Office of Operations
21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies
Speeches

USDOT Congestion Initiative
Operations & Management

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An image of traffic congestion.

Slide 1

ITE 2007 Technical Conference
Managing Congestion - Can We Do Better?
San Diego, CA
March 26, 2007

USDOT Congestion Initiative

Operations & Management

Regina McElroy
Director, Office of Transportation Management
Office of Operations
Federal Highway Administration

Slide 2

The Congestion Challenge

"Mobility is one of our country's greatest freedoms, but congestion…Limits predictable and reliable movement of people and goods and poses a serious threat to continued economic growth."

Secretary Mary Peters, October 2006

Slide 3

USDOT Congestion Initiative - A Six Point Plan

  1. Execute "Urban Partnership Agreements" with 1-5 major metro areas
  2. Encourage States to consider enacting public private partnership laws
  3. Develop new interstate highway and rail capacity through a "Corridors of the Future" competition
  4. Reduce bottlenecks at major freight gateways, including Southern California
  5. Find and implement solutions to border congestion
  6. Accelerate major airport capacity projects, reform airport pricing policies and overhaul the air traffic control system

Slide 4

The Opportunity -
Operations and Management

Pie chart depicting causes of congestion: Capacity Constrained - 40%; Traffic Incidents - 25%; Bad Weather - 15%,; Work Zones - 10%; Special Events - 5%; and Poor Signal Timing - 5%

Slide 5

Reduce Urban Congestion

  • Create urban partnerships
  • Promote HOV to HOT conversion
  • Implement meaningful congestion management process
  • Reduce impacts of bottlenecks

An image of vehicles on an interstate in congested traffic.

Slide 6

Urban Partnership Agreements

  • Implement broad congestion pricing
  • New or expanded bus rapid transit
  • Expanded telecommuting / flexible work schedules
  • Technology / operations strategies

Images of a rail station, bus, and lanes of traffic.

Slide 7

Urban Partnership Agreements

  • Significant Interest
  • Congestion Pricing/Urban Partnership Agreements Workshops
    • Washington, DC (March 21)
    • Denver (March 23)
    • Atlanta (March 30)
  • Frequently Asked Questions posted at grants.gov (March 2007)

Slide 8

HOV to HOT Conversions

  • Establish FHWA expert task force
  • Assess opportunities for HOV to HOT conversions
  • Champion HOV to HOT Conversions
  • Provide technical support/training

An image showing SR 91 Express Toll Lanes in Orange County, California. Plastic pylons separate Express Toll Lanes. Photo: California Private Transportation Co

Slide 9

Meaningful Congestion Management Process

  • Bring Operations into the Planning Process
  • New SAFETEA-LU requirement
  • TMAs with certification reviews in FY07

An image of traffic congestion.

Slide 10

Reduce Impacts of Bottlenecks

  • Initiate dialogue with States to pursue innovative solutions with near-term impacts
  • Distribute Primer and lessons learned from Lead States
  • Promote establishment of comprehensive bottleneck reduction programs

An image of vehicles on an interstate in congested traffic.

Slide 11

Operational and Technological Improvements

  • Traveler Information
  • Work Zones
  • Incident Management
  • Traffic Signal Timing

An image of an overhead Display Message Sign (DMS) displaying traveler information.

Slide 12

Real-Time Traveler Information

  • Nationwide 511 deployment
  • Travel time on all urban DMS signs
  • Real-Time Traveler Information Program

An image of an overhead Display Message Sign (DMS) displaying traveler time information.

Slide 13

Reduce Work Zone Delay

  • Implement work zone safety and mobility final rule

An image of a Road Work Ahead sign displayed on a work vehicle in a work zone area.

Slide 14

Reduce Incident Delay

  • "Move it" laws
  • Quick clearance policies
  • Full function service patrols
  • Integrated transportation / law enforcement technology

An image of law enforcement and emergency vehicles at a traffic incident.

Slide 15

Improve Traffic Signal Timing

  • Increase awareness/funding (Self Assessments and National Report Card)
  • Champion regular signal retiming programs
  • Release ACS lite

An image of a control center in Springfield, Missouri.

Springfield, MO

Slide 16

Congestion Information Resources

Images of tractor trailers, a meeting, and traffic congestion with overhead traffic signals.

Office of Operations