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Managing Travel For Planned Special Events:

The VA Department of Transportation’s Traffic Signal System Approach

National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC)Webcast on Planned Special Events

Ling Li, P.E.Katherine D. Jefferson

January 27, 2005

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction• Program Planning• Event Operations Planning• Implementation Activities• Day-of-Event Activities• Post-Event Activities• Conclusion

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Program Planning

• Byproduct of traffic signal optimization.

• Initiated by VDOT staff and in response to external requests for assistance.

• Evaluation of existing signal timings.• Stakeholder meetings.

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Event Operations Planning

• Four Activities:– Data Collection– Data Analysis– Timing Plan Development– Simulation and Fine-tuning

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Data Collection

• Of the three types of data collected – traffic counts, existing timing plans, roadway conditions/geometric data – only traffic counts are collected for special events.

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Data Analysis

• Tabulating traffic counts and summarizing in spreadsheets.

• Comparing traffic count data with central system traffic volumes at adjacent intersections (balancing).

• Creating an area map.• Using flow diagrams from the central

system to determine the number of plans to be developed.

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Timing Plan Development/Optimization

• Level of Service (LOS) and delay calculated for each affected intersection.

• Coordination maintained.• Synchro used for optimization.• Adjustments made using Time-Space

Diagrams (iterative process).

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Simulation and Fine-tuning/Validation

• SimTraffic used for simulation.• Simulations used to compare

optimized timing plans (from Synchro) with observed traffic conditions and known motorist tendencies.

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Day-of-Event Activities

• On-site and control room monitoring.• Timing plan adjustments in

accordance with real-time traffic conditions.

• Internal (facility) traffic control challenges.

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Post-Event Activities

• Debriefing Sessions– Evaluate timing plan effectiveness.– Identify intersection modifications,

transportation and operational improvements.

– Create feedback loop for timing plan development for future events.

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Traffic Volume at Tysons Corner Center ( Rt.7 & Mall Entrance)

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Conclusion

• Inter-jurisdictional Coordination (IJC):– Has become routine and extends beyond

planned special events to emergency response plan development and continual data sharing.

• Staff participation on MWCOG ITS Task Force Signal Committee.

• Regular bi-monthly meetings of signal system managers and engineers.

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Conclusion (cont.)

• Challenges:– Institutional impediments, – Manpower constraints/staffing loss, – Technological difficulties, – Continual growth of regional economy.

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Conclusion (cont.)

• Role of ITS technologies:– Enables continual signal timing plan

development.– Enables development of

recommendations for additions and/or improvements to other traffic control devices.

– Enables provision of traveler information to influence route choice.