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TMC Signal Control Equipment Package

Architecture Geographic Scope

Description:

Remotely controls traffic signal controllers to implement traffic management strategies at major intersections and on main highways for urban areas, based on traffic conditions, incidents, emergency vehicle preemptions, pedestrian crossings, etc.

 

Included in:

City of Victoria Traffic Operations Center
Municipal Traffic Operations Center
Other TxDOT District TMCs
TxDOT Houston TMC (TranStar)
TxDOT San Antonio TMC (TransGuide)
TxDOT Yoakum District Office -Traffic

Functional Requirements:

1The center shall remotely control traffic signal controllers.
2The center shall accept notifications of right-of-way requests from pedestrians.
3The center shall collect traffic signal controller operational status and compare against the control information sent by the center.
4The center shall collect traffic signal controller fault data from the field.
5The center shall implement control plans to coordinate signalized intersections, under control of center personnel, based on data from sensors and surveillance monitoring traffic conditions, incidents, emergency vehicle preemptions, the passage of commercial vehicles with unusual loads, equipment faults, pedestrian crossings, etc.
  

User Service Requirements (fully or partially addressed):

1.0TRAVEL AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
1.5.2TSI shall include an Information Access function that allows travelers to access the available information.
1.5.2.5Information Access shall provide the capability for travelers to access the TSI information via any of, but not limited to, the following methods:
1.5.2.5(a)Highway advisory radio.
1.6TRAFFIC CONTROL
1.6.0ITS shall include a Traffic Control (TC) function. Traffic Control provides the capability to efficiently manage the movement of traffic on streets and highways. Four functions are provided, which are, (1) Traffic Flow Optimization, (2) Traffic Surveillance, (3) Control, and (4) Provide Information. This will also include control of network signal systems with eventual integration of freeway control.
1.6.1TC shall include a Traffic Flow Optimization function to provide the capability to optimize traffic flow.
1.6.1.1Traffic Flow Optimization shall employ control strategies that seek to maximize traffic-movement efficiency.
1.6.1.1.1Traffic-movement control shall manage movement of traffic on streets.
1.6.1.1.2Traffic-movement control shall manage movement of traffic on highways.
1.6.1.1.3Traffic-movement control shall include the goal of minimizing delay times.
1.6.1.1.4Traffic-movement control shall include the goal of minimizing energy use.
1.6.1.1.5Traffic-movement control shall include the goal of minimizing air quality impacts due to traffic.
1.6.1.2Traffic Flow Optimization shall include a wide area optimization capability, to include several jurisdictions.
1.6.1.2.1Wide area optimization shall integrate the control of network signal systems with the control of freeways.
1.6.1.2.2Wide area optimization shall include features that provide preferential treatment for transit vehicles.
1.6.1.2.3Wide area optimization shall include features that provide preferential treatment for HOV.
1.6.1.3Traffic Flow Optimization shall be implemented in a manner that seeks to optimize traffic movement over a large geographic area.
1.6.1.4Traffic Flow Optimization shall include a Control function that is responsive to both the current demand as well as the expected demand.
1.6.1.4.1The Control function shall include the capability to facilitate the dissipation of traffic congestion.
1.6.1.5Traffic Flow Optimization shall provide the capability to predict travel patterns.
1.6.1.6The Control function shall include the use of data acquired from traffic surveillance as feedback to the control strategies.
1.6.1.7Implementation of the Control function shall include strategies that account for at least the following:
1.6.1.7(a)Human factors.
1.6.1.7(b)Driver/traveler behavior and expectancies.
1.6.2TC shall include a Traffic Surveillance function.
1.6.2.2Traffic Surveillance shall include a data collect function to provide the capability to collect data for determining traffic flow and prediction.
1.6.2.2.1The data collect function shall provide the capability to quickly feedback traffic data to the control processes.
1.6.2.3Traffic Surveillance shall include a wide-area surveillance capability to include several jurisdictions.
1.6.2.3.2The wide-area surveillance shall cover a large number of roadway segments.
1.6.2.4TC shall provide the capability to acquire detailed traffic measurements at specific locations.
1.6.2.4.1Traffic Surveillance shall include a data process function to process the traffic data which are acquired.
1.6.3TC shall include a Device Control function.
1.6.3.1The Device Control function shall include a "real-time" traffic-adaptive control capability.
1.6.3.2The real-time traffic-adaptive control portion of the Device Control function shall be an area wide control to include several jurisdictions.
1.6.3.2.1The area wide control shall be implemented in an integrated and consistent manner that avoids the issuance of conflicting controls.
1.6.3.2.2The area wide control shall be implemented in a manner that permits the following types of vehicles to have preference over other vehicles being controlled.
1.6.3.3The Device Control function shall provide the capability to exercise control over those devices utilized for traffic control.
1.6.3.3.1Device Control shall include the capability to control traffic signalization, including rapid modification of signalization parameters to respond to traffic requirements.
1.6.3.3.2Device Control shall include the capability to dynamically control traffic signing.
1.6.3.3.3Device Control shall include the capability to control freeway ramp metering.
1.6.3.3.4Device Control shall include the capability to exercise dynamic control over the infrastructure (such as reversible-lanes, turning restrictions, etc.).
1.6.3.4Device Control shall communicate control data to the following devices.
1.6.3.4(a)Traffic signals.
1.6.3.4(e)Human operator support.
1.6.3.4.1Traffic Surveillance shall include a data process function to process the traffic data which are acquired.
1.6.3.5Device Control shall provide the operator with the capability to manually override the system's automatic controls.
1.6.3.6Device Control shall provide the operator the capability to adaptively change system response in order to provide a response that is coordinated with other TMCs responding to incidents.
1.7INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
