Active Traffic Management (ATM) Implementation and Operations Guide
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Contact Information: Operations Feedback at OperationsFeedback@dot.gov
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Operations
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
FHWA-HOP-17-056
December 2017
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.
The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.
Quality Assurance Statement
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Cover Photo Source: Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
- CHAPTER 2. PLANNING AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
- CHAPTER 3. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
- CHAPTER 4. IMPLEMENTATION AND DEPLOYMENT
- CHAPTER 5. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
- CHAPTER 6. FINAL REMARKS
- REFERENCES
LIST OF FIGURES
- Figure 1. Photo. ATM installation on I-5, Seattle, Washington (Source: Texas A&M Transportation Institute [TTI]).
- Figure 2. Photo. ATM installation on I-66, Virginia (Source: VDOT).
- Figure 3. Photo. VSL sign in Wyoming (Source: WYDOT).
- Figure 4. Graphic. ATM strategies (adapted).
- Figure 5. Photo. Adaptive ramp metering on I-45, Houston, TX (Source: TTI).
- Figure 6. Graphic. ATSC application in New York City (Source: New York City Department of Transportation).
- Figure 7. Photo. ATSC camera images in New York City (Source: New York City Department of Transportation).
- Figure 8. Photo. Dynamic junction control signing on SR 110 (Pasadena Freeway), Los Angeles, California (Source: Caltrans).
- Figure 9. Photo. Dynamic reversible lane on I-30, Dallas, Texas (Source: TTI).
- Figure 10. Photo. DLUC application on I-30 in Texas (Source: TTI).
- Figure 11. Photo. DShL application in Seattle, Washington (Source: WSDOT).
- Figure 12. Photo. Queue warning work zone application on I-35, Waco, Texas (Source: TTI).
- Figure 13. Photo. Queue warning work zone application on I-35, Waco, Texas (Source: TTI).
- Figure 14. Photo. Pilot DSpL application in Texas (Source: TTI).
- Figure 15. Photo. DMC application in Texas, phase 1 (Source: TTI).
- Figure 16. Photo. DMC application in Texas, phase 2 (Source: TTI).
- Figure 17. Graphic. The Active Management cycle.
- Figure 18. Diagram. Systems engineering Vee diagram and the system life cycle.
- Figure 19. Diagram. Objective-driven, performance-based approach to planning for operations (adapted31).
- Figure 20. Graphic. The four levels of organization maturity (adapted).
- Figure 21. Photo. DShL signing, Seattle, Washington (Source: WSDOT).
- Figure 22. Illustration. WSDOT ATM software, Seattle, Washington (Source: WSDOT).
- Figure 23. Illustration. WSDOT ATM control interface and preview panel (Source: WSDOT).
- Figure 24. Photo. WSDOT ATM testing facility (Source: WSDOT).
- Figure 25. Photo. WSDOT ATM sign testing (Source: WSDOT).
- Figure 26. Figure 26. Illustration. WSDOT ATDM website.
- Figure 27. Photo. VDOT YouTube channel with ATM visualization videos.
- Figure 28. Illustration. Highways England brochure for red X.
- Figure 29. Diagram. The Active Management cycle.
- Figure 30. Illustration. Example of WSDOT travel time display for Seattle, Washington.
- Figure 31. Illustration. Example of speed performance monitoring at Houston TranStar.
LIST OF TABLES
- Table 1. Sample early international ATM strategy deployment.
- Table 2. ATM strategies for deployment in the United States (adapted).
- Table 3. ARM example applications.
- Table 4. ATSC example applications.
- Table 5. Dynamic junction control example applications.
- Table 6. Dynamic lane reversal example applications.
- Table 7. Dynamic lane use control example applications.
- Table 8. Recent DShL example applications.
- Table 9. Queue warning example applications.
- Table 10. Dynamic speed limit example applications.
- Table 11. ATM objectives and performance measures.
- Table 12. Modeling and simulating ATM.
- Table 13. Possible ATM design elements by strategy.
- Table 14. Alternate project delivery methods (adapted).
- Table 15. Engagement, outreach, and involvement examples.
- Table 16. Strategies, data, and implementation processes.
- Table 17. ATM strategy performance monitoring data requirements for threshold adjustments.
- Table 18. Maintenance needs for ATM strategies.
- Table 19. Maintenance considerations (adapted).
