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2024 ITS Project of the Year

The winner of the 2024 ITS Project of the Year is “I-275 SmartLane in Cincinnati” by The Ohio Department of Transportation. Congratulations!
In June 2024, ODOT opened its second SmartLane in Ohio on the NE side of Cincinnati along a 3.5-mile stretch of I-275 WB that sees 67k ADT. The project employed strategies and lessons learned from Ohio's first smart lane in Columbus (I-670), which opened in late 2019, for nearly half the cost per mile. After more than one full month of being in use, the I-275 SmartLane armed with a 24/7 staffed TMC, DMS signs, and Variable Speed Limit signs has produced a 53% reduction in AM bottlenecks and and 5% travel time improvement year-over-year.

Stephanie Marik, P.E. (ODOT, left) and Charles Fisher (ODOT, right) receive the 2024 ITS Midwest “Project of the Year” award from Tom Szabo (ITS Midwest's Nominations and Awards Committee Chair, middle). Image credits: ITS Midwest.

Construction phase of the I-275 SmartLane project. Image credits: ODOT. Watch I-275 SmartLane Photo Gallery

I-275 West SmartLane Project

As part of the initial project to resurface I-275 in both directions between U.S. 42 and S.R. 28 in Clermont County, construction included widening the median shoulder between the Loveland-Madeira Road interchange and I-71 and installing dynamic message signs, CCTV cameras and sensors on westbound I-275.

• Schedule: Opened June 2024
• Estimated Cost: $22.3 million

I-275 West SmartLane Operation

• Staff in ODOT's Traffic Management Center will monitor traffic, and if traffic speeds fall below 55-mph, operators may open the SmartLane by changing the Digital Message Signs (DMS) and implementing a variable speed limit (VSL).
• Lane indicators on the DMS will be used to alert motorists if the SmartLane is open (green arrow), closed (red "X") or starting to close (yellow "X").
• Most typically, the SmartLane will be open during rush hours, from approximately 6 to 9 a.m. weekdays, and the speed within this section of the interstate will be reduced to 55-mph.
• Operators will continue to monitor traffic speeds throughout the rush-hour period and further reduce the VSL as needed. Any additional speed limit reductions will be made in 10-mph increments with a minimum of 60 seconds (one minute) given between each change.
• When open, the SmartLane operates like any other lane on the interstate, and motorists may move in and out of it. (The SmartLane is not an HOV or Express Lane.)
• During normal (non-rush) hours, the left shoulder will remain closed, and the posted speed limit of 65-mph will remain in effect.
• The SmartLane can also be used during emergency situations, such as a crash, or scheduled construction and maintenance activities to facilitate traffic flow.

Stats from the first month 275 SmartLane was opened

• The 275 SmartLane dashboard shows trends in travel times, user delay, crashes, and bottlenecks in a year-by-year and month-by-month format, allowing users to assess the route’s performance over time.
• Data from July 2024, the SmartLane’s first full month of operation, show a clear decrease in congestion year-over-year, especially during SmartLane operation hours (weekdays 7am-9am).
• Comparing July 2024 to previous Julys, the dashboard shows:
  • Decreased user delay times during SmartLane operation:
    • 90.6% decrease in user delay hours compared to July 2023 (320 to 30)
    • 93.2% decrease in user delay hours compared to July 2022 (440 to 30)
  • Improvement in travel time during SmartLane operation:
    • 2.8% faster travel time than July 2023
    • 5.9% faster travel time than July 2022
  • Fewer and less severe bottlenecks during SmartLane operation:
    • 58.8% fewer bottlenecks with 75.8% less impact than July 2023
    • 56.3% fewer bottlenecks with 83.0% less impact than July 2022

OTHER FINALIST PROJECTS:

• "Event Streaming Platform (ESP) Publishing Subsystem"
  by The Ohio Department of Transportation/DriveOhio; Ohio
• "Ohio I-94 US 41 (Edens Expressway) Smart Highway"
  by Illinois Department of Transportation; Schaumburg, Illinois
• "TravelMidwest.com Modernization"
  by Illinois Department of Transportation; Springfield, Illinois

2024 ITS Agency of the Year

We are thrilled to announce that The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been elected as the 2024 ITS Agency of the Year. Their exceptional dedication, innovative strategies, and outstanding results have set a new standard of excellence in our industry. Congratulations to the entire team at ODOT for this well-deserved recognition!

Nick Hegemier (ODOT,right) receives, on behalf of The Ohio Department of Transportation, the 2024 ITS Agency award from Tom Szabo (ITS Midwest's Nominations and Awards Committee Chair, middle). Image credits: ITS Midwest.

2024 Excellence in Service

Congratulations and thank you to Brian Plum, outgoing ITS Midwest Treasurer: his invaluable support and commitment to ITS Midwest have been recognized with the 2024 Excellence in Service Award. 
Thank you, Brian!

Brian Plum, ITS Midwest outgoing Treasurer, receives the 2024 ITS Midwest “Excellence in Service” award from Tom Szabo (ITS Midwest's Nominations and Awards Committee Chair, right). Image credits: ITS Midwest.