1.7.1Incident Management shall provide an Incident Identification function to identify incidents.
1.7.1.1The Incident Identification function shall include the capability to identify predicted incidents.
1.7.1.1.1The Incident Identification function shall use information from the following types of sources, where available, to identify predicted incidents:
1.7.1.1.1(a)Traffic flow sensors.
1.7.1.1.1(b)Environmental sensors.
1.8TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT
1.8.1TDM shall include a communications function.
1.8.1.4The communications function shall provide the capability to send information and data as needed to implement management and control strategies that respond to changing environments, conditions, and policy needs to include, but not limited to, the following:
1.8.1.4(a)Sensor data.
1.8.2TDM shall include a processing function.
1.8.2.3Strategies developed by the processing function shall include the guidance for the operation of physical systems that:
1.8.2.3(a)Monitor traffic.
1.8.2.3(d)Detect traffic.
1.10HIGHWAY RAIL INTERSECTION
1.10.0ITS shall include a Highway-Rail Intersection (HRI) function to control highway and rail traffic in at-grade HRIs. Two sub-services are supported: Standard Speed Rail Subservice which is applicable to light rail transit, commuter rail and heavy rail trains with operational speeds up to 79 miles per hour (MPH); and High Speed Rail Subservice which is applicable to all passenger and freight trains with operational speeds from 80 to 125 MPH.
1.10.3At all HRIs with active railroad warning systems, HRI shall manage the traffic in the intersection.
1.10.3.3HRI shall provide an Intelligent Intersection Controller (IIC) function to manage highway and rail traffic in the intersection.
1.10.3.3.5IIC function shall report real-time HRI traffic status as advisories or alerts.
1.10.5HRI shall provide a High Speed Rail (HSR) Subservice for HRIs on rail lines with operational speeds between 80 and 125 MPH.
1.10.5.2HSR shall provide special safety features to enhance safety.
1.10.5.2.6HSR shall provide HRI status to highway vehicles as either a "STOP FOR TRAIN" or a "PROCEED" indication.
5.0EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
5.1EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION AND PERSONAL SECURITY
5.1.3ENPS shall include a Remote Security and Emergency Monitoring (RSEM) function to create an environment of safety in secure areas.
5.1.3.5RSEM shall include a Physical Security System (PSS) function.
5.1.3.5.2PSS shall allow system operators to monitor and control operation of the physical security system devices, including operator override.
5.1.3.5.3PSS shall provide current status of the system including readiness and activation to operators.
5.2EMERGENCY VEHICLE MANAGEMENT
5.2.3EVM Service shall include a Signal Priority System.
5.2.3.1Signal Priority System shall maintain real-time information on signal timing, emergency vehicle locations and emergency vehicle routing.
5.2.3.2Signal Priority System shall determine signal prioritize timing sequences for relevant signals.
5.3DISASTER RESPONSE AND EVACUATION
5.3.0ITS shall provide a Disaster Response and Evacuation (DRE) function that provides for effective, coordinated management of the surface transportation system during all types of disasters including natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, severe winter storms, tsunamis, etc.), terrorist acts, and other catastrophic events (e.g., nuclear power plant disasters). Two primary subservices are provided: (1) Disaster Response and (2) Evacuation Coordination. The Disaster Response Subservice provides support for planning, transportation management, resource sharing, and information coordination between transportation agencies and principal responding agencies (emergency management, public safety, and other allied agencies) to improve the effectiveness and safety of a disaster response. The Disaster Response Subservice consists of eight major functions: 1) Coordinate Response Plans, 2) Monitor Alert Levels, 3) Detect and Verify Emergency, 4) Assess Infrastructure Status, 5) Coordinate Response, 6) Critical Service Restoration, 7) Manage Area Transportation, and 8) Disaster Traveler Information. The Evacuation Coordination (EC) Subservice efficiently manages an evacuation and provides evacuees with the information they need during evacuation and subsequent reentry to the evacuated area. The Evacuation Coordination (EC) subservice includes four additional major functions: 9) Evacuation Planning Support, 10) Evacuation Traveler Information, 11) Evacuation Transportation Management, and 12) Evacuation Resource Sharing.
5.3.11Evacuation Coordination shall provide an Evacuation Transportation Management (ETM) function to assist evacuation coordination personnel as they manage evacuation operations.
5.3.11.10ETM shall have a lane reversal management function.
7.0INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
7.1ARCHIVED DATA FUNCTION
7.1.0ITS shall provide an Archived Data Function to control the archiving and distribution of ITS data. The Archived Data User Service provides the Historical Data Archive Repositories and controls the archiving functionality for all ITS data with five major functions: 1) the Operational Data Control function to manage operations data integrity; 2) the Data Import and Verification function to acquire historical data from the Operational Data Control function; 3) the Automatic Data Historical Archive function for permanently archiving the data; 4) the Data Warehouse Distribution function, which integrates the planning, safety, operations, and research communities into ITS and processes data products for these communities; and 5) the ITS Community Interface which provides the ITS common interface to all ITS users for data products specification and retrieval. ADUS helps achieve the ITS information goal of unambiguous interchange and reuse of data and information throughout all functional areas.
7.1.3The Archived Data Function shall include a Data Import and Verification (DIV) function to acquire historical data from the Operational Data Control function.
7.1.3.1DIV shall be capable of importing selected ITS Operational data from the ITS Operational Repositories.
7.1.3.1.9DIV shall be capable of importing data on ITS Physical Characteristics of Transportation Infrastructure to include:
7.1.3.1.9(a)Roadway network attributes.
  
The detailed process and user service requirement traceability information on this page was extracted from the National ITS Architecture. Consult the National ITS Architecture web site for more information.

Last updated on 05-27-2005 using Ronald C. Ice and Associates Web Spinner Technology.