WisDOT’s Statewide Traffic Operations Center

1. WisDOT’s Statewide Traffic Operations Center

2. WisDOT STOC - Overview The mission of the STOC is to manage congestion and improve transportation safety, mobility, and efficiency on Wisconsin’s state highways • Operate traffic management and traveler information systems on WI highways • 24 hr / 7 day a week / 365 days a year • “Call Center” staffed by STOC Operators

3. STOC 2009 Org Chart

4. STOC - Monitor Traffic Conditions • System detectors are used to collect speed and volume data • Data collected is used to create travel times and populate system congestion map • Currently piloting probe technology: • Fleet-based solution

5. STOC - Monitor Traffic Conditions • Direct link to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office computer-aided dispatch (CAD) • Incident details populate into STOC database and display on a congestion map • Direct link to the State Patrol CAD • Planned for May 2009 • Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) Camera images monitored by STOC Operators and used to locate traffic incidents • Milwaukee, Madison, GB, FDL, Wausau • Access to IL Tollway Video

6. STOC - Manage Traffic Congestion • Ramp Meters - Used to regulate traffic entering the freeway

7. STOC - Traveler Information • Provide travel times, congestion, incident and/or special event information via: • Dynamic Message Signs • Portable Changeable Message Signs (JamLogic) • Highway Advisory Radio • WisDOT Web Site • 511

8. 511 - Overview • 511 provides real-time traveler information services on the state’s major highways, including the Interstate system • Utilizes an interactive voice recognition (IVR) phone system and Web site • Provides incident reports, lane closure information, winter road conditions, and travel times • Initially focusing on the Milwaukee area • Expanding to Madison and Wausau over the next year • Also provides transfers to transit services, State Patrol, County Sheriff Departments, airports, DMV, and other state’s 511 systems • Emergency alert feature allows all users (or only users in a targeted area) to hear a special message – i.e. AMBER alerts or emergency weather closures

9. WisDOT 24/7 Response Capabilities • If a highway dept or law enforcement agency needs to contact WisDOT, they can call: 1-800-375-7302 • Operators working at the STOC answer the call • STOC makes notification for WisDOT response • Some examples include: signal knockdowns, bridge hits, flooding, and traffic incidents • STOC should be contacted for any incident anticipated to have at least one state highway lane/ramp blocked for greater than 30 minutes • NOT for general public use

10. Lane & Ramp Closure System An overview of the new features and a look at common closures.

11. LCS Objectives • Web-based system used to track closures and restrictions on Wisconsin state highways • Archive LCS data in the WisTransPortal system for future analysis and integration with other WisDOT / TOPS Lab traffic engineering applications and research • Facilitate data sharing with WisDOT applications that require lane closure data, such as 511 Traveler Information, Inconvenience Map production and Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) permitting • Improve the completeness, reliability, and timeliness of lane closure data on state highways • Integrate historical traffic flow data and capacity information to calculate available closure thresholds

12. Benefits • Coordinates activities to reduce back-ups and potential conflicts • Multiple activities can utilize the same closure • Avoid lane closures during a special event • Avoid conflicting lane closures on same highway • Eliminates duplications and inefficiencies by streamlining information into one system • Provides link to historical data that can be used to make informed decisions

13. System Use • What closures should be tracked? • All let projects (information formerly entered into Traffic Impediment Module) • Any planned maintenance or permit / utility work closure or restriction on: • IH & USH • Major state highways (Corridors 2030, 4-lane +, detoured closures) • Emergency Closures (I.e. closures that are the result of an unexpected incident, such as a bridge hit or flooding, that result in the roadway being closed for an extended period of time) • All major special events • When should closures be entered? • 14 days - Project start or full roadway closure • 7 days - System ramp closure • 3 days - Lane and service ramp closure

14. User Roles • LCS User Roles • Administrator • Supervisor • Regional Traffic Engineer (RTE) - Regional Coordinator • Statewide Traffic Operations Center (STOC) • Project Manager (PM) • Permit Coordinator (PC) • Maintenance Coordinator (MC) • Project Leader (PL) • Inspector (INSP) • Requestor (REQ) • Viewer (VIEWER) • System can be accessed via the Internet – therefore people outside of WisDOT can log on with a username and password

15. A note on entering • When entering closures, please remember: • Specific closure information must be used when entering data into the LCS. • A two month period indicating a roadway may be closed occasionally is not acceptable • For rolling closures, a specific date and time period should be entered • The location should be identified using the anticipated start and end point of the segment where the closure will take place • Full roadway closures must be entered directionally • One closure will be made for each direction

16. Acceptance Process Closure Request Return / Reschedule Forward Accept Complete

17. Acceptance Process Continued • When entering closures, please remember: • A WisDOT Regional Traffic Supervisor (RTS) must accept all freeway and expressway closures. • If a RTS is unavailable, Regional Operations Managers should make approval • Maintenance or project related staff should not be granted acceptance authorization • WISDOT PDS, Traffic, and Maintenance Supervisors should review closure information entered and accepted by staff with proper authorization on a weekly basis • It is important that closures be entered in accordance with the advanced notification guidelines previously outlined to allow adequate time for approval • Enhancements have been made to better facilitate the acceptance process • Acceptance authorization will only be allowed by the Traffic Supervisor for all freeway closures.

