Rural Data Collection Technology - FHWA Operations - U.S. ...

Technical Report Documentation Page1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No.FHWA-HOP-13-0294. Title and Subtitle 5. Report DateTravel Time on Arterials and Rural Highways:State-of-the-Practice Synthesis on Rural Data Collection TechnologyApril 20136. Performing Organization Code7. Authors 8. Performing Organization Report No.Jeremiah Singer (Westat), A. Emanuel Robinson (Westat),Jessica Krueger (Westat), Jennifer E. Atkinson (SAIC), Matthew C. Myers (SAIC)9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)Westat1600 Research Blvd.Rockville, MD 20852SAIC1710 SAIC Dr.McLean, VA 2210211. Contract or Grant No.12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period CoveredU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.Washington, D.C. 20590Synthesis ReportAugust 27, 2012 – April 30, 201314. Sponsoring Agency CodeHOTM-1, FHWA15. Supplementary NotesGovernment Task Monitor (GTM): Jimmy Chu16. AbstractTravel time to a destination is a key piece of information that motorists want and need, and is vital for good decision-making by travelers.Technology now makes it feasible to provide drivers with real-time information about how long it takes to reach a given destination. The collectionof travel time data is a challenging problem that deserves a systematic review. The purpose of this project was to identify, review, and synthesizeinformation on current and potential future efforts in real-time travel time on rural highways. The current report focuses on rural highway traveltime data technology considerations and is not a primer for general travel time best practices. Also, a companion report on arterial travel timedata collection technology can be found in Singer, Robinson, Krueger, Atkinson, & Myers (2013). The core of the report discusses available andemerging rural travel time (RTT) data sources as well as implementation considerations, advantages, and limitations of each. These technologiesresearched include Bluetooth detectors, toll tag readers, in-pavement magnetic detectors, automatic license plate readers (ALPR), machine vision,connected vehicle, radar/microwave/LIDAR, inductive loops, crowdsourcing, and cell phone signal monitoring. Several implementations of RTTdata collection are also discussed. In addition, two case studies are reviewed in detail (in Minnesota and Maine). The report then emphasizes keylessons learned based on questions for a practitioner to consider at each step of the planning, implementation, and management process. AlthoughRTT data collection is a relatively new and rapidly evolving area, RTT can be successfully implemented when a project is properly planned andexecuted. Successful implementers have carefully considered project objectives and have provided detailed implementation plans. Regardless of thelatest specific data collection technology, asking the right questions is paramount, beginning with planning, continuing to selection, and culminatingwith execution and evaluation. Practitioners who focus on asking the right questions and heed lessons learned by colleagues will greatly increase thechances of a successful implementation.17. Key Words 18. Distribution StatementIntelligent Transportation System (ITS), real-time travel time, rural travel time (RTT), traveltime data collection technology, Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS), TransportationManagement Center (TMC)No restrictions19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No of Pages 22. PriceUnclassified Unclassified 58 N/AForm DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)Reproduction of completed page authorized.