Among the ranked market packages, user requirements and needs assessment, traffic management had several elements that ranked highly by the stakeholders. Desires for network surveillance, freeway control and probe surveys were indicated as high priorities in the near term improvements. Figure 7-2 illustrates the breakdown of the Traffic Management project area. The Traffic Management project area focuses on three key elements:
• Infrastructure will focus on the initial elements that are necessary to begin integration. Communications, surveillance equipment and regional traffic management centers are key components in this process. Without the necessary infrastructure the system will not be successfully integrated at the regional or subregional level. Closing gaps in communications, implementation of the necessary surveillance equipment and utilization of real-time data sharing will need to be the foundation for all levels of integration. Specific infrastructure projects for each subregion of Los Angeles County, Ventura County and Caltrans will be discussed in detail in the following sections.
• Systems integration will be the link between the initial infrastructure and the regional integration. This element of the Traffic Management project area will involve the integration of City systems into subregional systems, as well as intertie between subregional TMCs. Incident management, signal synchronization projects and subregional integration are components in the systems integration process.
• Regional integration will include the links between subregions such as the signal synchronization across regional boundaries, intertie between subregional TMCs and regional TMCs and SMART Corridors.
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7.4.1 Project 1.1 – ATMS Infrastructure Description:
Infrastructure projects provide the necessary backbone for future system integration.
Development of integrated systems at the local, subregional and regional level will depend upon the basic infrastructure elements including communications, surveillance and monitoring capabilities. Therefore, a strong emphasis is placed on the need for the basic infrastructure elements. In addition, infrastructure projects will define an architecture for future systems integration. As Los Angeles and Ventura Counties encompass a large area and have varying needs, infrastructure projects have been grouped into region and subregional projects. These groupings will be discussed in future sections.
This project area focuses on infrastructure enhancements for traffic management and control. Tables 7.2 and 7.3 summarize the implementation phasing for the regional and subregional projects. Whenever possible, projects with similar characteristics were grouped together, such as the freeway management projects. Otherwise, individual projects that do not fit into a general category, such as the 2070 controller upgrade project, were left as individual projects. Every ATMS infrastucture project is represented in some form in these tables. The timeframe listed is based on the recommended deployment time and duration of the project. Deployment time is defined as short, medium or long term ranging from 0 to 5 years, 5 to 10 years, and more than 10 years, respectively.
Through several independent projects, infrastructure across the LA/Ventura region will be elevated to advanced levels. There are several typical infrastructure projects that need to be completed for integration to occur. Although a diverse set of projects were submitted for all subregional and regional agencies, all agencies may wish to consider projects for their region that address each of these areas. These general project types include:
• Interconnect and Communications – Interconnect gaps between traffic signals within a City, subregion or region may need to be closed to create a seamless network of traffic signals. Through a seamless communications system, traffic signals can be easily coordinated to improve travel times and reduce delays. Initial gap closure projects should consider focusing on major routes where traffic signal coordination would provide regional and subregional benefits. To further enhance the infrastructure, communications to regional and subregional TMCs may need to be upgraded to state-of-the-art technologies.
• Traffic Management Centers – Each of the subregional and regional agencies have identified potential locations for future traffic management centers. As these TMCs
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begin operating throughout the region, a hierarchy of information
sharing and operational procedure sharing between regional and subregional TMCs may be developed for the LA/Ventura region. In order to effectively share information seamlessly throughout the LA/Ventura region, each subregion should consider installing a minimum of one TMC. This location could receive all traffic signal operations information from the agencies within the subregion as well as transmit and receive information from the regional TMCs such as County of Los Angeles, ATSAC, Caltrans or MTA. In the event of an incident or special condition, the subregional TMC would be responsible for any traffic operation modifications for the subregion as a whole. Multiple TMCs would be beneficial to each subregion by spreading out the responsibility of managing traffic operations across several locations. However, each subregion may wish to consider selecting one TMC as the main contact between the subregion and regional agencies.
