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21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

Appendix A - Survey Results

Question 1: Agencies Participating in Survey

Survey contributors were asked to enter the name of the agency they represented.

Responses were received from the following twenty-five (25) states as shown in Figure 2.

  • Connecticut
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Washington State
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin

Map showing the 25 states participating in the survey.

Question 2: Agencies Using RCRS

Survey contributors were asked if their agency is using a RCRS.

Respondents from twenty-three (23) of the states that responded indicated that their agency uses a RCRS. Respondents from the following two (2) states indicated that they are not using a RCRS:

  • New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT)
  • Georgia DOT (Note: Georgia DOT responded ‘Yes’ to the follow-up question that would indicate they use an RCRS, but did not complete additional questions.)

Figure showing findings that 23 of 25 surveyed states use an RCRS.
Question 2: Is your agency using RCRS?

Question 3: Type of RCRS Used

Survey contributors were asked which RCRS they are using.

Respondents from thirteen (13) states indicated their RCRS was developed in house. Respondents from nine (9) states indicated use of vendor RCRS products.

RCRS Product State
In-House
  • Connecticut
  • Kansas
  • Maryland
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Vermont
  • Washington
Volt Delta
  • Nevada
Transcore TranSuite ATMS
  • Wisconsin
  • Utah
Open TMS – Open Roads Consulting Inc.
  • West Virginia
Condition Acquisition Reporting Systems (CARS) – Castle Rock
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Maine
  • Minnesota
Lonestar
  • Texas

Figure showing survey findings that 13 agency responses (57%) indicated use of an in-house RCRS, while 10 agency responses (43%) indicated use of vendor RCRS products.
Question 3: What RCRS is your agency using?

Question 4: Duration of RCRS Use

Survey contributors were asked how long their agency has been operating RCRS.

Respondents in six (6) states have been operating their RCRS between 11 and 15 years and respondents in ten (10) states have been operating their RCRS between 6 and 10 years.

Number of Years Operating RCRS State
1 to 5 years
  • West Virginia
6 to 10 years
  • Connecticut
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Maine
  • Missouri
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Utah
  • Washington
11 to 15 years
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Oregon
  • Vermont
More than 16 years
  • Maryland
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • North Dakota
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin

Figure showing the distribution of survey findings of agencies operating an RCRS for 1-5 years (1 state), 6-10 years (10 states), 11-15 years (6 states), and more than 16 years (6 states).
Question 4: How long has your agency operated a RCRS?

Question 5: RCRS Changes

Survey contributors were asked if they have made any significant changes to their RCRS since it initially launched.

Twenty-one (21) responses were received to this question. Half of the respondents indicated that they have deployed a second generation RCRS and have used the same developer for both versions. Approximately one-fourth of the responders indicated that they switched to a new vendor and/or software systems since their initial RCRS launch. One (1) state respondent (West Virginia) indicated that their RCRS is a first generation system. Overall comments received indicate that changes are needed to continually evolve and improve RCRS. Specific comments received on the history of RCRS in some states included:

  • Pennsylvania DOT, which uses an in-house RCRS, implements 3 to 4 enhancements per calendar year to their system. Maryland has been adding 2 to 3 major releases to their RCRS each year since 2006.
  • Oregon DOT’s new RCRS version is integrated with their dispatch/incident management system. This new system avoids duplicate entry into both systems.
  • The Vermont Agency of Transportation initially deployed CARS for their RCRS. In 2012 an in-house system was developed by Vermont while working with New England states on a new regional RCRS.

Figure showing the distribution of survey findings of agencies making significant changes to their RCRS since the initial launch with 1 state saying no, 11 deploying a second generation with the same developer, 5 switching to a new vendor and/or software system, and 4 making only significant changes to the initial system.
Question 5: Have you made any signifcant changes to your RCRS since you intially launched it?

Question 6: RCRS Data Received

Survey contributors were asked what data is received by their agency’s RCRS.

Respondents in over nineteen states indicated that construction activities, roadway or lane blocking incidents, and road weather observations were received by their agency’s RCRS. Ten respondents indicated that their RCRS received travel time information.

Figure showing the data received by agencies' RCRS for construction activities (21 states), roadway or lane blocking incidents (22 states), roadway weather observations (19 states), and travel time information (10 states).
Question 6: What data is received by your agency's RCRS?

