North Carolina’s Integration of 511 and Workzone Information

Jo Ann OerterState Technology Implementation

and Maintenance EngineerNorth Carolina Department of

Transportation

• 511 - national• 511 - North Carolina

• NCDOT’s 511 System:– Goal – Features– Content

NC’s 511 System

Where your travel information begins

D.C.

= 511 Operational (“Live”)

= Planning Funding= Expect 2004 Launch

Currently Accessible by 24% of Population

Accessible by 31% of Population in 2004

Alaska

Hawaii PuertoRico

511 Deployment Statusas of September 7, 2004

Congestion Worsening on NC roadways Additional ITS Tool Enhanced current ITS system Connection of all transportation modes Foreseeable Benefits to our

transportation users

WHY DID NCDOT IMPLEMENT 511?

Existing Trav Info Services in NC

103 Urban and Rural Public Transportation Agencies (Voice automated or live Operator)

NCDOT - Ferry Division(I-800 BY FERRY)

NCDOT - Rail Division(I-800 BY TRAIN)

NC Tourism(1-800 VISIT NC)

NCDOT Customer Service (I-877-DOT 4 YOU)

NC State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) (*HP)

NC Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV)

WWW.NCSMARTLINK.ORGTraveler Information Management System (TIMS)

Goal of NC’s 511 Program

Ferries

Public Transportation

Rail

Tourism

NCDOTCUSTOMER

SERVICE

NCSHPNCDMV

RoadConditions

511

GreatSmoky National

Park

511 System Features

Multi-modal Voice activated/recognition

system Points to 800 toll free number

therefore, it is a free call to users Phased Statewide - all

information available pertaining to Highways, Trains, Ferries, Tourism, NCDMV, & NCDOT deployed in the initial deployment. Transit will be deploy one region per FFY of the project until all regions deployed.

511 System Features Allows for Floodgate

messages No Busy Signal to the caller

72 ports 96 ports for queued calls

Local Road Condition Content for the major metropolitan areas.

Impacts to road conditions that are due to weather

Forecasted weather that could affect travel

Call persistence Call interruption

• Traveler Information Management System (TIMS)

511 Traffic Content

511 Traffic Content

Using 511 for Work Zone Information

• Information Resources:– Real Time:

• Construction/Maintenance Personnel• TMC personnel• Incident Management Assistance Patrols• Smart work zones (under development)

– Static:• Construction/Maintenance Personnel• TMC personnel

Workzone Data Dissemination

Other Methods to Disseminate Work Zone

Information– Real Time:

• Kiosks• Dedicated Websites• Pager Services• Media• DMS

– Static• Highway Advisory Radios• Safe Workzone Guide• I-95 Corridor Coalition Publication• Press releases • Door Hangers• Tray liners

US 1 Project• Overview:

– 4 lane divided roadway – Heavily congested corridor– Major arterial into Raleigh from the south

• Project goals– Widen Roadway and Install ITS

• with minimal disruption• providing real time information to the public

• Timeline– Project Began: March 2005– Completion Date: September 2007

• incentives/heavy liquidated damages - Fall 2006

• Impact to the public:– 150,000 +/- – Nightly lane closures– Curiosity Factor during day– Alternate Routes:

• Daytime:– no good detour due to alter routes already at peak

• Nighttime:– several local arterials– some NC routes

• Notification to public:– Smart Workzone – DMS– Dedicated Webpage

US 1 Project

– 511 – Media – Public Workshops

www.us1wake.com

US 1 Project

• Type of Information Conveyed via 511:– Area of Closure– Begin/End Times– Severity of Impact– Detour info ( if available)– Travel Times/Delays (under development)

• How data is entered:– Static information:

• field personnel/contractor

– Dynamic Information:• field personnel/contractor• Smart Workzone (under development)

• Other outreach strategies:– Media releases

• How we know people are using 511 in WZ:– Comments to Contact Us - website– 24 live operator for US 1 project

511 - As an outreach tool

– Public Workshops– DMS

US 1 Project - Using 511 Obstacles/Solutions

* Obstalces:• Keeping information real time

° Dual Entries into our Travel Information Management System (TIMS) with conflicting information

* Solutions:• Working with field forces/contractor ahead of time and define expectations and provide training.

° Working with field forces/contractor ahead of time and define expectations and provide training.

° Better Quality Control

• Successes:– easily accessible – communication/defining of

expectations– advanced marketing– training

• Lessons learned:– begin communication earlier– include all stakeholders– requirement of contractor

US 1 Project - What we’ve learned

• 511 is an excellent resource, however, a resource is only as good as the data.– Communication with all partners

• Identify all resources

– Keep information current• Training

– Include all info related to closures/WZ• Static• Dynamic

– Develop plan for QC

– Marketing

511 - Things to keep in mind