- Table 20. Description of Federal funding programs that may support TSMO activities.
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
| AASHTO | American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials |
| AMS | analysis, modeling, and simulation |
| ARM | adaptive ramp metering |
| ATDM | active transportation and demand management |
| ATM | active traffic management |
| ATSC | adaptive traffic signal control |
| BI | buffer index |
| Caltrans | California Department of Transportation |
| CAVs | connected and automated vehicles |
| CMAQ | Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality |
| CMAR | construction management at risk |
| CMM | Capability Maturity Model |
| DB | design-build |
| DBOM | design-build-operate-maintain |
| DJC | dynamic junction control |
| DLA | dynamic lane assignment |
| DLR | dynamic lane reversal |
| DMC | dynamic merge control |
| DMS | dynamic message sign |
| DShL | dynamic shoulder lane |
| DLUC | dynamic lane use control |
| DSpL | dynamic speed limit |
| DTMR | Department of Transport and Main Roads |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| FAQs | frequently asked questions |
| FDOT | Florida Department of Transportation |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| HOV | high occupancy vehicle |
| IDOT | Illinois Department of Transportation |
| INFLO | intelligent network flow optimization |
| ITS | intelligent transportation system |
| LCS | lane control sign |
| MAP-21 | Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act |
| MDOT | Michigan Department of Transportation |
| MnDOT | Minnesota Department of Transportation |
| MoDOT | Missouri Department of Transportation |
| MPO | metropolitan planning organization |
| MUTCD | Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices |
| NCHRP | National Cooperative Highway Research Program |
| NHS | National Highway System |
| ODOT | Oregon Department of Transportation |
| PBPD | performance-based practical design |
| PennDOT | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |
| PSE | planned special events |
| PS&E | plan, specification, and estimate |
| PTI | planning time index |
| QW | queue warning |
| SANDAG | San Diego Association of Governments |
| SMS | shoulder-mounted sign |
| SOP | standard operating procedure |
| STIP | statewide transportation improvement program |
| STP | statewide transportation plan |
| TIP | transportation improvement plan |
| TMC | traffic management center |
| TMS | transportation management system |
| TSMO | transportation systems management and operations |
| TTI | Texas A&M Transportation Institute |
| VCTIR | Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research |
| VDOT | Virginia Department of Transportation |
| VMT | vehicle miles of travel |
| VSL | variable speed limit |
| WSDOT | Washington State Department of Transportation |
| WYDOT | Wyoming Department of Transportation |
| WZ | work zone |
Technical Report Documentation Page
| 1. Report No. FHWA-HOP-17-056 |
2. Government Accession No. | 3. Recipient's Catalog No. | |
| 4. Title and Subtitle
Active Traffic Management (ATM) Implementation and Operations Guide |
5. Report Date December 2017 |
||
| 6. Performing Organization Code: | |||
| 7. Author(s)
Kuhn, Beverly, Kevin Balke, and Nicholas Wood |
8. Performing Organization Report No. | ||
| 9. Performing Organization Name and Address
Battelle Texas A&M Transportation Institute |
10. Work Unit No. | ||
| 11. Contract or Grant No. | |||
| 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Office of Transportation Management |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered | ||
| 14. Sponsoring Agency Code | |||
| 15. Supplementary Notes FHWA Government Task Manager: James Colyar, Office of Operations-Transportation Management |
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| 16. Abstract
Today, most agencies have levels of operational capability, detection, and information dissemination mechanisms that would have been unimaginable two decades ago. As a result, agencies are able to leverage these resources and capabilities through the application of a wide variety of approaches to improve mobility and safety. However, agencies continue to face the challenges of changing travel patterns, growing demand, evolving traveler behaviors, limited resources, and increasing traveler expectations. Active transportation and demand management (ATDM) is an agency's capability to improve trip reliability, safety, and throughput of the surface transportation system by deploying operational strategies that dynamically manage and