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21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies
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Deploying Advanced Technology Infrastructure for Transportation Systems Management & Operations in Maryland: US 1 Innovative Technology Deployment Corridor

Appendix C: MDOT SHA TSM&O Strategic Implementation Plan Summary

Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSM&O) has emerged as a formal discipline for transportation agencies throughout the country. The intent of TSM&O is to assist agencies more effectively in operating existing facilities and systems to maximize their full service potential. TSM&O strategies aim to better leverage capacity limitations due to congestion, incidents, construction, weather, poor signalization, and other factors.

MDOT/SHA is deploying TSM&O strategies to actively manage Maryland’s multimodal transportation network. This Strategic Implementation Plan summarizes a business case for TSM&O; establishes the mission, vision, goals, objectives and performance measures for TSM&O within MDOT/SHA; and identifies the strategies and projects required to implement TSM&O in the areas of leadership/organization, business processes, tools and data. It also recommends resource needs to carry out the Plan. A one-page summary of the plan is included at the end of this appendix.

Fortunately, TSM&O is not a new concept to MDOT/SHA and a strong management and operations foundation already exists.  In fact, the agency is involved, at some level, in many TSM&O Strategies such as (but not limited to):

  • Traffic incident management
  • Work zone management
  • Traveler information services and demand management
  • Road weather information
  • Freeway management and managed lanes
  • Active Traffic Management
  • Integrated Corridor Management
  • Traffic signal operation
  • Electronic payment/toll collection
  • Emergency response
  • Freight management

A TSM&O Executive Committee and Steering Committee is overseeing execution of this TSM&O Strategic Implementation Plan in an effort to ensure that MDOT/SHA can:

  • Broaden the array of options in project feasibility studies to include TSM&O improvements as standard agency processes, including tradeoffs with capacity improvements;
  • Consider mechanisms for evaluating TSM&O strategies on a corridor basis;
  • Develop  and use reliability metrics that inform  comparisons  among TSM&O investment decision trade-offs;
  • Capitalize on modeling work at University of Maryland (UMD) that is creating customized, data-driven, objective decision-support tools for selecting strategies;
  • Implement a tracking and reporting process focused on the TSM&O long-range plan and contents of TIP/STIP to better communicate and coordinate between MDOT/SHA planning and local jurisdictions; and
  • Review current funding processes to identify and program TSM&O improvement projects.

The MDOT/SHA TSM&O Mission, Vision, and Goals are:

Mission

To establish and maintain a TSM&O program and implement supporting projects within Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration improving mobility and reliability for all people and goods through planned operations of transportation facilities.

Vision

Maximize mobility and reliable travel for people and goods within Maryland by efficient use of management and operations of transportation systems.

Goals

Goal 1. Develop and Implement a Sustainable TSM&O Program at MDOT/SHA

Goal 2. Improve travel time reliability for both people and freight on both freeways and arterials

Goal 3. Develop data- and performance-driven approaches to support TSM&O planning, programming, implementation and evaluation decisions

Goal 4. Improve the traveling public’s experience on Maryland highways by enabling customers with information and choices

For each of these goals, this TSM&O Strategic Implementation plan includes specific objectives, strategies, actions, responsibilities, and implementation time frames.

Finally, a key success factor for TSM&O implementation is to ensure that there is an organizational structure within Maryland SHA, as the responsible MDOT modal agency, to provide oversight of the TSM&O Strategic Implementation Plan, in conjunction with both internal and external stakeholders. This plan includes a proposed organizational set up for TSM&O within MDOT/SHA including the creation of a new TSM&O Program Manager position to facilitate institutional and programmatic TSM&O strategy integration within existing SHA offices. This strategy integration will take place in coordination with both internal and externals stakeholders and in conjunction with a TSM&O specific communications and outreach plan (as identified in this Strategic Implementation Plan).

TSM&0 Vision and Goals

 

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