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Border-Wide Assessment of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Technology—Current and Future Concepts

Final Report

CHAPTER 6. INVENTORY OF ITS PROJECTS ON THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER REGIONS

The objective of this chapter is to develop an inventory of ITS projects on the U.S.-Mexico border. These projects include ITS studies and deployments. The ITS projects also include deployment projects that are part of larger highway construction projects. It is intended that the inventory will assist readers of this report to gain an understanding of ITS projects being developed at regions other than their own and will assist them in planning, procuring, and constructing ITS projects. The inventory, however, does not include ITS-related research being performed by academics. ITS projects are divided into the three following categories:

  • Projects under construction: This includes ITS deployments that have already been let or contracted and are under construction.
  • Projects being procured: This includes ITS deployments that are being procured.
  • Projects under consideration: This includes ITS deployments that are being planned or conceptualized by border regions.
  • Projects being studied: This includes studies being performed by Government agencies at all levels to plan and deploy ITSs. These studies include feasibility studies, design studies, and technology development, standards, and protocol studies.

Projects under Construction

Various Border Wait-Time Measurement Projects in Texas

Bridge of the Americas, El Paso

In 2006, FHWA initiated Part I of Measuring Border Delay and Crossing Times at the U.S.-Mexico Border. This project was among the first steps in the current process to automate measurement of crossing times. Technology candidates were screened for their applicability to automate the crossing time measurement process. In order to measure travel time and the associated delay, the chosen technology needed to be flexible enough to cover the complete trip and be applicable at all POEs. The technology considered most appropriate for the intended purpose was AVI using passive RFID.

In 2007, FHWA began Part II of Measuring Border Delay and Crossing Times at the U.S.-Mexico Border. For this part of the research, FHWA initiated two projects, one of which became the deployment of RFID at the Bridge of the Americas land border crossing between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. This project initially implemented two RFID reader stations with an algorithm designed to only measure crossing time. The automated crossing time measurement system became operational in July 2009.

In January 2010, FHWA internally sent forward a recommendation for CBP and GSA approval of a permit for RFID installation at the primary inspection facility locations at two Texas land border crossings—BOTA and Pharr-Reynosa—where crossing time data were already being automatically measured using RFID. That recommendation was accepted by GSA. FHWA subsequently proceeded to have RFID equipment that would enable the measurement of border wait time installed at both the BOTA and Pharr-Reynosa CBP primary inspection facilities.

In addition to incorporating more RFID reader stations at Pharr and BOTA, the modification included (among other tasking) development of (a) a guidebook for analysis and dissemination of border-crossing time and wait-time data, (b) step-by-step guidelines for implementing RFID to measure border wait and crossing times, and (c) a prototype Web tool with design documentation and specifications and supporting user guidance and demonstration.

Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, Pharr

The objective of the deployment was to install and implement RFID technology to measure border-crossing time and travel delay for commercial trucks crossing from Mexico into Texas at the Pharr-Reynosa border crossing. Based on feedback from the stakeholder meeting and the definition of the number and location of RFID reading stations, the concept of operations (ConOps) that was previously developed under the FHWA BOTA project was modified to meet the Pharr-Reynosa border-crossing time measurement requirements. The deployment of the RFID readers and other communication equipment was completed in October 2009. Since then, the system has been collecting tag identification data from northbound trucks entering the United States and sending them to a central server in El Paso.

Camino Colombia and World Trade Bridge, Laredo

The objective of the deployment was to install and implement RFID technology to measure border-crossing time and travel delay for commercial trucks crossing from Mexico into Texas at the Camino Columbia and World Trade Bridge border crossings. The design of the RFID systems is similar to the ones developed for the Pharr-Reynosa and BOTA border crossings. The deployment of the RFID readers and other communication equipment will commence in 2011.

