NYSTA Thruway Statewide Operations Center (TSOC) - Traffic Management Functionality
Subsystem Description
The Traffic Management Subsystem monitors and controls traffic and the road network. It represents centers that manage a broad range of transportation facilities including freeway systems, rural and suburban highway systems, and urban and suburban traffic control systems. This subsystem communicates with the Roadway Subsystem to monitor and manage traffic flow and monitor the condition of the roadway, surrounding environmental conditions, and field equipment status. This subsystem coordinates with the Maintenance and Construction Management Subsystem to maintain the road network and coordinate and adapt to maintenance activities, closures, and detours. Incidents are detected, verified, and incident information is provided to allied agencies, drivers (through Roadway Subsystem highway advisory radio and dynamic message signs), and information service providers. This subsystem also manages traffic and transportation resources to support allied agencies in responding to, and recovering from, incidents ranging from minor traffic incidents through major disasters. When required, special traffic management strategies are implemented to support evacuation and reentry. The Traffic Management Subsystem supports HOV lane management and coordination, road pricing, and other demand management policies that can alleviate congestion and influence mode selection. It also manages reversible lane facilities and barrier and safeguard systems that control access to transportation infrastructure. The subsystem communicates with other Traffic Management Subsystems to coordinate traffic information and control strategies in neighboring jurisdictions. It also coordinates with rail operations to support safer and more efficient highway traffic management at highway-rail intersections. Finally, the Traffic Management Subsystem provides the capabilities to exercise control over those devices utilized for automated highway system (AHS) traffic and vehicle control.
Functional Area: TMC Environmental Monitoring
Management of environmental sensors and assimilation of collected data with other current and forecast road conditions and surface weather information from weather service providers and roadway maintenance operations.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | The center shall assimilate current and forecast road conditions and surface weather information using a combination of weather service provider information (such as the National Weather Service and value-added sector specific meteorological services), data from roadway maintenance operations, and environmental data collected from sensors deployed on and about the roadway. | Planned |
| 4 | The center shall provide weather and road condition information to weather service providers and center personnel. | Planned |
Functional Area: TMC Evacuation Support
Development, coordination, and execution of special traffic management strategies during evacuation and subsequent reentry of a population in the vicinity of a disaster or major emergency. Interfaces with emergency management and other traffic management centers.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The center shall coordinate planning for evacuation with emergency management centers - including pre-planning activities such as establishing routes, areas to be evacuated, timing, etc. | Planned |
| 2 | The center shall support requests from emergency management centers to preempt the current traffic control strategy, activate traffic control and closure systems such as gates and barriers, activate safeguard systems, or use driver information systems to support evacuation traffic control plans. | Planned |
| 3 | The center shall coordinate information and controls with other traffic management centers. | Planned |
| 4 | The center shall coordinate execution of evacuation strategies with emergency management centers - including activities such as setting closures and detours, establishing routes, updating areas to be evacuated, timing the process, etc. | Planned |
Functional Area: TMC Freeway Management
Remotely controls ramp meters, interchange connector meters, lane control signals, mainline meters, and variable speed control systems.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The center shall remotely control systems to manage use of the freeways, including ramp meters, mainline metering, and lane controls. | Planned |
| 2 | The center shall collect operational status from ramp meters, mainline metering, and lane controls and compare against the control information sent by the center. | Planned |
| 3 | The center shall collect fault data from ramp meters, mainline metering, and lane controls. | Planned |
| 4 | The center shall implement control strategies, under control of center personnel, on some or all of the freeway network devices (e.g. ramp meters, mainline metering, and lane controls), based on data from sensors monitoring traffic conditions upstream, downstream, and queue data on the ramps themselves. | Planned |
Functional Area: TMC Incident Detection
Remotely monitors traffic sensor and surveillance systems to detect and verify incidents. Also monitors external advisory and incident reporting systems, intermodal freight depots, and border crossings for additional incident information. Identified incidents are reported to operations personnel and other centers.
Functional Area: TMC Incident Dispatch Coordination/Communication
Formulates an incident response that takes into account the incident potential, incident impacts, and/or resources required for incident management. Facilitates the dispatch of emergency response and service vehicles and coordinates the response with cooperating agencies.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | The center shall coordinate planning for incidents with emergency management centers - including pre-planning activities for disaster response, evacuation, and recovery operations. | Planned |
| 4 | The center shall exchange incident information with emergency management centers, maintenance and construction centers, transit centers, information service providers, and the media including description, location, traffic impact, status, expected duration, and response information. | Planned |
| 6 | The center shall receive inputs concerning upcoming events that would effect the traffic network from event promoters, traveler information service providers, media, border crossings, and rail operations centers. | Planned |
| 7 | The center shall provide road network conditions and traffic images to emergency management centers, maintenance and construction centers, and traveler information service providers. | Planned |
| 8 | The center shall monitor incident response performance and calculate incident response and clearance times. | Planned |
| 9 | The center shall exchange road network status assessment information with emergency management and maintenance centers including an assessment of damage sustained by the road network including location and extent of the damage, estimate of remaining capacity, required closures, alternate routes, necessary restrictions, and time frame for repair and recovery. | Planned |
| 10 | The center shall coordinate information and controls with other traffic management centers. | Planned |
| 11 | The center shall receive inputs from emergency management and transit management centers to develop an overall status of the transportation system including emergency transit schedules in effect and current status and condition of the transportation infrastructure. | Planned |
Functional Area: TMC Regional Traffic Management
Coordination between traffic management centers in order to share traffic information between centers as well as control of traffic management field equipment. This may be used during incidents and special events and during day-to-day operations.
| ID | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The center shall exchange traffic information with other traffic management centers including incident information, congestion data, traffic data, signal timing plans, and real-time signal control information. | Planned |
| 2 | The center shall exchange traffic control information with other traffic management centers to support remote monitoring and control of traffic management devices (e.g. signs, sensors, signals, cameras, etc.). | Planned |
Functional Area: TMC Work Zone Traffic Management
Coordination with maintenance systems using work zone images and traveler information systems (such as DMS), and distribution of work plans so that work zones are established that have minimum traffic impact.