managing travel for planned special events - FHWA Operations ...

ITEM FUNCTIONS DEPLOYMENT APPLICATION BENEFITAdvertising Portable – ontrailers for temporaryits expected impact, infrastructurechanges (e.g. road or lanesclosures, parking restrictions).ists in advance of theevent so they mayalter their routes ordeploy-• Provides real-time traveler in-mode choices.ment.formation during the event (e.g.,roadway conditions, incidents,parking availability).• Informs en-routetravelers of potentialproblems such as fullHighwayAdvisoryRadioTelephoneInformationSystemTraffic SignalSystemTravelerInformationTravelerInformationTrafficManagementTrafficManagementPermanent – infield.Portable – ontrailers for temporarydeployment.Permanent – callcenter remains ata fixed location.Permanent –Closed LoopSignal Systems.Permanent –Centrally controlledtrafficsignal systems.Permanent –Centrallycontrolled adaptivesignal systems.• Similar to CMS, informs enroutemotorists of an impendingproblem ahead.• Typically uses warning signs toinform motorists that an importantmessage is being broadcast.• Allows messages to be controlledfrom a remote location,such as a TMC.• Technologically, consists of alow-power (e.g., 10-watt) transmitterlocated near the roadside.• Provides a phone-in service toprovide real-time traffic conditioninformation to en-route andpre-trip travelers.• Stores real-time conditions in adatabase. Callers, with the helpof computerized telephony, arerouted to a recording of, or a liveoperator stating real-time conditionson the segment of highwayrequested by the caller.• As a national 511 initiative,serves as both a traveler informationand traffic managementtool, in that it provides currenttraffic conditions to callers aswell as allows callers to reportincidents on the network.• Signal systems are commonlyinstalled along arterial streets tooptimize traffic flow and minimizedelay.• Closed Loop Signal Systems andCentrally controlled signal systemsallow system operators todownload and implement specialsignal timing plans for specialevent management. These planswill optimize traffic operationsduring event ingress and egress.• Adaptive traffic signal systems,due to a high level of detectorizationand sophisticated systemparking areas.• When applied correctly,provides significantbenefit toen-route motoristswho must be advisedof a traffic incidentor congestion ahead.• Serves as a very usefultool in providingcurrent traffic conditionsto travelers.• Often can be an expensiveundertaking.• Has generated anumber of successstories during the511 program’s shortlife.• Increases the efficiencyof the streetnetwork and reducesthe delay on the network.4EVENT PROFILE POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES ADVANCE PLANNINGOVERVIEW4-29