Story Author: Mike Maroulis, mmarouli@iun.edu
Publish Date: August 2004
Source Publication: TechBuzz Report

Have you been driving on the Borman, or even on Route 30 coming from Porter County? If you have then you have definitely seen the Dynamic Message Signs with information on road conditions and Amber Alerts.

TrafficWise is Indiana's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program. ITS applies technology to the growing problem of traffic congestion. Communities throughout the United States and the world are making their roads safer and less congested by creating networks of computers, electronics, communications and safety systems to manage traffic flow and inform travelers of problems. Indiana has ITS systems in place in the Northwest Indiana area, Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Kokomo and Southern Indiana near Louisville.

The NW Indiana TrafficWise system was the first in the state, installed over the past several years to help congestion on the Borman (80/94), I-65 and the Indiana Toll-Road.

Advanced Traffic Management Systems such as TrafficWise rely on computerized traffic flow speed sensors and cameras, as well as information from emergency responders and roadside assistance patrols, to detect traffic problems and determine what is causing them. That information is then relayed back to drivers, dispatchers, emergency responders and other highway users.

The information goes out several ways. It can be displayed on Dynamic Message Signs placed along highways. It can be broadcast over special radio stations, both AM and CB. Advisories can be sent out as e-mail or alphanumeric pager messages. And traffic information can appear in real time on the Web, showing exactly the same camera views seen by the system operators.

Motorists can use the information to find alternate routes around congestion or to plan their itineraries to avoid traffic problems. The ITS information also is valuable in getting emergency responders to the scene of crashes more quickly and in letting them know what to expect when they get there.

The results in areas where ITS is at work have been impressive. Traffic moves more efficiently, with less congestion. Crashes are cleared more quickly. And the reduction of traffic tie-ups has meant fewer secondary crashes caused by congestion itself.

Less congestion means motorists save time and waste less fuel. It also means less air pollution created by cars idling in traffic. TrafficWise is bringing all of those benefits to Indiana.
TrafficWise uses the latest technology to gather and communicate information. These are the basic tools of the TrafficWise system.

Detectors are used to monitor traffic speed. These detectors can be either magnetic microloops under the pavement or radar-like devices mounted above ground. In either case, they monitor the overall flow of traffic, rather than individual vehicle speeds. These sensors are connected to computers in the Traffic Management Center (TMC). When the computers detect that traffic has slowed, they alert TrafficWise personnel. The Traffic Management Center operators monitor the sensors and closed-circuit cameras that send in traffic information. They also receive information from personnel in the field - Hoosier Helpers, law enforcement and emergency responders. The information is used to assess and determine the causes of traffic congestion. Traffic Management Center operators then can respond to problems in several ways.

Cameras are used to keep track of traffic conditions and to quickly investigate, locate and determine the cause of any slowed traffic. When sensors detect slowed traffic, operators in the TMC can direct the cameras to focus on the apparent trouble spot. The information is then relayed to the appropriate emergency responders and to the various communication tools used in TrafficWise system.

Dynamic Message Signs can display changing messages, are the most visible part of the TrafficWise system. Installation of signs along the Borman Expressway in Gary is complete and most signs are in place in the Indianapolis area. These permanent signs, which can be controlled either from the TMC or by Hoosier Helpers, warn motorists of delays, allowing them to choose alternate routes.

Dynamic Message Signs are also in place in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Kokomo and Southern Indiana near Louisville. The Southern Indiana Dynamic Message Signs are operated by Traffic Response and Incident Management Assisting the River Cities (TRIMARC), the ITS deployment in the Louisville area that is operated by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Highway Advisory Radio heard at AM 530 or AM 1610, Highway Advisory Radio is the statewide component of the TrafficWise system. It warns motorists of construction, special events and other circumstances that can affect traffic and provides timely and useful information about traffic conditions. In many areas, flashing message signs will notify motorists when special alerts are being broadcast. Including Amber Alerts that may be issued by the Indiana State Police or the FBI in the event of a confirmed kidnapping.

TrafficWise in Northwest Indiana
A state-of-the-art technology network in Northwest Indiana is improving traffic flow and motorists' safety on one of the nation's busiest sections of Interstate. The Northwest Indiana TrafficWise System, INDOT's first fully operational Advanced Traffic Management System, uses a network of roadway sensors, video cameras, computers and INDOT employees to gather information about traffic conditions and relay it quickly to motorists, emergency responders and INDOT officials.

The system covers 21 miles of Interstate highway - 15 miles of the Borman Expressway (I-80/94) from the Illinois State Line to the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) in Lake Station and a six-mile stretch of I-65 from US 30 to the Borman interchange. The Borman Expressway is one of the nation's busiest sections of Interstate with upwards of 180,000 vehicles per day, including a tremendous volume of truck traffic. It is a vital link in the national, regional and local highway system. "If you're going across the northern part of the country, you've got to go through here," said Mark Newland, Program Director for INDOT's Intelligent Transportation System. "A crash or breakdown can lead to serious backups and delays."

The TrafficWise system helps get information to motorists quickly so they can be prepared for traffic restrictions and consider taking alternate routes, Newland said. The system's 44 cameras and 70 roadway sensors collect information about traffic conditions - including average speed and number of vehicles - on each Interstate segment. The information is relayed to the system's nerve center, the Borman Expressway Traffic Management Center on Melton Road in Gary. INDOT employees use the data to spot problems, such as disabled vehicles, and forward the information to motorists, emergency responders and other INDOT employees. Computers relay the latest information to motorists through Dynamic Message Signs, overhead signs at 11 locations throughout the system, and Highway Advisory Radio transmitters. The information is automatically distributed to emergency responders and INDOT employees through pagers and e-mail. Although technology is the backbone of the TrafficWise system, the key to making it work is Hoosier Helpers. These INDOT employees travel the Interstates around the clock looking for stranded motorists, traffic crashes and other problems. Hoosier Helper trucks have on-board computers that allow them to quickly distribute information throughout the network. From their trucks, Hoosier Helpers can change Dynamic Message Signs, send pages to emergency responders, update messages on the Highway Advisory Radio system and distribute e-mail notices to INDOT employees.

"The whole system is operated from the field," said Troy Boyd, Operations Manager for the Northwest Indiana TrafficWise System. The Northwest Indiana system, which became operational in fall 2001, expanded its communications reach to the Internet in March 2004. With a click of the computer mouse, people can check on traffic conditions with live views from the system's video cameras. The Northwest Indiana system is part of an expanding Advanced Traffic Management System that will eventually include information on key roadways across the state, Newland said. The Indianapolis system, currently under construction, will employ the same kinds of tools and technology. "Our goal is to provide information that helps minimize traffic delays and get people where they're going safely," Newland said. *Information Provided From State of Indiana Website, www.in.gov