control travel and traffic demand and available capacity, based on prevailing and anticipated conditions. The objective of this Guide is to provide regional and local agencies the guidance on how to strategically and effectively implement and operate ATM strategies. The Guide describes the stepwise approach to accomplishing this implementation through the application of the system engineering process; comprehensive planning; and organizational considerations, capabilities, and design considerations. It utilizes a combination of relevant existing resources and documents along with best practices and lessons learned gleaned from early adopters to offer practical guidance. It also emphasizes the value of ATM and what these strategies can offer to operating agencies as part of their broader Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) program. The intended audience(s) of the Guide includes agencies interested in implementing ATM in their region, as well as agencies that have implemented ATM and are interested in guidance on operating their ATM systems and strategies more effectively. |
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| 17. Key Words
Active traffic management, active transportation and demand management, operations, adaptive ramp metering, adaptive traffic signal control, dynamic junction control, dynamic lane reversal, dynamic lane use control, dynamic shoulder use, queue warning, dynamic speed limit, dynamic merge control |
18. Distribution Statement
No Restrictions |
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| 19. Security Classification (of this report)
Unclassified |
20. Security Classification (of this page)
Unclassified |
21. No of Pages
124 |
22. Price |
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized
SI* (MODERN METRIC) CONVERSION FACTORS
| APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS TO SI UNITS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | When You Know | Multiply By | To Find | Symbol |
LENGTH |
||||
| in |
inches | 25.4 | millimeters | mm |
| ft |
feet | 0.305 | meters | m |
| yd |
yards | 0.914 | meters | m |
mi |
miles | 1.61 | kilometers | km |
AREA |
||||
| in2 |
square inches | 645.2 | square millimeters | mm2 |
| ft2 |
square feet | 0.093 | square meters | m2 |
| yd2 |
square yard | 0.836 | square meters | m2 |
| ac |
acres | 0.405 | hectares | ha |
| mi2 |
square miles | 2.59 | square kilometers | km2 |
VOLUME |
||||
fl oz |
fluid ounces | 29.57 | milliliters | mL |
gal
|
gallons | 3.785 | liters | L |
ft3 |
cubic feet | 0.028 | cubic meters | m3 |
yd3
|
cubic yards | 0.765 | cubic meters | m3 |
NOTE: volumes greater than 1000 L shall be shown in m3 |
||||
MASS |
||||
oz
|
ounces | 28.35 | grams | g |
lb |
pounds | 0.454 | kilograms | kg |
T |
short tons (2000 lb) | 0.907 | megagrams (or "metric ton") | Mg (or "t") |
TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) |
||||
oF |
Fahrenheit | 5 (F-32)/9 or (F-32)/1.8 |
Celsius | oC |
ILLUMINATION |
||||
fc |
foot-candles | 10.76 | lux | lx |
| fl |
foot-Lamberts | 3.426 | candela/m2 | cd/m2 |
FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS |
||||
lbf |
poundforce | 4.45 | newtons | N |
lbf/in2 |
poundforce per square inch | 6.89 | kilopascals | kPa |
| APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS FROM SI UNITS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | When You Know | Multiply By | To Find | Symbol |
LENGTH |
||||
mm |
millimeters | 0.039 | inches | in |
m |
meters | 3.28 | feet | ft |
m |
meters | 1.09 | yards | yd |
km |
kilometers | 0.621 | miles | mi |
AREA |
||||
|
mm2 |
square millimeters | 0.0016 | square inches | in2 |
|
m2 |
square meters | 10.764 | square feet | ft2 |
|
m2 |
square meters | 1.195 | square yards | yd2 |
|
ha |
hectares | 2.47 | acres | ac |
|
km2 |
square kilometers | 0.386 | square miles | mi2 |
VOLUME |
||||
mL |
milliliters | 0.034 | fluid ounces | fl oz |
L |
liters | 0.264 | gallons | gal |
m3 |
cubic meters | 35.314 | cubic feet | ft3 |
m3 |
cubic meters | 1.307 | cubic yards | yd3 |
MASS |
||||
g |
grams | 0.035 | ounces | oz |
kg |
kilograms | 2.202 | pounds | lb |
Mg (or "t")
|
megagrams (or "metric ton") | 1.103 | short tons (2000 lb) | T |
TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) |
||||
oC |
Celsius | 1.8C+32 | Fahrenheit | oF |
ILLUMINATION |
||||
lx |
lux | 0.0929 | foot-candles | fc |
cd/m2
|
candela/m2 | 0.2919 | foot-Lamberts | fl |
FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS |
||||
N |
newtons | 0.225 | poundforce | lbf |
kPa
|
kilopascals | 0.145 | poundforce per square inch | lbf/in2 |
