of projector 
screens to more   accurately simulate the experience of being behind the wheel, said WTI's simulator 
manager Suzy Lassacher. Funding for the simulator came from a variety of federal and private sources. 
(More...http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=6491)

Alerts will Help Ease Traffic Trouble in Canyons 
On a day like this, thousands of skiers and snowboarders head for the resorts, but road closures in the 
canyons can frustrate plans and cause real problems for residents. A new alert system from the Salt Lake 
County Sheriff's Department is designed to eliminate those problems.  

When snow piles up in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, snow riders race to catch first tracks. But storms, 
crashes and avalanches regularly force the sheriff to close those canyon roads.  
(More...http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5019834)

New Website Alerts Motorists to Wildlife on Idaho Roads 
BOISE -- A new webiste has been un veiled to help alert motorists to wildlife corridors and to track game
game sightings in Idaho.  Last year in Idaho, almost 1,300 vehicles collided with wildlife resulting in 200 
serious injuries to drivers and passengers.  That's why the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho
Fish and Game Department developed the Idaho Highway Wildlife website.  To access the site go to 
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/manage_issues/collision.

"This is the time of year when a majority of wildlife-related accidents occur," said Kim Just, an ITD enviro-
mental planner.  "With the new wildlife website, you can look up a route and see what the dangers are ahead
of time and plan."  The site is also interactive, allowing motorists to report where and when they see wildlife
on the road.  The site uses a Google map to show wildlife corridors, a description of the types of wildlife that
cross there, and how many incidents have been reported.