2009 Annual Meeting   November 11-13, 2009 Hotel Galvez 2024 Seawall Blvd Galveston, TX 77550 Phone: (409) 765-7721

Program:

The final program for the conference is available here.

Awards:

The following awards were given at the 2009 ITS Texas Annual Meeting.

The project is a joint effort between DART and The City of Dallas. Abed Abukar and Mark Titus are the project managers for DART and the City of Dallas, respectively. A brief description of the project is provided below.

With the completion of the new DART Green Line, train headways in the downtown transit mall will decrease to 2.5 minutes in each direction. Recognizing the need to efficiently move up to 48 trains per hours through the transit mall, DART and the City initiated a systems engineering process to define and implement a new transit signal priority system in the downtown transit mall. During the development phase of the project, several critical requirements were identified. These included the following:

1. Provide non-stop station to station travel for trains
2. Maintain acceptable levels of surface for vehicular and pedestrian traffic
3. Provide mid-station stopping locations for trains that do not block upstream intersections.

The TSP requirements lead the design team to identify, test, and implement several new technologies along the transit mall corridor. These included the following:

1. “Time-of-flight infrared devices for detecting trains at locations within the stations and at intersections - These devices allow the TSP system to detect a specific area of the train, eliminating false calls from trucks or other vehicles in the corridor, and providing location specific detection within a station. This capability allow the TSP system to determine the type of boarding (i.e. normal or hy-block) that is occurring in the station, and when the train is prepared to leave the station.

2. ModBus Communication equipment and protocol for intersection to intersection communication - The Modus communication protocol was developed in 1979 and has become a standard in industry for communication between electronic devices. The ModBus equipment is used in the TSP system to send train detection information between intersections. At each intersection, the traffic signal controller uses the information to determine the proper signal response for a train. This response includes such actions as starting early of extending the train “go” indication. In some cases, the TSP system may hold a train (i.e. not provide a “go” indication) until the train can proceed non-stop to the next station or approved stopping location between stations.

The TSP system communicates over a 5.8Ghz Wireless system installed as part of the project. Because of the critical need to communicate between intersection, the wireless network includes several layers of redundancy.

The TSP System has been implemented, tested and is currently operating at 14 intersections in the downtown transit mall. It is a great example of multi-agency partnerships and the implementation of new technologies in the transportation industry.

On December 1, 2008 the 183A toll road became one of the first in the United States to transition to all-electronic toll collection. Many technologies commonly associated with Intelligent Transportation Systems enabled the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to lead the way into cashless all-electronic tolling. Unlike some other early adopters of cashless tolling, the Mobility Authority was among the first to successfully transition an existing toll road and to offer license plate based video billing as a customer option.

• Video Billing: The "Pay by Mail " video billing program was implemented to encourage TxTag usage while maximizing revenue from non tag customers. Violation Enforcement: Pay by Mail included violation enforcement through fees, a collection agency and the Williamson County court system .
• Outreach: A "Scratch and Win" ticket contest provided information about the transition and the chance to win TxTag credits. Outreach also included earned media , message signs, newspaper inserts, radio advertising and community events.
• Revised Signing and Striping: Signage was installed to let drivers know TxTag and Pay By Mail toll rates and that cash was not accepted. Signs referencing cash toll booths were removed, entry and exit points were restriped and barriers preventing cash lane entry were installed.
• Ramp Toll Plaza Reconfiguration: Coin machines at toll plazas were removed and signs discouraging customers from stopping were installed.

• Reduced Operating Costs: Operational cost savings of more than $1.3 million annually.
• No Revenue Loss: Prior to going cashless, the agency collected approximately $163,000 per month ($92,000 at cash booths; $71,000 by mail). Since the transition, the agency collects $200,000 per month in toll revenue and receives approximately $100,000 in fees, yielding additional revenue.
• No Traffic Loss: Traffic on 183A has increased. In December 2008, traffic was up 16% over December 2007.
• Eliminated Delays, Improved Safety, Reduced Fuel Consumption and Vehicle Emissions: Drivers no longer stop to pay tolls, reducing accident chances, improving vehicle fuel economy and decreasing vehicle emissions.