Other data received by RCRS noted by respondents included:

Other Data/Information Received by RCRS State
Chain Requirements
  • Oregon
  • Nevada
CCTV
  • Idaho
  • Nevada
DMS
  • Nevada
Special Event Information
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • Wisconsin
Road Conditions
  • Montana
Load/Truck Restrictions
  • Iowa
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • Oregon
Speed Restrictions
  • Montana
Weather Radar
  • North Dakota
Wind speed
  • North Dakota
Maintenance Activities
  • Oregon
  • West Virginia
Non-blocking Incidents
  • Oregon
Travel and Tourism
  • Vermont
Point Speed Detection
  • Maryland
Automated Vehicle Location from State Vehicles
  • Maryland
RWIS
  • Maryland
  • Idaho
Impaired Traffic Signals
  • Maryland
National Weather Service
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
Traffic Speeds
  • Iowa

Question 7: RCRS Data Entry

Survey contributors were asked how data received by RCRS is entered (manual, semi-automated or fully automated).

Respondents indicated that travel times received by RCRS are fully-automated. Respondents noted that construction activity data received by RCRS are manually entered and semi-automated. Respondents indicated that roadway or lane blocking incidents and roadway weather observations data is received by RCRS by manual data entry, semi-automated systems, and fully-automated systems. A summary is provided in the table below.

Respondents noted that CCTV, DMS, traffic speeds, radar and wind speeds are an automated entry into some agencies RCRS. Manual entries noted by respondents for some RCRS included chain requirements, special events, truck restrictions and maintenance activities.

Data Received by RCRS Manual Entry Semi-Automated Entry Fully Automated Entry
Construction Activities 20 states
ID, IN, IA, KS, ME, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI
2 states
CT, MA
0 states
Roadway or Blocking Incidents 17 states
ID, IN, IA, KS, ME, MS, MO,MT, NV, ND, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, WA
3 states
CT, MA, WI
2 states
MN, WV
Roadway Weather Observations 12 states
ID, IN, IA, KS, ME, MO, ND, PA, TN, TX, UT, WI
3 states
MA, MI, VT
3 states
OH, OR, WA
Travel Time Information 0 states 0 states 12 states
ID, KS, MA, MI, MN, NV, OH, OR, TN, TX, WA, WI

Question 8: RCRS Data Frequency

Survey contributors were asked how frequently the data is received by their RCRS.

In order to understand each respondent’s ability to meet the SAFETEA-LU Section 1201 Real-Time System Management Information Program (RTSMIP) requirements, the survey asked responders to indicate the frequency at which different data types are updated in the RCRS. The following table describes the Section 1201 requirements.

Section 1201 Requirements Overview
Data Received by RCRS Interstates – Outside Metro Interstates – Within Metro Metro Area Routes of Significance
Construction Activities 20 minute latency from time of closure 10 minutes latency from time of closure 10 minutes latency from time of closure
Roadway or Blocking Incidents 20 minute latency from time of verification 10 minute latency from time of verification 10 minute latency from time of verification
Roadway Weather Observations 20 minute latency from observation 20 minute latency from observation 20 minute latency from observation
Travel Time Information N/A 10 minute latency from calculation 10 minute latency from calculation

Respondents indicated that data (construction activities, roadway or lane blocking incidents, roadway weather observations, and travel time information) is most frequently updated within 10 minutes of observation as show in the table below.

Data Received by RCRS Within 10 minutes of observation Within 20 minutes of observations On a regular schedule, regardless of whether conditions change Daily
Construction Activities 12 states
CT, IA, IN, MA, MO, MS, ND, OH, OR, TN, VT, WI
0 states 3 states
ME, MT, WI
5 states
KS, MN, TX, WI, WV
Roadway or Blocking Incidents 16 states
CT, IA, ID, IN, MA, MN, MO, MS, ND, NV, OH, OR, TN, TX, VT, WI
4 states
KS, ME, MT, WV
0 states 0 states
Roadway Weather Observations 11 states
IA, IN, MA, MO, MS, ND, NV, OH, OR, TN, VT
3 states
KS, MT, TX
6 states
IA, ID, MN, UT, WI, WV
0 states
Travel Time Information 9 states
ID, MA, MS, NV, OH, OR, TN, TX, WI
  1 state
MN
 

Question 9: RCRS Data Sources

Survey contributors were asked to identify what sources of data are used for their RCRS.

Respondents were asked if their RCRS data was received from the agency’s network, other agencies, the private sector or travelers. Most responded that data is received from the agency network and only a few identified travelers as a data source for construction, incidents and roadway weather conditions.

Bar chart showing the data sources (i.e., agency network, another agency, private sector, or travelers) from which the RCRS receives data for construction activities, roadway or lane blocking incidents, roadway weather observations, and travel time information.
Question 9: From what source does your RCRS receive data?

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