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Abstract

As the transportation landscape continues to evolve, incorporating new models of service delivery, users are increasingly expecting accurate, real-time information on transportation options to make travel decisions. Multiple entities are working to develop data standards ...Lead moreAs the transportation landscape continues to evolve, incorporating new models of service delivery, users are increasingly expecting accurate, real-time information on transportation options to make travel decisions. Multiple entities are working to develop data standards for demand-response and micromobility modes similar to the GTFS standard for fixed-route transit. These new standards should be designed to incorporate accessibility principles at all stages of development. This paper will identify and review existing data specification standards and provide recommendations for any opportunities to increase accessibility as a guiding principle.

Abstract

While toll roads have existed for hundreds of years, the invention of RFID transponders for electronic toll collection transformed the industry from cash based to almost all electronic. The invention of the Integrated Toll Module (ITM), where the RFID transponder (sometim...Lead moreWhile toll roads have existed for hundreds of years, the invention of RFID transponders for electronic toll collection transformed the industry from cash based to almost all electronic. The invention of the Integrated Toll Module (ITM), where the RFID transponder (sometimes simply called a tag) is literally built into the vehicle, is sparking similar transformations. The ITM is a multi protocol transponder (MPT) that enables interoperability across North America. As the density of the ITM increases, other ITS technologies are enabled. However, since the ITM is a MPT, care must be taken when multi protocol readers (MPR) are also in use. This presentation will provide background information about the ITM and explore how the ITM can be used for other applications. It will also include information about how MPTs and MPRs can be used together.

Abstract

The goal of this work is to give a high-level summary of SCMS and C-ITS standards from the viewpoint of a vehicle OEM wanting to support both standards, identify some areas of potential difficulty, and decide if separate or combined systems may be advantageous. We also di...Lead moreThe goal of this work is to give a high-level summary of SCMS and C-ITS standards from the viewpoint of a vehicle OEM wanting to support both standards, identify some areas of potential difficulty, and decide if separate or combined systems may be advantageous. We also discuss some changes and innovations which may make it easier for OEMs to support both systems, and where we can expect evolution of these standards as they are more widely deployed.

Abstract

As the Dedicated Short Range Communication system rolls out across vehicles and at the roadside, the technology stakeholders expand the list of envisioned services. However, how to best host these services in the limited DSRC band needs careful treatment. Otherwise, they ...Lead moreAs the Dedicated Short Range Communication system rolls out across vehicles and at the roadside, the technology stakeholders expand the list of envisioned services. However, how to best host these services in the limited DSRC band needs careful treatment. Otherwise, they may interfere with each other and with those deployed at earlier times, causing degraded communication and application performance. This paper aims at mitigating this concern with a generic message rate control framework. It accommodates communication needs of mixed DSRC traffic, providing a mechanism for fair sharing of the channel and protecting the performance of different services when they operate on the same channel. Simulation results from NS3 demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

Abstract

In June 2017 an independent commission was formed to understand how mobility pricing could form part of a comprehensive approach to managing congestion in Metro Vancouver, Canada. This paper discusses the background and analyses of scenarios that were conducted to help gu...Lead moreIn June 2017 an independent commission was formed to understand how mobility pricing could form part of a comprehensive approach to managing congestion in Metro Vancouver, Canada. This paper discusses the background and analyses of scenarios that were conducted to help guide the Commission’s recommendations. Both congestion point charges and distance-based charges were investigated in a varying number of scenarios using the regional transportation model and structured decision-making framework.

Abstract

Traditionally, measuring the performance of surface infrastructure from a pedestrian’s perspective has been difficult and existing performance measures are lacking. Due to the limitations in legacy detection technology, the intersection performance measures have been main...Lead moreTraditionally, measuring the performance of surface infrastructure from a pedestrian’s perspective has been difficult and existing performance measures are lacking. Due to the limitations in legacy detection technology, the intersection performance measures have been mainly limited to vehicle based performance (such as ATSPMs). Deep learning computer vision technology has enabled the detection and classification of other modes of traffic such as pedestrians. This advancement opens a completely new opportunity to quantify pedestrians’ performance at crosswalks on a continuous basis. This paper explores several methods of combining pedestrian detection at signalized crosswalks with high-resolution signal status data from the controller and proposes and evaluates performance measures in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the pedestrian behaviour and pedestrian facility performance. These metrics aim to quantify and visualize the crosswalk performance in terms of pedestrian clearance, pedestrian signal compliance, pedestrian crosswalk exposure and, spatial behaviour. The methods are tested through video footage collected from a 360 degree camera at a busy intersection in downtown Toronto.