It is envisioned that agencies within each Traffic Forum would maintain day-to-day operations of their arterial signal systems. Subregional TMCs would most likely be responsible for signal system operations during incidents and potential during off-peak hours, regional TMCs could be responsible for receiving and distributing information to all subregional TMCs in special circumstances or during major regional incidents. Regional TMCs responsibilities include monitoring the overall operations of the transportation system and communicating potential transportation related regional issues with the subregional TMCs. Regional TMCs will also communicate with each other share information and resources for the LA/Ventura region. Caltrans, MTA and ATSAC could best demonstrate the benefits of effective communications. Since these three entities control the greater part of the transportation system in the Los Angeles area, incidents on either a freeway or arterial street would need the intervention of the three agencies in order to return the system to normal operations. Modifications to the transit system, signal timing plans and changeable messages signs or highway advisory radio messages would help alleviate the congestion in the vicinity of the incident.
• Freeway Management Services – Freeway Management throughout the LA/Ventura region focuses on the installation of CCTV, surveillance monitoring stations, CMS, HAR and communications along freeways throughout the region. The objective is to improve incident response times and better utilize the existing transportation system.
Freeway Management Projects will include the study, design and implementation of several technologies installed in this phase of the project. Individual field elements will be integrated into the Smart Corridor concept along several Los Angeles and Ventura County freeways.
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REGIONAL ATMS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPLEMENTATION TIME FRAME Implementation Time Frame Year Cost
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MTA 1 2 3 4 5 6-10 10+
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
FSP System Upgrade $5M
AVL System for FSP $2M
FSP Radio Communications Upgrade $5M
Railroad Crossing Safety $3.1M
CALTRANS
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Traffic Management Center $15M
SONET Ring Connection $900K
Medium Term Projects (5-10 years)
Freeway Management Systems $7.55M
CMS Technology Upgrade $10M
Communications Upgrade $8.5M
RMS 2070 Controller Upgrade $6M
Interdistrict Intertie $800K
Urban Ramp Upgrade $18M
Bottleneck Corrections $30M
Long Term Projects (10+ years)
Connector Metering $13.6M
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Medium Term Projects (5-10 years)
Traffic Management Center $1.68M
VENTURA COUNTY
Medium Term Projects (5-10 years)
Freeway Management Systems $5.2M
ATMS & Communications
Upgrade $2.5M
TOTAL COST $134.83M
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SUBREGIONAL ATMS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME Implementation Time Frame Year Cost
CITY OF LOS ANGELES 1 2 3 4 5 6-10 10+
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Freeway Management Systems $6.2M
NORTH LOS ANGELES COUNTY Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Advanced Transportation Communications $1.7M
Fiber Optic Interconnect & CCTV $1.34M
Medium Term Projects (5-10 years)
Freeway Management System $14.04M
ARROYO VERDUGO
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Freeway Management Systems $16.28M
Communications Infrastructure $6.3M
Medium Term Projects (5-10 years)
Real-time Route Guidance Signs $1.85M
Real-time Travel Speed Signs Long Term Projects (10+ years) Variable Advisory Speed Signs Vehicles as Probes
EAST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Freeway Management Systems $12.7M
Highway-Rail Intersection Safety & Mobility Improvements
$31.0M
Medium-Term Projects (5-10 years)
Freeway Management Systems $3.2M
POMONA VALLEY
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years) Fiber Optic Interconnect Installation
$1.8M
GATEWAY CITIES
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Port ATMS & CVO Improve. $28.0M
Freeway Management Systems $12.86M
SOUTH BAY
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years) Inglewood ITS Deployment Program (CCTV, CMS, TMC & Fiber Optics)
$6.0M Long-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Freeway Management Systems $1.89M
WEST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Freeway Management Systems $5.25M
WESTERN REGION 1 2 3 4 5 6-10 10+
Near-Term Projects (0-5 years)
Freeway Management System $4.5M
LAX Adaptive Signal Control System $2.6M
Medium Term Projects (5-10 years)
Multi-modal AVL System at LAX $4.0M
Long Term Projects (10+ years)
Freeway CCTV Rehab $850K
TOTAL COST $162.36M
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Objectives:
The general objective of ATMS infrastructure projects is to initiate the implementation of ITS infrastructure and to expand the existing infrastructure elements to prepare the regions for integration. The specific objectives of this project area are to:
• Provide a foundation for subregional ITS activities that include locating subregional and regional TMC locations.
• Provide the opportunity for agencies to access and share data for better monitoring and traffic signal control.
• Create seamless traffic signal coordination across boundaries by coordinating traffic signals regardless of jurisdiction. Modify existing signal timing plans to improve traffic flow.