Border Waits Analysis Project in Nogales, Arizona

The overall goal of this project is to install a system that automatically and accurately measures border wait times (i.e., “border waits analysis”) for northbound commercial freight vehicles crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at the Mariposa POE in Nogales, Arizona-Sonora. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has identified two main objectives in order to meet the overall goal of this project. The first involves selecting one or more appropriate technology(ies) for the proposed border waits analysis system, and RFID has been chosen as the technology to be used. The second consists of implementing the system itself. It has been determined that data shared from ADOT’s EPIC system at the Mariposa POE will enable processing of crossing time data as well. Once the selected technology system has been implemented for the Mariposa POE, both border crossing and wait-time data will be collected and disseminated to all stakeholders involved in the border-crossing process at the Mariposa POE. Coordination with the regional stakeholders has taken place to help develop the appropriate design and implementation plans.

State Route 905/Otay Mesa POE, San Diego Region

SR-905 provides essential connection between the Otay Mesa POE with Mexico and the regional freeway system in California. This project will construct a six-lane freeway from I-805 to the busiest commercial border crossing on the California-Mexico border (89). This project, along with the future Otay Mesa East POE and State Route 11, will provide for efficient transportation of goods and services in the Otay Mesa border region.

The project includes a 5-1-1 travel information system, fiber-optic communication traffic monitor systems, ramp meter systems, video detection signals, CCTV systems, and VMSs, all connecting to a base communication hub.

A corridor management plan for the SR-905 project is intended to provide a unified, multimodal system management concept for managing and preserving freight mobility in the corridor. When fully implemented, the project will incorporate ITS technologies to help manage demand and efficiency of the corridor. ITS improvements will provide a safer and more reliable route, helping to minimize accidents that can cause non-recurrent congestion and delays.

Caltrans and SANDAG have also implemented the Freeway Performance Monitoring System (PeMS) in the San Diego region. PeMS provides a robust source of data that enables monitoring of the performance of individual transportation corridors as well as the overall system. Emphasis is placed on assessing and identifying portions of the corridor/system that are not performing optimally. With the inclusion of SR-905 data in PeMS, ongoing operations of the corridor can be monitored so that problems can be addressed early on in order to preserve long-term corridor mobility.

Projects Being Procured

ITS Pre-Deployment Strategy for SR-11 and the Otay Mesa East POE

SANDAG and Caltrans, in cooperation with the GSA and other project stakeholders, are proposing to develop the new cross-border facility and the associated transportation facility, SR 11, as a state-of-the-art border-crossing facility. The new facility will be located approximately 2 miles east of the existing Otay Mesa POE and will create a third border crossing along the San Diego region’s border with Tijuana. Mexican government agencies are advancing Mesa de Otay II, the Mexican side of the cross-border facility, and associated transportation routes.

SANDAG and Caltrans are pursuing multiple objectives with the new POE, including:

  • Building additional physical capacity at the border; maximizing the efficiency of the new facility by using state-of-the-art ITSs and innovative operating concepts.
  • Introducing a toll-pricing model at the border that is based on wait/crossing time and focused on congestion management and emissions reduction at the border.
  • Developing the project as a national model of public/public partnering.
  • Designing a project that exemplifies both environmental and economic stewardship.

SANDAG was awarded ITS funding to create a comprehensive ITS pre-deployment strategy, which will evaluate ITS technologies to facilitate a bi-national ITS concept of operations that includes technology options to enable variable toll rates, advanced traveler information, state-of the-art toll collection technologies, enhanced border operations, and new institutional relationships to accelerate and optimize deployment.

SANDAG has retained a bi-national consulting group to develop ITS pre-deployment strategies and subsequent oversight activities for implementation phases for the proposed new Otay Mesa East POE and the connecting SR-11.

Projects under Consideration

San Ysidro POE, San Diego Region

This project first proposes a people-moving system to replace the existing pedestrian bridge over Interstate 5 that will be removed as part of the GSA reconfiguration project (104). This people-moving system should integrate state-of-the-art traveler information, border-crossing information, and commercial advertising space.

In addition to a 5-1-1 system, the project also envisions an integrated smart parking approach. Parking at the border must first promote use of mass transit, but smart parking strategies can also capture revenues from those driving to the POE. A smart parking option will be evaluated, and if included, would provide those drivers with state-of-the-art parking slot information and peak/off-peak parking pricing.