Abstract

Most of the traffic management systems in place today are limited to the detection and count of passing vehicles without taking full advantage of the potential applications and failing on the ROI for cities. The advancements in Artificial Intelligence increase the quality...Lead moreMost of the traffic management systems in place today are limited to the detection and count of passing vehicles without taking full advantage of the potential applications and failing on the ROI for cities. The advancements in Artificial Intelligence increase the quality and definition of the data captured, amplifying the impact of the decisions that can be taken and boosting the city ability to move people in a safer and more efficient way. This paper describes the technology that allows vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians to be identified and classified using AI but also the advanced algorithms that enable velocity, direction and acceleration inference which can then be used to detect near misses and prevent accidents, creating an anonymous virtual world and generating a world of possibilities and a revolution in traffic management.

Abstract

The Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Readiness Plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Waterloo Corridor in Ontario, Canada is a leading initiative of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Metrolinx, City of Toronto, Region of Peel and WSP Canada,...Lead moreThe Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Readiness Plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Waterloo Corridor in Ontario, Canada is a leading initiative of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Metrolinx, City of Toronto, Region of Peel and WSP Canada, in cooperation with Transport Canada and other agency stakeholders across the region. This readiness plan uses industry and academic research, Scenario Planning and stakeholder consultation techniques to determine what agencies need to do to prepare for CAVs to enter our transportation systems and the inevitable implications they will have. The study develops a consistent planning framework through exploring a series of potential future scenarios from the perspective of personas representing the various characteristics of the general population. This analysis identifies a series of infrastructure, operational, institutional and public lever readiness guidelines and projects that regional governments and transportation agencies could consider to best prepare and evolve their services and infrastructure to accommodate the introduction of CAVs on transportation networks.

Abstract

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) promises to transform our cities into spaces where traffic, pollution, and congestion are things of the past. To accelerate this transformation, it must clear the way for more socially and environmentally friendly forms of transport, such as s...Lead moreMobility as a Service (MaaS) promises to transform our cities into spaces where traffic, pollution, and congestion are things of the past. To accelerate this transformation, it must clear the way for more socially and environmentally friendly forms of transport, such as shared use mobility. By necessity, shared mobility services introduce a level of intimacy into our daily commute – and the smaller the environment, the greater the human need for managing safety and trust. Ultimately, it’s trust that will cement the role of shared mobility in furthering the MaaS vision in our increasingly automated world. The future of transportation will depend on the emergence of a new breed of trust models, tools and services called collectively as “Trust-as-a-Service.” They will sit at the core of shared use mobility and impose a regime of trustworthiness into an industry where regulation remains an issue.

Abstract

Public agencies and partners operating roads are challenged by the potential road damage, safety and environmental issues created by noncompliant trucks and unsafe drivers. Increased traffic volumes, congestion, and scarce enforcement resources are causing authorities to ...Lead morePublic agencies and partners operating roads are challenged by the potential road damage, safety and environmental issues created by noncompliant trucks and unsafe drivers. Increased traffic volumes, congestion, and scarce enforcement resources are causing authorities to rethink strategies, including the deployment of technology that improves enforcement efficiency and effectiveness. Commercial vehicle compliance, once assessed by manual intervention, can now be achieved at mainline speeds 24/7/365.

