USDOT Congestion Initiative
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Slide 1
Baltimore - Washington Regional Traffic Signal Forum
Maritime Institute
Linthicum, MD
March 14, 2007
USDOT Congestion Initiative
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 - Why Now
- Surging public discontent with congestion and "pork" barrel spending
- New advances in technology that can greatly improve system management and pricing
- Successful congestion reducing demonstrations in major cities around the world
- Strong private sector investment interest in US infrastructure
- Growing consensus that traditional financing mechanisms for highway and aviation infrastructure are unsustainable
- Economic benefits of trucking, rail and aviation deregulation (estimated at $60B/year) increasingly threatened
Slide 4
USDOT Congestion Initiative - A Six Point Plan
- Relieve urban congestion
- Unleash private sector investment resources
- Promote operational and technological improvements
- Establish a "Corridors of the Future" competition
- Target major freight bottlenecks and expand freight policy outreach
- Accelerate major aviation capacity projects and provide a future funding framework
Slide 5
USDOT Congestion Initiative
Point 1
Relieve Urban Congestion
- Create urban partnerships
- Promote HOV to HOT conversion
- Implement meaningful congestion management process
- Reduce impacts of bottlenecks
Slide 6
Urban Partnership Agreements
- Implement broad congestion pricing
- New or expanded bus rapid transit
- Expanded telecommuting / flexible work schedules
- Technology / operations strategies
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
Slide 9
Meaningful Congestion Management Process
- Bring Operations into the Planning Process
- New SAFETEA-LU requirement
- TMAs with certification reviews in FY07
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
Slide 11
USDOT Congestion Initiative
Point 3
Promote Operational and Technological Improvements
- Traveler Information
- Work Zones
- Incident Management
- Traffic Signal Timing
Slide 12
Real-Time Traveler Information
- Nationwide 511 deployment
- Travel time on all urban DMS signs
- SAFETEA-LU Section 1201 - Implementation (NPRM)
Slide 13
Reduce Work Zone Delay
- Implement work zone safety and mobility final rule
Slide 14
Reduce Incident Delay
- "Move it" laws
- Quick clearance policies
- Full function service patrols
- Integrated transportation / law enforcement technology
Slide 15
Improve Traffic Signal Timing
- Increase awareness/funding (Self Assessments and National Report Card)
- Champion regular signal retiming programs
- Release ACS lite
Springfield, MO
Slide 16
Congestion Information Resources
- USDOT Web Site: http://www.dot.gov
- Operations Web Site: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov
- Urban Partnership Program Manager - Patrick DeCorla Souza, (202) 366-4076
- Congestion Mitigation Coordinator - Rich Taylor, (202) 366-1327