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New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) over the past few years has been upgrading its Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) infrastructure. Specifically NYCDOT has been installing Advanced Solid State Traffic Controllers (ASTC), a city wide wireless network (NYCWiN), and a sophisticated Traffic Control System (TCS) in the Traffic Management Center (TMC). Capitalizing on the deployment of these advanced technologies, NYCDOT Instituted the "Midtown in Motion" (MIM) project to enhance multimodal mobility in the Midtown Core of Manhattan, a 110 square block area or "box" from 2nd to 6th Avenues, 42nd to 57th Streets. MIM was announced by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on July 18, 2011. The MIM Project utilizes "active traffic management (ATM)" and the full capabilities of the NYCDOT Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure. The signal-timing measures applied by MIM complement other efforts by the City to improve traffic operations. As part of this project E-ZPass tag readers were installed to provide travel time data, and microwave sensors were deployed to provide flow/occupancy, both in real time. The ATM is based on a two level control strategy to improve mobility using both travel time and flow/occupancy data. The real time data is being archived by NYCDOT and serves as a large and rich data warehouse. This supplements other efforts by NYCDOT of building a data warehouse of routine traffic data (counts, volumes, speeds, etc) collected as part of DOT and other agency projects. Also, NYCDOT Division of Planning and Sustainability (P&S) has developed a large-scale model of Manhattan as a macro/meso/micro level called the "Manhattan Traffic Model" (MTM). In addition, the P&S division has an agreement with the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to have access to GPS trip information (start/end) of all yellow medallion taxi trips (metered trips) in New York City. The availability of the MIM, MTM, and the taxi GPS database provide an excellent opportunity to perform data mining/analysis for investigating trends and constructing metrics. NYCDOT has a cooperative agreement with Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) to provide the data. Professor Emeritus McShane will be involved in working with NYCDOT on the adaptive control/learning (MIM) and directing efforts that make extensive use of the database. Professor Falcocchio will direct an effort at NYU-Poly to investigate how to develop metrics and performance measures from the available database. Several PhD students at NYU-Poly are already involved in the beginnings of this initiative. Also, NYCDOT will provide reviews and serve in a guidance role as part on its ongoing services.

Transportation asset management is a strategic approach to managing transportation infrastructure. It focuses on business processes for resource allocation and utilization with the objective of better decision making based on quality information and well-defined objectives. This study reports the current state of practice for asset management among state departments of transportation (DOTs). It is advised by the recent Volume 2 of the "AASHTO Asset Management Guide – A Focus on Implementation," which provides a step-by-step process that enables agencies to align their investment decisions to their strategic goals. Information for this study was acquired through literature review, a workshop, interviews, and surveys of state DOTs.

The development of a simple guide for approaches to roadway lighting replacement in New York State is described. These approaches use new light source technologies that maintain visibility for safety while reducing energy use. Several roadway types were evaluated in the development of the guide, including parkways, residential streets, and rural intersections. A review of published literature and a survey of transportation engineers in New York State were also conducted. On the basis of this information and data on new light source technologies, recommendations for replacing roadway lighting systems were developed. Analyses of the visual efficacy produced by different lighting systems under nighttime conditions and of the performance characteristics of light-emitting diode and induction fluorescent lighting systems resulted in recommendations for replacement of high-pressure sodium (HPS) lighting systems. Several new light sources that produce whiter light than the incumbent HPS technology used on most roadways have been developed and significantly improved in the past decade. In combination with recent information about driver and pedestrian vision under nighttime conditions, using these sources could result in energy savings ranging from about 7% to 50% for different roadway types. Energy savings for isolated rural intersections could depend on the level of pedestrian traffic expected.

Bridge management practices of departments of transportation (DOTs) in Idaho, Michigan, and Virginia, are reported. These DOTs are examples of the success that is possible for asset management practices applied to bridges and culverts. Idaho, Michigan, and Virginia manage their structures by: Identifying structures to be preserved; Measuring performance of structures; Setting goals for performance; Applying work programs that respond to performance measurements; Reporting performance to stakeholders, and; Leveraging State-wide commitment to preservation of assets.

Over the last decade the majority of the 250 highway authorities in the United Kingdom have developed highway asset management plans. The CSS Framework Guidance on Highway Asset Management (HAM) published in 2004 provided a real stimulus to help Local Highway Authorities (LHAs) get started. The recently published report by the English Government’s Audit Commission ‘Going the Distance’, further emphasized the economic benefits of applying comprehensive asset management to road infrastructure but also identified there was a very mixed economy in the take up the LHAs in adopting a comprehensive approach to applying HAM. The English Government’s Highway Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) was established in 2011. A total of £6 million of funds have been allocated to develop a comprehensive and long term efficiency program aimed at supporting English LHAs up to 2018. Over the coming years, HMEP will provide practical and adaptable efficiency solutions. Recognizing the importance of raising the bar in HAM in the UK, HMEP is supporting asset management projects: 1) new documentation for Highway Infrastructure Asset Management (HAM); 2) a toolkit for HAM life cycling planning; 3) standard deterioration model; and 4) guidance on the most cost-effective approach to maintaining drainage assets. All the products are currently under development and are scheduled to be completed in Autumn 2012.

The objective of NCHRP 25-25/51 is to discover what state departments of transportation (DOTs) are doing in the field to maintain environmental assets and to identify models where DOTs are performing condition assessments, setting thresholds and performance measures, and implementing asset management systems. Findings, considerations, and practices are presented in this report as a potential addition to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO’s) Compendium of Environmental Stewardship practices.

Failures of traffic signals can lead to crashes and loss of productivity. As the road network gets more congested, the sustained operation of traffic signals becomes even more critical. The effective management of traffic signal assets therefore plays a vital role. This study developed guidance in the management of traffic signal assets to maximise level of service at a minimum life-cycle cost; mitigate risks to road users; and continually improve planning, maintenance and operations. To provide guidance, a template for an asset management strategy for traffic signals was developed which focusses on achieving a well-defined and broadly accepted level of service, recognises and manages risks to road users and assets, and uses whole-of-life costs as its criterion. Performance monitoring, review and feedback processes are also suggested to identify improvements in the planning process.

This issue contains 13 papers concerned with traffic control devices, visibility, and highway-rail grade crossings. Specific topics addressed include: “vehicle entering when flashing” signs; countdown-only pedestrian change interval displays; driver perception-reaction time under rainy or wet roadway conditions at the onset of yellow indications; improved dilemma zone identification; left-turning driver behavior during the permissive interval of protected-permissive operation; and expectancy violations on frontage and conventional roads at interchanges. Other topics discussed include: illuminance from LED luminaires; the impact of modern headlamp technology on design criteria for sag vertical curves; background complexity of overhead guide signs; nighttime visibility of in-service pavement markings; replacing roadway lighting with new lighting technologies; injury severity of motor vehicle drivers at highway-rail grade crossings; and advanced devices for preventing crashes and gate-breaking incidents at highway-rail grade crossings.

Flyer for Transportation Asset Management Conference, May 8, 2013, East Lansing, MI.

This webinar focused on chapter 2 of the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide. The focus of this chapter is on setting direction for TAM. Steps covered: Setting agency goals and objectives; Self-assessment and gap analysis; Defining scope of TAM in the agency. Includes case studies of Iowa, OH, and North Dakota. Presented in Webinar: The Transportation Asset Management Book Club.

Discusses Asset Management Needs / Drivers, the Systems Required to Support Asset Management, and business processes for design and integration

Describes how to develop, implement and maintain standards, recommended practices and design guidelines to achieve safety, reliability and efficiency in transit system design, operation and maintainability.