1.0 Introduction
The Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Initiative is one of the ten major initiatives sponsored by the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). The primary objective of the ICM Initiative is to demonstrate how Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies can efficiently and proactively facilitate the movement of people and goods through major transportation corridors. A detailed description of this Initiative can be found in the Integrated Corridor Management Initiative – Program Plan Update, available on the Web at: http://www.its.dot.gov/icms/workplan.htm.
The ICM Initiative consists of four phases designed to research, document, and implement ICM strategies within corridors utilizing existing ITS assets and identifying innovative approaches to reduce traffic congestion across multiple agencies and/or jurisdictions. Several of the phases will run concurrently.
Phase 1: Foundational Research
Phase 1 included research into the current state of corridor management in the United States and abroad. Initial technical guidance documents were created to assist implementers of ICM as a resource during development of concepts and requirements. During this phase, a multimodal stakeholder group was developed to support the initial and ongoing efforts of the ICM Initiative. Phase 1 concluded in early 2006.
Phase 2: Corridor Tools, Strategies, and Integration
Phase 2 includes the development of analytic tools and methods that enable the implementation and evaluation of ICM strategies. The outcomes of this phase will help decision-makers identify gaps, evaluate ICM strategies, and invest in the best combination of strategies that will minimize congestion, improve safety, and help to estimate the benefit resulting from ICM across different transportation modes and traffic control systems.
Phase 3: Corridor Site Development, Analysis, and Demonstration
Phase 3 consists of three stages: concept development, modeling, and demonstration and evaluation.
Stage 1: Concept Development
Eight pioneer sites were selected to develop a Concept of Operations and System Requirements Specification documenting their specific corridor needs for an Integrated Corridor Management System (ICMS). The documents were completed Spring 2008.
Stage 2: Modeling
Three pioneer sites were selected to participate in the Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (AMS) of their respective proposed ICMS. The AMS began following Stage 1.
Stage 3: Demonstration and Evaluation
Up to three pioneer sites will be selected to implement their ICMS demonstrating the institutional, operational, and technical integration approaches in the field and documenting the implementation issues and operational benefits.
Phase 4: ICM Outreach and Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT)
Phase 4 focuses on building an ICM KTT to furnish implementers of ICM and ICMS strategies with a comprehensive set of resources based on research and lessons learned.
Transit data is important to the successful implementation of an ICMS. During prior analysis tasks, specific transit data gaps have been identified. Management of traffic in a corridor depends on the acquisition of data about current conditions in the corridor, the capability to implement various management strategies which may include transit, and the AMS tools to support the evaluation and selection of strategies appropriate to the current conditions. Although parking availability may be a separate issue in some locations, for the purposes of this analysis, the availability of parking as it relates to transit usage will be included.
The objective of this task is to analyze the transit data gaps and to determine additional data needs to more accurately predict transit use patterns. This report analyzes the need for transit data within an ICMS, identifies data that is currently available to fulfill the needs, and identifies potential sources of additional data which could be used to fulfill the needs.
This report is the first step in the overall road map for the transit data gap. The next step will be to define the requirements for the transit data and to develop an action plan. After the action plan is developed, there is potential for coordination with a selected demonstration site.
This report is organized as follows:
- Section 2 provides the concepts and context for ICM Transit Management and the ICMS capabilities required for supporting the concepts.
- Section 3 presents the results of the Needs Analysis for the Transit Data Gap.
- Section 4 describes an approach for stratifying the data requirements into three time horizons corresponding to the ICM objectives for Transit Management.
- Section 5 identifies the various techniques, approaches, and tools that comprise an ICMS capable of responding effectively to the operational objectives described in Section 4.
- Section 6 includes a review of approaches currently used or under development to collect transit data.
- Section 7 provides an overview of current efforts by pioneer sites and standards organizations to define transit performance measures.
- Section 8 summarizes the data gaps that have been identified between that which is readily available, and that which will be required to meet established needs.
- Appendix A includes a list of acronyms and abbreviations used within this document.
- Appendix B includes a list of the publications and reference documents for this analysis.
- Appendix C lists the generic needs established for an ICMS.
- Appendix D lists the abstracted needs for ICMS Surveillance and Detection as identified earlier in the ICMS technical integration task.
