North Carolina's Integration of 511 and Workzone Information

Slide 01: North Carolina's Integration of 511 and Workzone Information

Intelligent Transportation Systems

Jo Ann Oerter
State Technology Implementation
and Maintenance Engineer
North Carolina Department of Transportation
www.ncsmartlink.org

Slide 02: NC's 511 System

511 – national
511 – North Carolina
NCDOT's 511 System:
- Goal
- Features
- Content

Logo for 511: Where your travel information begins

Slide 03: 511 Deployment Status

Image Details

As of September 7, 2004

Currently Accessible by 24% of Population

Accessible by 31% of Population in 2004

Speaker Notes:

Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati
Nebraska
Utah
I-81 Virginia
Arizona
Minnesota
South Florida (Miami)
Orlando / I-4
South Dakota
Iowa
Kentucky
San Francisco Bay area, California
Montana
North Dakota
Alaska
Maine
New Hampshire
Washington [State]
Vermont
Oregon
Kansas
North Carolina
Sacramento, CA
Tampa, FL

Slide 04: Why Did NCDOT Implement 511?

Congestion Worsening on NC roadways
Additional ITS Tool
Enhanced current ITS system
Connection of all transportation modes
Foreseeable Benefits to our transportation users

Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 05: Existing Trav Info Services in NC

NCDOT – Ferry Division (I-800 BY FERRY)
NCDOT – Rail Division (I-800 BY TRAIN)
NCDOT Customer Service (I-877-DOT 4 YOU)
NC Tourism (1-800 VISIT NC)
NC State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) (*HP)
NC Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV)
103 Urban and Rural Public Transportation Agencies (Voice automated or live Operator)
www.ncsmartlink.org Traveler Information Management System (TIMS)

Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 06: Goal of NC's 511 Program

diagram of North Carolina's 511 program, shown at the center of tourism, NCDOT customer service, NCSHP, Great Smoky National Park, ferries, road conditons, NCDMV, rail, and public transportation

Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 07: 511 System Features

Multi-modal
Voice activated/recognition system
Points to 800 toll free number therefore, it is a free call to users
Phased Statewide – all information available pertaining to Highways, Trains, Ferries, Tourism, NCDMV, & NCDOT deployed in the initial deployment. Transit will be deploy one region per FFY of the project until all regions deployed.

Image of sign with legend Travel Info Dial 511

Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 08: 511 System Features

Allows for Floodgate messages
No Busy Signal to the caller
- 72 ports
- 96 ports for queued calls
Local Road Condition Content for the major metropolitan areas.
Impacts to road conditions that are due to weather
Forecasted weather that could affect travel
Call persistence
Call interruption

Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 09: 511 Content

Provide direct transfers to the following agencies:
- North Carolina Department of Transportation's Rail Division
- North Carolina Department of Transportation's Ferry Division
- North Carolina Division of Tourism
- North Carolina Department of Transportation's Customer Service
- North Carolina Transit Agencies(Transit information will be deployed regionally each year)
Provide contact phone numbers for the following agencies:
- North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV)
- Great Smoky Mountains Park Service

** The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) will be added in the next phase.

Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 10: 511 Traffic Content

Traveler Information Management System (TIMS)

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Logo for 511 Travel Info

Slide 11: 511 Traffic Content

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Slide 12: Using 511 for Work Zone Information

Information Resources:
- Real Time:
  - Construction/Maintenance Personnel
  - TMC personnel
  - Incident Management Assistance Patrols
  - Smart work zones (under development)
Static:
- Construction/Maintenance Personnel
- TMC personnel

Slide 13: Workzone Data Dissemination

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Slide 14: Other Methods to Disseminate Work Zone Information

Real Time:
- Kiosks
- Dedicated Websites
- Pager Services
- Media
- DMS
Static
- Highway Advisory Radios
- Safe Workzone Guide
- I-95 Corridor Coalition Publication
- Press releases
- Door Hangers
- Tray liners

Slide 15: US 1 Project

Overview:
- 4 lane divided roadway
- Heavily congested corridor
- Major arterial into Raleigh from the south
Project goals
- Widen Roadway and Install ITS
  - with minimal disruption
  - providing real time information to the public
Timeline
- Project Began: March 2005
- Completion Date: September 2007
  - incentives/heavy liquidated damages – Fall 2006

Slide 16: US 1 Project

Impact to the public:
- 150,000 +/-
- Nightly lane closures
- Curiosity Factor during day
- Alternate Routes:
  - Daytime:
    - no good detour due to alter routes already at peak
  - Nighttime:
    - several local arterials
    - some NC routes
Notification to public:
- Smart Workzone
- DMS
- Dedicated Webpage
- 511
- Media
- Public Workshops

Slide 17: US 1 Project

screenshot of US 1 project Web page showing information for Cary-US Route 1-64/SR 1009 (Tryon Road) Interchange to South of I-40 with project description and photo

www.us1wake.com

Slide 18: 511 – As an outreach tool

Type of Information Conveyed via 511:
- Area of Closure
- Begin/End Times
- Severity of Impact
- Detour info ( if available)
- Travel Times/Delays (under development)
How data is entered:
- Static information:
  - field personnel/contractor
- Dynamic Information:
  - field personnel/contractor
  - Smart Workzone (under development)
Other outreach strategies:
- Media releases
- DMS
- Public Workshops
How we know people are using 511 in WZ:
- Comments to Contact Us - website
- 24 live operator for US 1 project

Slide 19: US 1 Project – Using 511 Obstacles/Solutions

Obstacles:
- Keeping information real time
- Dual Entries into our Travel Information Management System (TIMS) with conflicting information
Solutions:
- Working with field forces/contractor ahead of time and define expectations and provide training.
- Working with field forces/contractor ahead of time and define expectations and provide training.
- Better Quality Control

Slide 20: US 1 Project – What we've learned

Successes:
- easily accessible
- communication/defining of expectations
- advanced marketing
- training
Lessons learned:
- begin communication earlier
- include all stakeholders
- requirement of contractor

Slide 21: 511 – Things to keep in mind

511 is an excellent resource, however, a resource is only as good as the data
- Communication with all partners
  - Identify all resources
- Keep information current
  - Training
- Include all info related to closures/WZ
  - Static
  - Dynamic
- Develop plan for QC
- Marketing

Slide 22: I-40 Rebuild

photo collage of sections of curving highway that have fallen into the river below

Speaker Notes:

replaced paper and mainframe systems
all pull down menu based to standardize
done by Field
- co maint engrs
- resident engrs (project engrs)
- tmcs
dot only info & public view info

Slide 23: I-40 Rebuild

Overview:
- 4 lane divided roadway
- Rebuild I-40 damaged due to hurricanes
- Only corridor west through NC mountains
- Heavy tourist audience
Project goals
- Rebuild Interstate as quickly as possible
  - with minimal interruption
  - providing real time information to the public
Timeline
- Project Began: March 2005
- Completion Date: September 2006
  - incentives/heavy liquidated damage

Slide 24: Current Projects

screen shot of Web site showing map of Tennessee-North Carolina area containing Interstate 40

Slide 25: I-40 Alternate Routes

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