18. Data Accuracy & Completing Closures • It is critical that all closure information entered in the LCS be accurate • The closure information entered in the LCS is used to: • Provide traveler information through WI’s newly established 511 phone system and website (www.511wi.gov), where data accuracy will have a direct impact on the public’s perception of the value of the system • Issue OSOW permits, which has a direct impact on the movement of commerce through WI • Any closure entered for more than 14 days must be manually completed • This requires a user to enter the LCS and complete the closure • A closure will continue to be reported until checked complete • Closures less than 14 days will automatically discontinue reporting

19. Special Events • Special event information can be viewed within the LCS • Event information should be checked when scheduling closures to identify conflicts • The regional traffic section is responsible to enter special events that may impact traffic and are of concern when scheduling closures • This activity should be coordinated with the Regional Communication Managers • At a minimum, events should be entered into the LCS by the 15th of every month. A report of all the events will be distributed to all PDS and Ops Supervisors

20. Special Events Continued • The Calendar Interface allows users to check for events prior to requesting a closure

21. Special Events Continued • Users can also check on Special Events in the Accept & Modify Interfaces before accepting or editing a closure

22. Web Address http://transportal.cee.wisc.edu/closures

23. Request - General Section New • Disappearance of the duration drop down. • Disappearance of the External Comments • New naming scheme • Primary and Secondary contacts phone numbers will automatically populate Old

24. Request - Facilities Section New Old • The duration drop down is now in the facility section of a closure

25. Closure Duration • Daily/Nightly: closure occurs on a daily or nightly basis as specified by the starting and ending times per each day within the start date and end date range. • Continuous: closure is more than 24 hours but less than 2 weeks. • Long Term: closure more than 2 weeks.

26. Duration – Long Term • Long Term closures no longer have a timeframe associated with the dates of the closure.

27. Duration - Weekly • Weekly: re-occurs on a weekly basis as specified by the day of week dropdowns • New DOW location to make it easier to distinguish between the beginning and end days.

28. Accept Interface Old • Can now search on a highway, not just a single direction • Project ID or Closure ID searches will override other parameters • Can search for multiple CID’s at a time • CID’s must be separated by comma or dash for a range and text field must be less than 35 characters New

29. Modify Interface • Modify has been changed to “Edit” to avoid confusion with it’s function. • Closures longer than 14 days are changed to complete from the Modify Interface.

30. Searching Changes • Formatting changes have been made to the Accept, Modify, and Search interfaces • Overall speed of searches improved though all interfaces • Printable All makes it easier to print multiple closures • CSV (comma separated values) allows users to export data into an Excel file.

31. Reports Interface Old • Many changes to the Reports Interface • Focus on active closures • Ability to lookup closures that only have OSOW restrictions • Recently modified searches • Again can narrow by Project ID or CID New

32. Closure Walk Through • General screen filled in with all pertinent data • The more information entered, the easier it is to make contact with closure personnel

33. Closure Walk Through Type of facility (mainline, ramp, bridge or system interchange) Duration type (daily/nightly, weekly, continuous or long term) Closure is either a closure or restriction What’s closed (single lane, left shoulder, left lane, 2 left lanes etc..) If the closure location is not listed, find the closest point and give a direction and distance from Closure location OSOW Restrictions (place any restrictions that OSOW will use when creating routes / issuing permits) If a full closure is selected, a detour route will need to be entered Other useful information about the closure should be placed in the external facilities box If more than 1 facility will be needed, the add facility button will allow for multiple entries

34. Closure Walk Through • Here a single lane will be closed for one week, from 9 am to 2 pm • Be as precise as possible with the start & end time as-well-as with the begin and end locations

35. Closure Walk Through • A Weekly Duration is a closure that will start on Monday at 9am and be picked up on Friday at 2pm, for three weeks in April • This Continuous closure duration will be active from Friday the 3rd at 9pm and be picked up on Monday the 6th at 6am • This long-term closure will take place for the entire month of April When all the information is entered, submit the closure for review/acceptance

36. Closure Walk Through • If work will be done in the opposite direction, the MakeLike link will auto fill the General section of the closure • User will have to change the Hwy Direction

37. Closure Walk Through • The Edit button is where changes can be made to a live closure • Used when the new date/time are known • Rescheduled requires re-acceptance • Used when date/time are unknown

38. Closure Walk Through • This long term closure will need to be “completed” when the work is finished • For closures with a single or multiple facilities, use Complete All button • A closure that has multiple facilities but only 1 is complete, use the facility-specific complete button All closures lasting longer than 2 weeks need to be completed, regardless of the closure type (daily/nightly, weekly, continuous or long term)

39. Common Mistakes • Closures cannot be entered with a “vague” definition of when a lane closure may happen • Must be entered with specific dates & times • Unless the closure is truly long term

40. Common Mistakes • Closures cannot be entered with no begin and end time defined

41. Forgot Password • If a user lost his/her password, the user can follow the “Forgot Password” link to have their password reset

42. Contacts • For username/password questions, email: wislcs@topslab.wisc.edu • For questions about missing construction Project IDs, email: wislcs@topslab.wisc.edu • For additional questions about WisLCS reporting procedures, contact the WisDOT State Traffic Operations Center: Scott Kozlik Doug Dembowski Lead Operator Supervisor Phone: (414) 227-2161 (414) 227-2149 E-mail: scott.kozlik@dot.wi.govdouglas.dembowski@dot.wi.gov • WisDOT STOC 24-hour phone number: (414) 227-2142