Abstract

China’s growing personal vehicle ownership and use are imposing enormous social costs including pollutants emissions. To address the environmental concerns, the government has introduced the subsidy program, green car plates, and dual-credit scheme mandate to help electri...Lead moreChina’s growing personal vehicle ownership and use are imposing enormous social costs including pollutants emissions. To address the environmental concerns, the government has introduced the subsidy program, green car plates, and dual-credit scheme mandate to help electrify vehicles. We quantify the policies’ impacts on the 2030 car market: compared to the counterfactual no policy case, mandating more electric cars rather than subsidizing them could reduce the total private car demand by 17%; vehicle ownership restrictions in the big cities could further avoid motorization by 4% (status quo) and up to 10% (extensive quota adoption). We also investigate the total cost of ownership (TCO) for battery electric vehicles (BEVs): Beijing’s subsidized BEVs are in TCO parity with gasoline cars during 2018-2020; beyond that when the subsidies are removed, automakers are likely to lower the BEVs prices by internal subsidies to spur broader electro mobility deployment.

Abstract

Traffic incidents continue to affect mobility and economic sustainability in cities worldwide by causing congestion and delay. However, it is the way in which incidents impact safety that is most concerning. Critical to mitigating transportation and safety and mobility im...Lead moreTraffic incidents continue to affect mobility and economic sustainability in cities worldwide by causing congestion and delay. However, it is the way in which incidents impact safety that is most concerning. Critical to mitigating transportation and safety and mobility impacts is Traffic Incident Management (TIM). TIM is defined as the planned and coordinated multi-disciplinary process to detect, respond to, and clear traffic incidents so that traffic flow may be restored as safely and quickly as possible. For decades, the state of Florida has enjoyed a mature, statewide TIM program. However, as a strategically critical element of Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and its partner agencies and disciplines recognize that status quo is unacceptable when it comes to safety and mobility. FDOT’s focus on, and model approach to, continually elevating its TIM program from “good to great” is a case study in national and international leadership for this foundational TSM&O activity and is particularly relevant as states and international regions struggle to sustain effective TIM programs and activities.

Abstract

We have developed a smartphone-based assistive system that uses a network of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons to provide location specific traffic and navigational information for the visually impaired in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) unfriendly environments...Lead moreWe have developed a smartphone-based assistive system that uses a network of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons to provide location specific traffic and navigational information for the visually impaired in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) unfriendly environments. To ensure information integrity and security, a self-monitoring methodology was developed by reprogramming the firmware of each BLE beacon to monitor its peers in the network. A multi-regression technique was implemented to reduce the environmental uncertainty and dynamic nature of BLE measurements and provide positioning solutions. Statistical techniques were also developed to identify any location changes of BLE beacons. The results indicated that our approach successfully detects any changes of a BLE network that would indicate a problem with the network. With the self-monitoring network, the system can locate the smartphone and ensure information associated with each BLE beacon provides the correct message to reliably support wayfinding for the visually impaired in a transportation network.

Abstract

According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was a contributing factor in 27% of fatal crashes. Because of the importance of over-speeding, there have been many studies exploring over-speeding behaviour and safety. Nevertheless, it has no...Lead moreAccording to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was a contributing factor in 27% of fatal crashes. Because of the importance of over-speeding, there have been many studies exploring over-speeding behaviour and safety. Nevertheless, it has not been possible to use disaggregate real-time data for studying over-speeding behaviour. In this study, the authors collected real-time data from the NPMRDS (National Performance Management Research Data Set), which is archived by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. The NPMRDS obtains real-time speeds and travel times from the private traffic information providers: HERE and INRIX using probe vehicles. In addition, speeding violations and related crashes data are collected from Montgomery County, Maryland. The authors investigates the correlations between over-speeding behaviour, speeding violations, and crashes related to speeding. It is expected that findings from this study will help policy makers and law enforcement agencies establish effective strategic plans for reducing over-speeding behaviour.

