CTA BusTracker project and the I-64 Smart Work Zone are the 2006 ITS Project of the Year Award Winners
Posted by Outreach on Nov. 4, 2006 / ITS Project of the Year / Subscribe 0
ITS Midwest honored two projects as 2006 ITS Project of the Year: the Chicago Transit Authority for its CTA BusTracker project and Illinois DOT for the I-64 Smart Work Zone.
Public Transportation Award Winner
CTA BusTracker
by Chicago Transit Authority
Bus Tracker was developed by the Chicago Transit Authority to improve bus operations and provide better service to our customers. Bus Tracker uses GPS to track bus locations. Patented prediction algorithms and historical information enables the Bus Tracker system to provide CTA with current locations of buses and users (end-customers) with the ability to view when the bus will arrive at their desired bus stop location. CTA launched the Bus Tracker pilot on buses and one bus shelter along the high demand #20 Madison bus route operating on Madison and Washington between the Loop and Austin Avenue. Access to this information is through the Internet or via a wireless mobile devices.
For more information:
- Download the Project Fact Sheet to learn more about this project
Vehicular Transportation Award Winner
Interstate 64 Smart Work Zone ITS Deployment
by Illinois DOT et al.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) chose to implement a "smart work zone" for the 30-month long I-64 construction project. The portion of Interstate 64 under construction begins just 8 miles east of downtown St. Louis and travels eastward 9 miles to milemarker 17. Through twelve portable CMS boards and ten Wavetronix side-fire radar microwave sensors, motorists are informed of the work zone traffic conditions prior to entering the I-64 work zone. The motorists can then make an educated decision as to the best route to take. Real-time traffic conditions in the work zone area were also just a click away at the web site also included with this smart work zone system.
For more information:
- Download the Project Fact Sheet to learn more about this project
Other Finalist Projects included:
- Ashland Avenue Alternate for Dan Ryan Reconstruction
by Chicago OEMC et al.
The Dan Ryan Expressway carries nearly 300,000 vehicles every day. The Dan Ryan capacity was expected to be reduced by nearly 50 % during a three year construction project. Ashland Ave. was designated as one of two official alternate routes. Chicago OEMC and DOT planned for, implemented, and operated Ashland Ave. to serve this function and offer commuters a convenient and reliable option during the reconstruction. Improvements to Ashland Ave included installation of a fiber optic backbone, improved signal timing, installation and utilization of CCTV. The Ashland system serves as the beginning of the Chicago Traffic Management Center (TMC). - Chicago Unified Command Vehicle
by Chicago OEMC et al.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) introduced a multi-million dollar vehicle outfitted with advanced communications and now leads the nation with its new emergency response vehicle. The vehicle will arrive on the scene within minutes during an emergency. It will be used to maintain communication with police, fire and other rescue operations and continue the flow of information to the media and the public. - Open Road Tolling Signing Simulation
by Illinois Tollway and University of Illinois at Chicago
As part of a large scale federally endorsed demonstration project, the Tollway had UIC develop a driving simulation that allows the Tollway to test different sign configurations in a variety of lighting conditions. By using the simulation, valuable information was gained to help guide the field deployment of the signs. - Upgrades to the Traffic and Incident Management System (TIMS)
by Illinois State Toll Highway Authority et al.
In 2006 the Illinois Tollway upgraded and added significant new features to its award winning Traffic and Incident Management System (TIMS). The Tollway added an AVL system including GPS hardware to its fleet of diverse maintenance and operations vehicles, GPS on all Portable Changeable Message Signs, and integrated the data into TIMS and the CAD systems. Many other enhancements were made to the TIMS system, including a web enabled interface, travel time upgrades, enhanced map features, and messaging improvements. - Illinois Traffic Alert Email Notification System
by Illinois DOT
The Illinois Traffic Alert System currently includes 72 route segments for the Chicago area expressway and tollway system. Individuals may register for this service at www.iltrafficalert.com to receive customized traffic reports. These customized reports contain vehicle speeds, travel times, construction, congestion, and incident information that may be received through an e-mail inbox, cell phone text message, or other e-mail enabled mobile devices.
0 Comments