Intelligent Transportation Systems Evaluation Activities ― Phase 2 "ITS Evaluation Activities: Task II-C, Evaluation Summaries and Technology Transfer"

Evaluations are critical in promoting innovative practices which may help to provide a safe and efficient transportation system. By conducting such evaluations, we develop quantifiable measures for those in policy development to appreciate and comprehend. Furthermore, it provides rationale to the public whom may be otherwise unaware of the benefits of such systems. By performing evaluations of such alternatives we provide the following benefits by answering some basic questions: (1) Document our successes - Has the system provided a realized benefit? (2) Rationalize our investments versus the benefits - Do the financial benefits of the system outweigh the costs? (3) Identify potential improvements - Can the system concept be enhanced by modifying future deployments? The outline of each evaluation follows this format which is consistent with The Evaluation Plan for ITS Projects in Pennsylvania and Federal Highway Administration's, ITS Evaluation Guidelines - ITS Evaluation Resource Guide as well as PennDOT's Ideas have Consequences reporting procedure. The following devices/systems were evaluated: (1) Intermediate Enhanced Reference Location Signs, commonly referred to as Intermediate Reference Markers (IRMs), have been deployed at several locations throughout the Commonwealth in order to reduce emergency response times and improve incident reporting accuracy. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices provides basic guidance on the layout, size and color of IRMs, but does not include specific guidance relative to spacing or performance. (2) Automated Truck Rollover Warning Systems (ATRWS) have been deployed at several locations throughout the Commonwealth in order to address concerns regarding truck rollovers related to speeds that may be inappropriate for the geometric conditions. The deployment of such systems within the Commonwealth, as well as elsewhere in the United States, have varying system configurations and traffic control devices, different calibration thresholds and approaches, and a wide range of deployment costs. (3) Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS) were purchased and deployed in Butler County, Pennsylvania in November 2003 to address safety concerns of citizens at unsignalized intersections that have limited sight distance.

• Corporate Authors:

  Gannett Fleming, Incorporated

  P.O. Box 67100
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17106-7100

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  Bureau of Planning and Research
  400 North Street, 6th Floor
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17120-0064

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 2007-2-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 186p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefits; Costs; Crash avoidance systems; Emergency response time; Guidelines; Highway safety; Intelligent transportation systems; Investments; Technology transfer; Unsignalized intersections
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Automated truck rollover warning systems; Incident reporting; Intermediate reference markers
• Geographic Terms: Butler County (Pennsylvania); Pennsylvania
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01049497
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-PA-2007-014-040118-2
• Contract Numbers: 040118-2
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 21 2007 12:32PM