Transportation Management Center Concepts of Operations

Process Improvement Maintenance, as with operations, can undertakeongoing process improvement based upon its experience and that of peermaintenance organizations. In cases of unique requirements, special procedurescan be developed which reduce repair cost and increase operational stability.Examples include:• The special procedure developed by Arizona DOT for repairing gunshotdamage to variable message signs, where the DOT has changed fromreplacing three-character panels to repairing single character modules,resulting in dramatically reduced cost and decreased downtime for theequipment• Procedures developed by Wisconsin DOT for excluding vermin fromcontroller cabinets during winter weather (entering via conduit) hasincreased system reliability, decreased maintenance cost, and improvedsafety to maintenance personnel• Refining maintenance procedures to reduce or eliminate lane closures,such as executed by Caltrans also has significant positive impact ontravel and maintenance safety• Documenting inspection results during performance of preventivemaintenance, also an Arizona DOT activity, can facilitate both designimprovements and can speed repairs if emergency action is required.• Identifying and replacing operationally inadequate equipment(electromechanical controllers/cabinet) with solid state controllers/cabinets have significantly enhanced operations reliability, performanceconsistency, and traffic safety in the City of San Antonio.4-54