Corridors: Active Traffic Management for Congestion and Safety Benefits

1. Corridors Safety and Efficiency:Using Active Traffic Management to Achieve Congestion and Safety Benefits June 4, 2014 Kamal Suliman Virginia Department of Transportation Northern Region Operations

2. Overview • Corridors • Where, why, needs and purpose? • Active Traffic Management • What is it? • What are the benefits? • What are the proposed applications? • Delivery method • Procurement • Challenges • Lessons learned

3. I-66 Corridor – Congestion and Safety Issues *3rd slowest in NOVA per 2010 VTRC Travel Time Study **2010 VTRC Travel Time Study, p.7 • I-66 Congestion • Speed of roughly 33 MPH during AM Peak* • Includes 4 of Top 10 Region’s Travel Time “Hot Spots”** • Daily traffic volume ranges form 57,000 to 91,000 VPD • Congestion Related Crashes • Top Locations at SR-234, SR-28, SR-7100 to I-495, SR-267 • 730 Congestion Related Crashes 2008-2010 • Secondary Crashes - Significant Impact on Congestion • Operational Considerations • Significant Capacity Reduction due to Lane Closures (178 Hours August 2013 – January 2014) • Significant Resources Spent on Incident Response (363 Hours August 2013 – January 2014)

4. I-66 Congestion Hot Spots 64,000 (EB) VPD 65,000 (WB) VPD 91,000 (EB) VPD 90,000 (WB) VPD 63,000 (EB) VPD 57,000 (WB) VPD I-495 Fairfax Co. Line Arlington Co. Line US-15 High Accident Locations* 1225 65 130 99 I-495 SR-267 SR-7100 SR-28 SR-234 * Crashes per year 4

5. I-64 & I-77 Corridors – Safety Issues • I-64 and I-77 Weather • Afton and Fancy Gap Mountains • Low Visibility • Fog, Wind, Slippery Conditions • Weather Related Crashes • Severe crashes • Longer Clearance time • Secondary Crashes with Significant Number of Vehicles • Operational Considerations • Significant Safety and Mobility Impacts/Risks

6. I-77 Corridor Crashes

7. What is Active TrafficManagement? • ATM utilizes traditional ITS technologies in a more integrated manner to proactively manage incidents, traffic flow, speed….. • Improve Mobility - Maximize Use of Roadway Capacity • Reduce congestion • Variability of travel times • Increase throughput • Enhance Safety • Reduce primary/secondary crashes • Reduce weather-related crashes • Reduce wait for law enforcement/EMS to start response

8. Benefits of ATM* * From FHWA Scanning Tour

9. Strategies • Queue Warning • Advisory speeds and messaging for blockage, weather and congestion to slowdown approaching traffic. • Dynamic Lane Management • Prompt lane closures, advance merge management around blockage, incidents and work zones. • Variable Speed Limit • Better management of travel speeds based on prevailing weather conditions. • Shoulder Lane Control • Provide flexibility to opening shoulder to replace or add capacity.

10. I-66 ATM Display Concept Example with HOV Lane, No Shoulder Running Example with HOV Lane and Shoulder Running Between ½ mile to 1 mile spacing ATM Gantry Full DMS

11. I-66 ATM Display Concept Fog Normal Incident High Wind Work Zone Device Malfunction

12. Delivery Method • Design Build • Two phase best value (I-66) • Single phase (I-64, I-77 and I-495) • Estimate vs. Bid • $32M vs. $34M (I-66) • $4.2M vs. $4.6M (I-64) • $8.5M vs. $7.5M (I-77) • $15.1 vs. $15.4M (I-495) • Schedule • 24 months (I-66) • 18 months (1-64) • 18 months (1-77) • 12 months (I-495)

13. Challenges/Risks • Availability and qualifications of design build teams. • Disruptions to existing ITS system • Utilities • Right of way • Motorist/Users Acceptance • Separate software development track • System Maintenance beyond completion

14. Lessons Learned • Resist inclusion of none ITS elements. • Build/maintain capacity by spacing project advertisements further apart • Advance RFP plans further • In-service maintenance • ITS Standards/Specification • Contingency, CEI budget