Traveler information kiosks located in the reconfigured commercial spaces would enhance the travel experience and provide pedestrian amenities geared to the cross-border traveler. The so-called pedestrian deck can be designed as an inviting traveler esplanade with attractive retail outlets and food stations.

A coordinated, pedestrian-friendly, multimodal system that includes local and long-haul buses, jitneys, airport connector buses, trolleys, taxis, and pick-up and drop-off opportunities for transit riders and pedestrians is planned. An integrated multimodal center that is based upon making mass transit options more accessible and more viable must be developed. Without such an integrated multimodal traveler center, 25,000 pedestrians per day are subject to an inefficient crossing experience that encourages Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travel and is congested, carbon emission intensive, and increasingly expensive. The enhanced multimodal center will be supported by a complete traveler information system. That traveler information system will provide information about all on-carriage options; bus, trolley, and airline schedules; and real-time border delay notifications.

State-of-the-Art ITS at Border Crossings in the El Paso Region

Stakeholders in the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez region are seeking to develop a comprehensive state-of-the-art ITS at all three border crossings in the El Paso region. Objectives of the ITS deployment are to measure, relay, and archive volume, crossing times, and wait times and to queue length of passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles both in northbound and southbound directions. The ITS deployment will be in coordination with a system already deployed at one of the bridges to measure crossing and wait times of northbound commercial vehicles.

ITS Projects under Development in Mexico

National Strategic Plan for Planning, Developing, and Implementing ITSs in Mexico

The objective of the National Strategic Plan is defining programs and strategies to develop and implement ITS service applications in Mexico that support a better operation and use of the multimodal transportation network in Mexico. This strategy will help maintain Mexico’s competitive position internally at the international level, considering the nation’s social and environmental objectives defined by relevant stakeholders. The plan will define the sector’s policy for implementing ITS services in Mexico at the national and urban levels. It will define strategic plans and programs to implement the ITS Strategic Plan in Mexico, as well as resources and the schedule for completing these activities. It will also define the institutional arrangement required to manage the implementation of Mexico’s ITS Strategic Plan (49).

Development Plan for Updating Processes, Standards, and ITS Protocols

The objective of this project is to establish a development plan for updating processes, standards, and ITS protocols to promote the implementation of ITS systems. These protocols and standards include the interoperability and the implementation of transportation systems at the local and regional levels. The project will assure that hardware and software interconnections and interfaces are consistent and compatible within an advanced transportation system (49).

Development of the Traveler Information System (INFOVIAJE)

The project will define the general characteristics of the INFOVIAJE system from the technological, financial, commercial, and legal perspectives. During this project, the INFOVIAJE CONOPS will be developed. The CONOPS will include the definition of the system’s performance, identification and coordination with key stakeholders, definition of processes and specific procedures for the adequate operation of the system, conceptual and initial design of road data input into the system, and coordination with fixed-line telephone and cellular service suppliers. The project will define the technical, functional, operative, financial, and infrastructure requirements of the INFOVIAJE global system; the GIS portal and maps; the INFOVIAJE software functions; the database structure; the report structure; the (general) telephone system; the voice recognition system (VRS); the public, stakeholder, and SCT Web pages; the backup system; and the telecommunications requirements (49).

Strategic Plan for the Modernization and Improvement of the Electronic Toll Collection System

The project will create a strategic plan for ETC in Mexico that includes the operational, regulatory, and legal aspects. The plan will include the definition of technologies and the commercial and legal structure required to migrate gradually from the current operation to the desired model. It will identify stakeholder needs and define equipment configurations and key procedures that will facilitate the interaction between stakeholders. The project will propose technological improvements that can be implemented to increase the use and efficiency of ETC systems so that payment time at booths can be reduced to optimize existing infrastructure. The plan will establish the legal framework required to regulate the provision of ETC services, identifying required changes in the laws and regulations (49).

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