Abstract

The use of de-icing salts and other antiskid measures typically adopted by highway maintenance services have many limitations such as applicable temperatures, location of storage facilities, ease of access to road section and, in the case of salts, infrastructure and envi...Lead moreThe use of de-icing salts and other antiskid measures typically adopted by highway maintenance services have many limitations such as applicable temperatures, location of storage facilities, ease of access to road section and, in the case of salts, infrastructure and environmental damage. An alternative solution that offers several advantages is implementing hydronic heating systems under the road surfaces. Hydronic de-icing may eliminate the need to add salts to the road surfaces which prolongs the lifetime of infrastructure and significantly reduce maintenance costs. This paper focuses on developing a methodology based on reduced-order thermal models to analyse the heated slab thermal dynamics for different piping configurations for hydronic de-icing of transportation infrastructure in cold climates. The magnitude of time delay to reach the required surface temperature for de-icing for different slab piping configurations and system capacity is evaluated by means of reduced-order lumped parameter models. The effect of weather forecast uncertainty on the possible predictive control of de-icing system is discussed.

Abstract

In recent years, performance measures have become ingrained into virtually all facets of transportation planning, budgeting, design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Many transportation agencies have begun to adopt a Transportation Systems Management & Operation...Lead moreIn recent years, performance measures have become ingrained into virtually all facets of transportation planning, budgeting, design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Many transportation agencies have begun to adopt a Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSMO) approach in providing a higher level of operational integration among different modes of transportation in alignment with performance measure outcomes and targets. Meanwhile, Transportation Management Centers (TMC) are applying a wide range of strategies to become more proactive in improving mobility at a corridor and regional scale. These strategies include active traffic management, integrated corridor management, express lane networks, and managed motorways. Future strategies are anticipated to leverage emerging technologies (e.g., connected vehicles, automated vehicles, electric vehicles, shared mobility) as well as integrated data systems (Mobility on Demand). The purpose of this paper is to provide a vision to improve smart city mobility by applying real-time performance measures to optimize our transportation systems in balancing supply and demand.

Abstract

This paper summarizes the development of novel mapping technique to easily generate, validate and transmit accurate and efficient lane level digital maps to enable wide range of safety and mobility for connected vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) applications in the United S...Lead moreThis paper summarizes the development of novel mapping technique to easily generate, validate and transmit accurate and efficient lane level digital maps to enable wide range of safety and mobility for connected vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) applications in the United States under a cooperative agreement between the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partners, LLC (CAMP) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). A dynamic mapping technique was developed to enable work zone mapping in near real-time for the Reduced Speed Zone/Lane Closure Warning (RSZW/LC) application for connected work zone (CWZ) and evaluated efficacy of the technique in live work zones. The key outcome of this work is a “software toolchain” that provides Infrastructure Owners and Operators (IOOs) the ability to easily generate and validate accurate and efficient lane level digital maps in standard format that represent both stable as well as dynamically changing road environments at a lane level for over-the-air transmission to connected vehicles. The mapping technique provides a mechanism for developing work zone map in a consistent manner.

Abstract

This paper presents a compressive summary of recent researches on traffic signal control system at connected vehicle corridors, of which architecture, model, and algorithm are discussed. Basic Safety Message (BSM) from connected vehicles, penetration rates, and vehicle ar...Lead moreThis paper presents a compressive summary of recent researches on traffic signal control system at connected vehicle corridors, of which architecture, model, and algorithm are discussed. Basic Safety Message (BSM) from connected vehicles, penetration rates, and vehicle arrival time stamp from loop detector of upstream links formulate objective functions. The open source traffic simulation engine Enhanced Transportation Flow Open Source Microscopic Model (ETFOMM) was selected as environment to develop, debug, and evaluate. The results not only demonstrated the benefits of connected vehicle technology in mobility, but also presents performance differences among different architectures, models, and algorithms. We present a two-stage distributed system delay models that overcome network bandwidth and server processing capacities limitation. The two stage delay models are the first to be formulated in first degree of derivations and second to processing BSM locally to generate queue length for central server computer. The optimization objective functions include arrivals on green, queue length, and delay. Three different non-linear programming algorithms are selected to find solutions. Case studies indicate total delay model with Newton’ method is most effective in control delay reduction and computational time spent. We also demonstrate the computation efficiency in distributed system is similar as centralized system.