• Provide interconnect between system traffic signals both within one jurisdiction and across jurisdictional boundaries.
• Incorporate latest NTCIP and advanced controller elements for improved data exchange for multi-jurisdictional signal coordination.
• Incorporate other ITS technologies including video surveillance, changeable message signs and improved communications to better manage incidents both on the freeways and surface streets.
• Provide communication to field elements for enhancement of incident response tactics including real-time signal timing modifications and information dissemination.
Current Conditions:
The existing conditions and project types for the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura have been broken down into regional and subregional categories. This breakdown should aid in clearly defining the needs of each of the regions and provide direction that is specific to each of the subregional needs. As previously noted, regional agencies include LACMTA, Caltrans, County of Los Angeles, and County of Ventura. All other agencies have been grouped according to the Traffic Signal Subgroups as defined by the County of Los Angeles. Caltrans freeway management projects (FMS) which fall completely within a subregion’s boundaries are included with the subregional projects.
Otherwise, FMS projects along corridors that span more than one subregion are considered regional projects. Subregional FMS projects are clearly identified in the discussion of the subregional projects.
There are eight subregions that will be discussed: North Los Angeles County, Arroyo Verdugo, East San Gabriel Valley, Pomona Valley, South East region (Gateway Cities), South Bay, West San Gabriel Valley and Western region. The City of Los Angeles, due to its size and the diverse projects that are contained within its boundaries, is considered its own subregion and will be discussed in the subregional ATMS sections along with the other eight subregions.
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7.4.1.1 ATMS Regional Infrastructure Projects
Regional Projects encompass all projects that span more than one subregion such as Caltrans, County of Los Angeles, County of Ventura and LACMTA.
Caltrans
Caltrans and CHP share a traffic management center located in downtown Los Angeles.
As of September 1996, they monitored over 400 miles of vehicle detection equipment.
They have installed over 65 CCTV cameras and numerous VSAT surveillance stations.
CMS have been installed along various freeway segments and HAR stations are available to provide motorists with detailed information on traffic conditions.
Caltrans has installed over 80 miles of fiber optic backbone along District 7 freeways.
Information is made available to travelers via cable television and the Internet.
Information is transmitted via the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite communications system. Several miles of twisted pair communications and telephone lines are also used to communicate with the field elements to the TMC and vice versa.
As of September 1996, planned projects for Caltrans included the addition of over 250 miles of fiber optic communications, the addition of over 150 miles of detection stations, and the upgrade of the TMC to include automated incident detection. Caltrans also expects to expand the freeway management system to include an additional 335 CCTV cameras, 50 CMS signs and over 10 HAR stations. At the time of the publication of this plan, several of these projects were either in progress or completed.
ATMS infrastructure projects specified in this plan should expand and upgrade the existing infrastructure along Los Angeles and Ventura County Freeways. Existing changeable message signs are reaching their expected life and will need to be replaced by new units. Communications will also need to be upgraded. Existing communications including twisted pair and telephone lines will be replaced with more advanced communication media as part of this project. Communication upgrades may be phased based on need and condition of existing equipment. As traffic signal controller technology continues to advance, Caltrans will also need to upgrade the existing traffic controllers (Type 170) to meet the NTCIP standards with the 2070 controllers. This phase of the project may be completed in phases over a duration of 2 years and is estimated to cost approximately $6 million.
Caltrans is in the process of installing a fiber optic backbone along all southern California freeways. Several projects in this deployment plan will expand on the installation of fiber along several Los Angeles and Ventura County freeways. As part of this phase of the project, project sponsors should consider procurement of funding to manage the installation of fiber optics along the various freeway segments.
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Management could include oversight of installation and phasing of the
projects as well as the monitoring of the conditions of the existing fiber optic cable.
To back up the existing fiber optic links, a SONET ring will be needed to provide emergency backup for the communications. As the installation of new fiber along Los Angeles and Ventura County freeways is phased, an Interim SONET Ring Connection that will provide small rings of communications will be provided as a phase in this project and funds will be procured to support this infrastructure. When the system is complete the interim SONET Ring will be removed and replaced with a complete emergency backup system.
TABLE 7.4
CALTRANS REGIONAL ATMS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
ID Sponsor Project Description Benefits Deployment
Time
Because of the expansion of work area in the new LARTMC , additional hardware will need to be procured.
Will provide co-managed critical transportation management services for the public in the Los Angeles and Ventura area.
