Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
Webinars > Work Zone ITS Overview Webinar January 30, 2014

Work Zone ITS Overview Webinar January 30, 2014

Work Zone Intelligent Transportation Systems Implementation Guide

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Work Zone Intelligent Transportation Systems Implementation Guide

Use of Technology and Data for Effective Work Zone Management

Work Zone Intelligent Transportation Systems Implementation Guide cover.

FHWA-HOP-014-008

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Focus of the Guide

  • ITS is a tool to help meet work zone objectives regarding:
    • Safety
    • Mobility
    • Customer satisfaction
    • Work productivity and durability
  • Decisions as to feasibility/design/operation can follow a systems engineering problem-solving process

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Guide Components

✓ Implementation process

✓ Key points

Key Point: Work zone ITS is one of several tools available to address specific safety and mobility issues in work zones.

If goals and objectives become more manageable to achieve through a different technique, that technique should be selected instead of ITS. Other strategies may be more economical and effective in meeting goals and objectives.

✓ Tips

Tip: Be sure that the work zone ITS fully captures the range of impacts for which it is intended.

This is particularly important for deployments that are intended to convey delay or queue length information to users. In some deployments, work zone impacts periodically extended beyond the limits of the ITS devices. When this happened, the system was unable to provide accurate information. More importantly, the motorists sat through several minutes of delay before encountering a message that there were delays and reduced speeds in the work zone. This severely limited the credibility, usefulness, and benefits of the system.

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Guide Components (cont'd)

✓ Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

  • Plan with the end in mind. Start with identifying work zone issues and user needs, and what the goals are for the work zone. Then consider possible solutions/strategies, including ITS, that can address those needs.
  • Use a coordinated approach. Consider work zone issues, needs, and possible mitigation strategies in the context of overall impacts assessment and TMP development for the work zone to most effectively address issues and use resources.

✓ Examples

Example: I-15 CORE Project in Utah

Utah DOT traffic operations personnel were incorporated early in the project planning process and strived to be proactive in addressing the various mobility concerns that could develop. During the planning process, it became apparent that it would be extremely beneficial to upgrade the arterial signal systems in Provo and Orem to become compatible with the Utah DOT centralized signal system. Utah DOT approached the cities of Provo and Orem and established cooperative agreements to convert their systems to the statewide signal control system in order to better manage travel on the arterial streets adjacent to the freeway.

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Implementation Process

Graphic depicting a the six-step implementation process. Step 1 - Assessment of Needs. Step 2 - Concept Development and Feasibility. Step 3 - Detailed System Planning and Design. Step 4 - Procurement. Step 5 - System Deployment. Step 6 - System Operation, Maintenance and Evaluation.

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Step 1. Assessment of Need

Above an illustration of a hypothetical work zone on a freeway with two major arterial connectors bisecting it to the north and south of the work area, there is a list of substeps in step 1 of the implementation process. These include step 1.1 What are the user needs? Step 1.2 What are the system goals and objectives? Step 1.3 Who are the stakeholders? Step 1.4 Who should be on the project? and Step 1.5 What, if any, existing ITS resources are available?

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Key Takeaways

  • Plan with the end in mind
  • Keep realistic expectations
  • Involve stakeholders early in the process
  • Incorporate as part of the Transportation Management Plan (TMP) development process

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Step 2. Concept Development and Feasibility

Substeps of step 2 of the implementation plan. 2.1 What is the overall work zone ITS concept of operations? 2.2 What ITS solutions are available? 2.3 What are potential benefits of an ITS deployment? 2.4 How much will and ITS deployment cost? 2.5 What are potential institutional and jurisdictional challenges? 2.6 Addressing legal and policy issues. 2.7 How can project feasibility be established? 2.8 How can buy-in be obtained from internal and external stakeholders and other agencies?

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Categories of Work Zone ITS Solutions

  • Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems
  • Customized work zone ITS
  • Procurement and use of work zone ITS data

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Key Takeaways

  • Not all ITS deployments need to be complicated and expensive
  • Engage ITS staff expertise within the agency
  • Consensus-building within and across agencies is critical

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Step 3. Detailed System Planning and Design

Substeps of step 3 of the implementation plan. Step 3.1 Determining system requirements and specifications. 3.2 Developing the system design. 3.3 Developing a testing strategy. 3.4 Planning for operations and maintenance. 3.5 Determining staff training needs for those using and operating the work zone ITS. 3.6 Planning for public outreach. 3.7 Investigating system security. 3.8 Planning for evaluating. 3.9 Estimating system benefits and costs.

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Step 4. Procurement

Substeps of step 4 of the implementation plan. Step 4.1 Assessing procurement options. 4.2 Deciding direct or indirect procurement. 4.3 Determining the procurement award mechanism. 4.4 Issuing a request for proposals. 4.5 Selecting the preferred vendor, consultant, or contractor.

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Process diagram showing overarching elements within the processes of selecting work zone ITS type, selecting procurement method, and selecting award mechanism.

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Key Tips and Takeaways

  • Work zone ITS need not conform to a traditional procurement approach; hybrid approaches are possible
  • Agency personnel experiences and capabilities with work zone ITS should be consulted before selecting procurement method
  • Including ITS procurement as part of initial contracting process is usually preferable to change-order additions
  • Procuring private-sector mobility data may be the simplest approach in certain cases, but the type of data procured should match overall system goals and objectives

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Step 5. System Deployment

Substeps of step 5 of the implementation plan. Step 5.1 Implementing the sytem plans. Step 5.2 Scheduling decisions. Step 5.3 Systems acceptance testing, Step 5.4 Handling major deployment issues.

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Key Tips and Takeaways

  • Allow for adequate start-up and calibration time
  • Significant resources may be required to remain on schedule; consider the potential for the unexpected to occur
  • New technologies may require longer testing times to achieve acceptable performance levels

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Step 6. System Operation, Maintenance, and Evaluation

Substeps of step 6 of the implementation plan. Step 6.1 Dealing with changing work zone condidtions. Step 6.2 Using and sharing ITS information. Step 6.3 Maintaining adequate staffing. Step 6.4 Leveraging public support. Step 6.5 Conducting system monitoring and evaluation.

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Key Tips and Takeaways

  • Flexibility is important; field conditions may differ significantly from what was expected in system planning and design
  • Managing expectations for the system continues to be important
  • Verification of information being disseminated to the public is critical
  • A final evaluation that identifies and documents key findings, lessons learned, etc. is a valuable learning tool for future efforts

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