Abstract

A trajectory planning is a technique that is widely used to automatically generate an expected geometric path that a vehicle needs to follow within a certain future time horizon. We propose a way to generate trajectories of multiple vehicles for a short-term planning with...Lead moreA trajectory planning is a technique that is widely used to automatically generate an expected geometric path that a vehicle needs to follow within a certain future time horizon. We propose a way to generate trajectories of multiple vehicles for a short-term planning with a formal guarantee of the collision avoidance using a SAT (Satisfiability) constraint solver. We assume that each vehicle sends the current status (e.g., speed or position) and its planned trajectory to the server (e.g., road-side unit or cloud server), and the server calculates the modified trajectories and send them back to the vehicles to avoid collisions. It is necessary to find an efficient way to generate such trajectories since they need to be generated within a short time interval. Given a driving scenario where multiple vehicles are engaged, our proposed grouping method identifies vehicles that are not engaged in the collision scenario, and removes the related parameters from the SAT constraint solving process. We conducted the case study using a ramp merging driving scenario varying various parameters. On average, our method could save the computation time by 40% compared to the original problem under those driving scenarios.

Abstract

Connected vehicles improve road safety and mobility in traffic by sharing information among vehicles and traffic participants through the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The identification of the connected vehicles helps the trust of...Lead moreConnected vehicles improve road safety and mobility in traffic by sharing information among vehicles and traffic participants through the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The identification of the connected vehicles helps the trust of the information shared and the position information can be used as a part of identification. The identification of the connected vehicles is challenging since V2V or V2X communication system uses the wireless communication where the position information is difficult to verify with existing inexpensive position systems such as GPS. This paper proposes a cyber-physical identification method utilizing the range sensing data from onboard sensors in the ego and sender vehicles. The method estimates the detection set of the sender candidates based on ego car’s actual detection coupled with an occlusion judgment model. An object matching model is applied to identify the real sender vehicle from surrounding candidates by comparing the detection set estimation with the sender’s detection set shared in V2V communication. Unity3D based simulations show the proposed method improves the identification accuracy by 96.35%.

Abstract

Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) data enable eco-driving near signalized intersections. They are often presumed accurate as obtained from the conventional fixed-time signals. In practice, it is common to have actuated or adaptive signals that are less predictable. This lead...Lead moreSignal Phase and Timing (SPaT) data enable eco-driving near signalized intersections. They are often presumed accurate as obtained from the conventional fixed-time signals. In practice, it is common to have actuated or adaptive signals that are less predictable. This leads to less-than-perfect SPaT with uncertain signal timing information. In this paper, a new eco-driving algorithm is formulated explicitly considering the uncertainty of SPaT data together with a rigorous methodology for generating meaningful SPaT from adaptive signals. Two test sites, New York City and Arcadia of California, are selected for simulation studies. Results indicate that the new eco-driving strategy provides the benefits of fuel consumption savings and emission reductions even with less-than-perfect SPaT from adaptive signals. Regardless of the accuracy of SPaT data, eco-driving may have negligible network benefits when traffic becomes oversaturated; vehicles cannot apply the needed speed adjustments in high traffic density. It is revealed that the network benefits of eco-driving depend on the co-existence of both eco-driving and non-eco-driving vehicles. The latter provides the leeway for eco-driving vehicles to implement optimal speed adjustments. This means marginal network benefits may diminish with the increase of market penetration of connected eco-driving vehicles.

Abstract

This paper is about the QoS of intervehicular communication for critical systems like emergency vehicles in an urban environment. The technological context is VANET with cross-layer architecture. Our aim is to avoid transmission delays between vehicles. Various obstacles ...Lead moreThis paper is about the QoS of intervehicular communication for critical systems like emergency vehicles in an urban environment. The technological context is VANET with cross-layer architecture. Our aim is to avoid transmission delays between vehicles. Various obstacles (buildings, walls, etc) may appear between communicating vehicles and disturb radio signals, slowing down the overall process, which may prove disastrous in case of an emergency. Our idea is to treat our vehicles as autonomous agents (AA) and to endow them with 2 cognitive capacities: (1) to identify such obstacles when they appear in the near proximity, (2) to estimate proactively their transmission error rates and update their routing table accordingly. The capacity of error rate estimation is acquired by means of supervised learning from a data base of urban components together with their signal-fading effects. Each autonomous agent is characterised by an architecture based on different components including the communication one. Different urban areas are considered to define AA environments. Experiments in progress will allow to estimate the error rates to integrate with AA routing tables.

