Jeffrey F. Paniati Associate Administrator for Operations

Federal Highway AdministrationUS Department of Transportation

Congestion InitiativeUpdate

ITS America’s Annual Meeting & ExpositionPalm Springs Convention Center

Palm Springs, Carolina

US DOT Executive SessionJune 5, 2007

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 2

1. Relieve urban congestion.

2. Unleash private sector investment resources.

3. Promote operational and technological improvements.

4. Establish a “Corridors of the Future” competition.

5. Target major freight bottlenecks and expand freight policy outreach.

6. Accelerate major aviation capacity projects and provide a future funding framework.

A Six-Point Plan

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 3

1. Relieve Urban Congestion• Create urban partnerships

to pursue congestion pricing.

• Promote HOV to HOT conversion.

• Reduce impacts of bottlenecks.

• Create meaningful congestion management process.

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 4

1. Relieve Urban Congestion

• Establish a variable tolling or congestion pricing demonstration.

• Utilize cost-effective transit options (such as BRT).

• Expand telecommuting and flexible work schedules.

• Utilize cutting-edge technology and operational approaches.

Create Urban Partnerships

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 5

1. Relieve Urban Congestion

• Potential Resources– ITS Congestion Mitigation Operational Tests (RITA) – up to

$100 million.– Value Pricing Program (FHWA) – up to $30 million.– Other FHWA Discretionary (e.g., Transportation, Community

and System Preservation Program) - up to $260 million.– FTA Discretionary (e.g., New Starts/Small Starts, Bus and

Bus Facility) - up to $715 million.– Additional $150 million in President’s FY08 budget proposal.

Create Urban Partnerships

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 6

1. Relieve Urban Congestion

• Due Date - April 30, 2007.• Over 25 Proposals - Some with Aggressive Strategies.• Generated Public Discussion.

– New York’s Mayor announced intention to implement cordon pricing around Manhattan

– Washington, DC Council Member and the Mayor say London-style congestion pricing is a good idea ad warrants a closer look

– San Francisco, CA Supervisor indicates that it’s inevitable that there will be some kind of congestion charging in San Francisco

– And, others• Expect UPA selections to be announced in next few

months.

Create Urban Partnerships

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 7

• Develop criteria for HOV to HOT Conversions.

• Engage HOV States and solicit input for inventory of HOV facilities.

• Provide focused technical assistance to States with facilities at tipping point.

1. Relieve Urban CongestionPromote HOV to HOT Conversions

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 8

1. Relieve Urban Congestion

• Establish and learn from lead States (March 2007).• Distribute primer (June

2007); update throughout year with good ideas.

• Initiate dialogue with States to pursue innovative, low-cost solutions (early

May).

Reduce impacts of bottlenecks

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 9

• New planning regulations reflecting SAFETEA-LU mandates issued.

• Provide guidance, training, peer exchange (April).• Provide workshops for TMAs with certification

reviews (May/June) (Focus State Activity).

1. Relieve Urban CongestionCreate Outcome Oriented

Congestion Management Process

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 10

2. Unleash Private Sector InvestmentResources

• Model legislation distributed January 2007.

• PPP tool kit to be posted April 2007 (look for demo today).

• Provide comprehensive technical assistance from the Resource Center’s Innovative Finance Team.

Public Private Partnerships

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 11

• Improve traveler information.

• Reduce incident delay.

• Reduce work zone delay.

• Improve traffic signal timing.

3. Technology and Operations

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 12

3. Technology and Operations

• Advance move-it laws.• Establish quick clearance

policy agreements.• Promote full function service

patrols. - Guidance memo on use of service patrols issued 12/22/06• Data integration.• Performance Measures.

Reduce Incident Delay

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 13

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 14

3. Technology and Operations

• Actively support implementation of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Final Rule (10/07). - Guidance documents. - Workshops. - Peer-to-Peer. - Focused technical assistance.

Reduce Work Zone Delay

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 15

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 16

• Implement 511.

• Implement travel time on DMS.

• Establish Real-time Traveler Information Program (SAFTEA-LU, section 1201).

- Request for Information - May 2006 - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Summer 2007

3. Technology and OperationsImprove Traveler Information

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 17

511 Deployment Status= 511 Operational (“Live”)

as of March 30, 2007

D.C.

Accessible by 37.5% of Population = Expected “Live” in 2007

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 18

3. Technology and Operations

• Traffic Signal Operation Self- Assessments (due January 2007; over 450 responses).

• National Report Card (Summer 2007).• Release ACS-lite (February 2007).

- Lessons learned from test sites.- Technical assistance, training, outreach.

• Champion regular traffic signal retiming programs.

Improve Traffic Signal Timing

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 19

4. Establish a ‘Corridors of the Future’ Competition

• Phase 1 complete – 38 “Expressions of Interest” received (State, multiple

States, private sector entity) . – 8 corridors (14 proposals) selected [I-95, I-80, I-15,

Northern Tier (I-80, 90,94), I-5-I-70, I-69, I-10].– Some are multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional.

• Phase 2 initiated (Feb 1, 2007 FRN) – Up to 5 Corridors of the Future to be selected.– Applications due May 25, 2007.

• Final Phase– Actively advance finalists – level of effort/expertise

depends on scope/type of projects selected.

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 20

4. Establish a ‘Corridors of the Future’ Competition

Strategy for Reducing Congestion 21

• DOT Congestion Initiative advancing aggressively.

• Major announcements on Urban Partners and Corridors of Future this summer.

• Many opportunities to reduce congestion through aggressive operations and technology.

• ITS provides key underpinning.

Summary