T3 Webinar Overview

Guidelines on Virtual Transportation Management Center Development

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Cost: All T3 webinars are free of charge
PDH: 1.5 View PDH Policy

T3 Webinars are brought to you by the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Professional Capacity Building Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (U. S. DOT) ITS Joint Program Office (JPO). References in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. DOT.

Background

A Traffic Management Center (TMC) is a hub for collecting and sharing information, making operational and management decisions, and implementing control strategies for the transportation network. Traditionally, TMCs have been designed as centralized systems, with dedicated physical space for transportation management operations. Recently, there has been growing interest in a virtualized system, in which there is no centralized location for operations. In the Virtual TMC scenario, users from different locations connect to and interact with the system remotely via software on their computers, utilizing advanced approaches including web-based applications, cloud computing, and Software as a Service (SaaS).

With constraints in capital funds, some transportation agencies view Virtual TMCs as a potential option for transportation management and data sharing among transportation and public safety partners. However, consistent guidelines for developing and operating a Virtual TMC do not yet exist. A Virtual TMC Guidebook will provide transportation agencies information on Virtual TMC business planning, procedures for addressing coming technical, operational and institutional issues, expected impacts of TMC virtualization on core functions, as well as instructive case studies.

Agenda

Dan Lukasik, P.E., will present a summary on the “Guidelines for Virtual Transportation Management Center Development.” The purpose of the document was to develop guidelines for the creation, implementation and operation of a Virtual TMC. This guidebook is intended to serve as a detailed reference that addresses the concepts, methods, processes, tasks, techniques, and other related issues for practitioners to consider associated with planning and development for a virtual TMC. The guidebook describes the business planning process for developing a virtual TMC. Also, it provides guidance and procedures for addressing technical, operational and institutional issues such as data needs, communications, responsibilities, and agreements for collaborating remotely that will be beneficial.

Alan Stevenson will discuss virtual TMCs in Oklahoma as a distributed system and the lessons learned.

Philip Braun will discuss the Idaho Transportation Department experience with virtual TMCs and the lessons learned.

Learning Objectives

Attendees of the webinar will expect to learn about:

Examples of various TMC models.
Guidance for business planning.
Procedures for addressing common technical, operational, and institutional issues (e.g., data needs, communications, and collaboration agreements) associated with Virtual TMCs.
Concepts, methods, processes, tasks, techniques, and other related issues for practitioners to consider associated with planning and development for a virtual TMC.
Where a virtual TMC Model is most suitable.

Target Audience

ITS and TMC Program Managers, consultants, vendors, academia, and government officials, including local, State, Federal and DOTs, and any other individuals or entities involved in the design, deployment, operation, or evaluation of TMCs.
Those wanting to learn more about the guidelines on Virtual TMC development.

Host

Jimmy Chu, Transportation Specialist, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), (Washington, D.C.)

photograph of Jimmy Chu Mr. Jimmy Chu is a Transportation Specialist on the Traveler Information Management Team at FHWA in Washington, D.C. In this position, Mr. Chu oversees the Travel Time on Dynamic Message Signs program. He also manages the Transportation Management Center Pooled-Fund Study. He provides technical support to State agencies relating to traveler information programs. Prior to joining FHWA, Mr. Chu worked at the Virginia Department of Transportation for 25 years and was the manager of the TMC in Northern Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland.

Moderator

Paul Keltner, State Traffic Operations Supervisor, Wisconsin Department of Transportation

photograph of Paul Keltner Mr. Paul Keltner brings 14 years of professional engineering experience to his supervisory position at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT) Bureau of Traffic Operations. As the supervisor for the Statewide Traffic Operations Center (STOC) located in Milwaukee, WI, Mr. Keltner oversees the TMC's operations, including IT and systems management functions, the statewide Traffic Incident Management Enhancement program, and WisDOT’s Emergency Transportation Operations program. Mr. Keltner also directs the traveler information and incident management efforts for the bureau, including Wisconsin’s 511 website, phone, the STOC’s posting of warnings and alerts, and the monitoring of roads through the closed circuit television camera network.

Presenters

Dan Lukasik, P.E., Vice President of Systems, Parsons Transportation Group

Mr. Dan Lukasik has 25 years of experience in the design and implementation of ITS systems used for managing freeways, toll roads, arterial roadway networks as well as transit systems. He is considered an expert in: freeway-based Advanced Transportation Management Systems (ATMS); Active Traffic Management including strategies such as variable speed limits, queue warning, dynamic lane management, junction control, adaptive ramp metering and hard shoulder running; Integrated Corridor Management; ITS Communication Systems; and Connected Vehicles and ITS Standards. Mr. Lukasik is a member of the ITS-California board, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Subcommittee on Active Traffic Management and an active participant with the TRB Freeway Operations Subcommittee. He has lead training courses on the design of ITS communication systems and conducted various workshops and webinars on ITS topics for the U.S. DOT. Mr. Lukasik currently oversees the delivery of Parsons’ Intelligent NETworks® ATMS Product suite.

Alan Stevenson, Assistant Division Engineer, ITS and Fiber Optic, Oklahoma DOT (ODOT)

Mr. Alan Stevenson attended Texas A&M University and received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1987. He started work in 1988 at Oklahoma Department of Transportation in the Traffic Engineering Division. Mr. Stevenson has been responsible for various design sections such as Traffic Signals, Highway Lighting, and Hazardous Elimination Studies. In 1997, he started the ODOT’s ITS and Fiber Optic branch; duties included the design and development of construction plans for ITS and Fiber Optic deployments. He provides management and oversees software development of the ITS console and server systems through the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Stevenson is responsible for the negotiations of public private partnerships with third party Telecommunications Companies and the overseeing of engineering and asset management of all ODOT, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and the State’s fiber optic inventory in a GIS platform.

Philip Braun, iNET Systems Administrator, Idaho Transportation Department

Mr. Philip Braun has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Seattle Pacific University and earned his Master’s in Business Administration at Boise State University while working full time for the Idaho Transportation Department. He supported three Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) systems (vehicle registrations, titles, and driver’s licensing) for eight years. Mr. Braun has worked in software systems for Simplot, Sears, Medicaid, and other private sector companies.

Currently, Mr. Braun works in Mobility Services under Highway Operations as the iNET (Intelligent NETworks®) Administrator. Statewide Dynamic Message Signs and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras are integrated in. By the end of the year another 111 other CCTV cameras will be integrated in along with new Highway Advisory Radio stations.

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