N 12 months $10M
2.03 Caltrans Field to New TMC Building Cutover
To transition the computer systems and operational control of traffic management functions from the existing TMC to the new LARTMC.
Will provide co-managed critical transportation management services for the public in the Los Angeles and Ventura area.
N 36 months $5M
This project is a portion of Caltrans 10 year Traffic Improvement Program to upgrade and complete the Urban Freeway Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) and will include such elements as office to field two-way communications, freetwo-way surveillance equipment and closed circuit television .
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future technology
This project is a portion of Caltrans 10 year Traffic Improvement Program to upgrade and complete the Urban Freeway Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) and will include improve office to field two-way communications; replacement of antiquated field hardware.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future technology
2.29 Caltrans RMS 2070 Conversion
This project is to upgrade existing Caltrans 170 controllers to 2070 ATMS NTCIP
standards.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future technology
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CALTRANS REGIONAL ATMS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
ID Sponsor Project Description Benefits Deployment
Time Project
This project would provide over all management during phased implementation and installation of the Caltrans complete fiber optic network.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future communications
2.36 Caltrans Urban Ramp Upgrade
Existing ramp meter installations in most urban areas were constructed on a retrofit basis, before the advent of design guidelines for meter placement. Storage capacity for vehicles waiting in queue was based on the amount of space available rather than space needed. This project will correct that need.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future standards and provide improved transportation facilities to
the motoring public. M 72 months $18M
2.37 Caltrans System Bottleneck Corrections
One cause of congestion on the freeway is the merging and weaving near on/off ramps.
This project would add auxiliary lanes to locations to be determined after detailed study.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future standards and provide improved transportation facilities to the motoring public.
M 72 months $30M
2.38 Caltrans Connector Metering
This projects adds more freeway to freeway connector metering.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future technology
Caltran's long range concept is to provide a direct fiber optic connection between adjoining Caltrans TMC'S. In order to expedite the removal of dependence from leased, interim communication facilities, this project would provide a temporary microwave link between fiber optic cable gaps until the ultimate fiber network is completed.
Will facilitate much needed inter-district communication for cooperative traffic management activities as well as mutual aid
response. M 72 months $800K
2.40 Caltrans Interim SONET Ring Connection
Because of staged manner of filed construction, the primary ring configuration of the SONET ring that will provide for emergency backup
communications capability in the even t of severance of the fiber cable will not be completed for a number of years. Provide for links of existing fiber cable for smaller interim SONET ring configurations.
Will provide a much needed emergency backup communications for the Caltrans office to field two way communications.
N 24 months $900K
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CALTRANS REGIONAL ATMS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
ID Sponsor Project Description Benefits Deployment
Time Project
Duration Budget
2.41 Caltrans CMS Technology Upgrade
This project provides a scheduled upgrade to changeable message signs (CMS) , at the conclusion of their projected useful life, to meet future standards.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future technology
This project provides a scheduled upgrade to communication equipment, at the conclusion of their projected useful life, to meet future standards.
Will bring the existing infrastructure up to current and future technology
Note: Deployment Time Frame Definition – N = Near Term (0-5 years) M = Medium Term (5-10 years) L = Long Term (10 + years)
Los Angeles County
County of Los Angeles maintains all traffic signals located on County property as well as the traffic signals for several smaller cities. Field equipment varies from location to location but includes both Type 170 and NEMA traffic controllers, vehicle detection inductance loops and video image processing. Communications throughout the County are primarily twisted pair with some microwave communications. The County is in the process of updating all their existing Los Angeles County (“LACO”) traffic signal software to a new LACO program which provides the necessary enhancements that will allow the controllers to operate with the new Los Angeles County TCS. The County currently utilizes a Radio Corrected Time Based WWV Clock for coordination.
County of Los Angeles maintains all traffic signals located on County property as well as the traffic signals for several smaller cities. Field equipment varies from location to location but includes both Type 170 and NEMA traffic controllers, vehicle detection inductance loops and video image processing. Communications throughout the County are primarily twisted pair with some microwave communications. The County is in the process of updating all their existing Los Angeles County (“LACO”) traffic signal software to a new LACO program which provides the necessary enhancements that will allow the controllers to operate with the new Los Angeles County TCS. The County currently utilizes a Radio Corrected Time Based WWV Clock for coordination.