Abstract

Conflict vehicle movements at intersections are one bottleneck of traffic mobility on urban networks. Recently, with the development of connected vehicles, regulating conflict movements by controlling individual vehicles to improve intersection performance has attracted a...Lead moreConflict vehicle movements at intersections are one bottleneck of traffic mobility on urban networks. Recently, with the development of connected vehicles, regulating conflict movements by controlling individual vehicles to improve intersection performance has attracted a lot of research efforts. This paper aims at developing an advanced vehicle control system with connected vehicles to reduce vehicle delays at intersections without the help of signals. An intersection delay model is proposed to predict the total vehicle delay at one intersection and to search for the optimal speed control actions to manage traffic under mixed connected and non-connected vehicle environment. The simulation experiments illustrate that the control system is able to reduce average vehicle delay by up to 95%, and the sensitivity analysis of vehicle demand and market penetrate rates of connected vehicles is also conducted to understand the benefits of the system at different traffic and connected vehicle environments.

Abstract

Toll systems have incorporated a variety of axle detection technologies for toll audit purposes including optical fibre sensors, inductive loops, and various types of toll treadles. IRD’s Advanced Axle Classification for Toll (AACT) system uses a new type of sensor techno...Lead moreToll systems have incorporated a variety of axle detection technologies for toll audit purposes including optical fibre sensors, inductive loops, and various types of toll treadles. IRD’s Advanced Axle Classification for Toll (AACT) system uses a new type of sensor technology to provide detailed real- time axle information based on tire footprints. Toll system integrators can use this unique technology to provide more accurate vehicle classification based on superior single/dual/wide-based single tire and lateral position sensing, even in challenging stop-and-go traffic and multilane installations.

Abstract

Many stakeholders, including transportation agencies, enforcement agencies, toll road operators, municipalities, ports, and commercial carriers have an interest in improving road safety. Tire safety is a particularly important issue as tire problems are a major factor in ...Lead moreMany stakeholders, including transportation agencies, enforcement agencies, toll road operators, municipalities, ports, and commercial carriers have an interest in improving road safety. Tire safety is a particularly important issue as tire problems are a major factor in accidents. Intelligent Transportation Systems can play a role by automating tire inspections for greater efficiency. New in-road sensor technology offers the ability to screen vehicles for tire anomalies in real time and at highway speeds. Associated software provides the ability to identify vehicles, generate vehicle records in real time, and alert road users or regulatory agencies. Together, the in-road tire sensors, roadside electronics, and operator software create a tire anomaly and classification system (TACS) that has the potential to assist all aforementioned stakeholders in improving road safety. This paper describes TACS and several recent applications of the screening technology.

Abstract

The way people own and use cars is drastically changing and will continue to do so for years to come. Traditionally, there were one or two cars per household, and people owned those cars for many years. This setup made electronic tolling relatively simple, with tags attac...Lead moreThe way people own and use cars is drastically changing and will continue to do so for years to come. Traditionally, there were one or two cars per household, and people owned those cars for many years. This setup made electronic tolling relatively simple, with tags attached to vehicles and owners were billed for all tolls they incurred. However, now there is a trend of moving away from traditional car ownership, and a shift towards Mobility as a Service (MaaS) with things like shared car services, car subscriptions and TNC’s such as Uber and Lyft. The growth of MaaS will create new challenges and require the tolling industry to either quickly adapt or risk loss of revenue. With MaaS, it will be critical to accurately and quickly toll the users of the services. In the case of a shared car, one patron could drive through a toll road, and minutes later, another user of that same vehicle could also drive through a toll plaza. The service providers, along with the tolling agencies, will need to bill the correct parties, preferably in real time.