Traffic Operations, Safety and ITS

Project Objectives

The objectives of this research include: (1) reviewing the practices of all DOTs in the New England area and developing a comprehensive inventory of data, data needs, and data analysis practices related to traffic operations; (2) providing recommendations on how to better collect, reduce, achieve, and analyze the data to support DOT decision making and how DOTs should prepare for future transportation data collection and analytics considering emerging sensing and analytical technologies such as connected vehicles, loT, Machine Learning (ML) and AI; and (3) conducting a pilot case study of using AI techniques to automatically analyze specifically-identified operations data and perform a thorough evaluation of its capability to generate useful traffic operation and safety performance measures. This will demonstrate how advanced analytical techniques may extend the capability of traditional traffic sensors and produce additional useful information without expensive infrastructure investment.

Technical Committee Members

• TC Chair, Susan Klasen: New Hampshire Department of Transportation
• Ed Block, Connecticut Department of Transportation
• Colby Fortier-Brown, Maine Department of Transportation
• Chris Falcos, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
• Kody McCarthy, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
• Russ Holt, Rhode Island Department of Transportation
• Ian Degutis, Vermont Agency of Transportation
• Mandy Shatney, Vermont Agency of Transportation

AC Liaison: Emily Parkany, Vermont Agency of Transportation

Project Coordinator, Kirsten Seeber, CTC & Associates

Project Objectives

This project aims to address highway safety challenges by funding research using the SHRP2 NDS and RID data to examine intersection safety for drivers 65 and older.  This study will utilize a phased approach with Phase I constituting a preliminary examination of the data, some safety analysis for proof of concept and insights into its application for improving intersection safety for this age group and some data analysis.  Phase II will be based on the success of Phase I.  Research in the second phase shall define and undertake innovative approaches that ultimately provide advancements in the study of road crashes and/or implementable solutions to real-world problems.  The program shall ultimately lead to final deliverables that have direct value to highway safety practitioners at the State and local level.

Technical Committee Members

• Duane Brunell (Chairperson), Maine Department of Transportation
• Bonnie Polin, Massachusetts Department of Transportation
• Bruce Nyquist, Vermont Agency of Transportation
• Michael Dugas, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
• Michael Whaley, Connecticut Department of Transportation
• *Charles Fay, FHWA
• *Yusuf Mohamedshah, FHWA
• *Rhonda Fletcher: Maine Department of Transportation
• *Non-voting members

Implementation Activities

This study confirmed for five states that older drivers tend to have more crashes as signalized intersections. These states will use the information as a basis for further research and/or as information to share with older drivers.

Project Objectives

Given the aging infrastructure and the anticipated growing number of work zones in New England, it is of utmost importance to optimize their layouts to improve safety and to mitigate their impact on mobility. In this study, we propose to use the Transportation Research Board’s SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study (SNDS) data for investigating driver behavior in work zones under different traffic, lighting, and weather conditions. In addition, we propose to use data from the smart work zones (SWZs) in Massachusetts (and other New England states if available) to validate the findings obtained from the analysis of the SNDS data. Based on the analysis of the SNDS and SWZs data, improved work zone TTCPs will be developed.These TTCPs will be evaluated using an advanced driving simulator and a microscopic traffic simulation tool.

Technical Committee Members

• Kevin Chiang (Chairperson), Massachusetts Department of Transportation
• Dana Hanks, Maine Department of Transportation
• Nickie Hunter, P.E., New Hampshire Department of Transportation
• Brett Stoeffler, Connecticut Department of Transportation