table of contents - welcome to massdot · pdf filetable of contents acknowledgements ... led...

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Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................ 3

Definition ............................................................................... 5

Summary ............................................................................... 5

Strategic Plan Overview ........................................................ 6

Introduction ........................................................................... 9

Context: Current ITS Environment .................................... 11

The Statewide ITS Planning Coordination Committee

(SIPCC) ................................................................................ 13

Partners versus Stakeholders.......................................... 13

SIPCC Structure .............................................................. 14

Values .................................................................................. 15

Challenges ........................................................................... 16

Vision ................................................................................... 17

Mission ................................................................................. 18

Overview of Goals ............................................................ 19

Goal 1: Implement solutions to improve inter-agency

communication and coordination. ....................................... 20

Goal 2: Provide a safe and secure transportation

environment for people and goods....................................... 23

Goal 3: Improve the reliability and efficiency of the

transportation network through the use of technology. ..... 27

Goal 4: Use technology to create a more user-friendly

transportation experience regardless of mode choice. ........ 31

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Acknowledgements This Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan was

led and completed by the Massachusetts Department of

Transportation Office of Transportation Planning. The plan

could not have been developed without the collaborative

input from MassDOT’s partner agencies.

Partners:

MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning

Peter Sutton, Project Manager

Bob Frey

Stephen Pepin

Patrick McMahon

MassDOT Highway Division

Jerry Allen – Operations and Maintenance

Leonard Walsh – Operations and Maintenance

Lorenzo Parra – Highway Operations Center

Michael Fitzpatrick – Highway Operations Center

Michael Pizarek – Highway Operations Center

Eric Podolsky – Highway Operations Center

Michelle Maffeo – ITS Programs

Stephen Collins – Tolling

MassDOT Highway Division – District Offices

Meryl Mandell –District 2

Kenneth Charlton –District 5

MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles Division

Erin Deveney

MassDOT Office of Civil Rights

John Lozada

MassDOT Aeronautics Division

Thomas Mahoney

Kathleen Mahoney

MassDOT Office of Information Technology

Frank Spada

MassDOT Rail and Transit Division

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

David Barker

Robert Walsh

Patricia Hennigan

Joseph McNall

Mike Turcotte

Massachusetts State Police

Lt. Daniel Griffin

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

Erica Heidelberg

Paul Holloway

Massachusetts Port Authority

Paul Christner

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Pioneer Valley Planning Commission

Gary Roux

Cape Cod Commision

Clay Schofield

City of Worcester

Joe Borbone

Worcester Regional Transit

Authority

Steve O’Neill

Boston Transportation

Department

Don Burgess

Federal Transit

Administration

Noah Berger

William Gordon

Federal Highway

Administration

Pamela Stephenson

Promise Otaluka

US Department of Transportation Volpe Center

Lee Biernbaum

Gary Ritter

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Definition

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

The application of advanced technologies to surface transportation problems, including traffic and transportation management,

travel demand management, advanced public transportation management, electronic payment, commercial vehicle operations,

emergency services management, and advanced vehicle control and safety systems. Previously known as intelligent vehicle

highway systems.

Summary The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is committed to partnering with all who plan, design,

implement, maintain and use intelligent transportation systems (ITS) across the Commonwealth to ensure the betterment of

the transportation experience and the continued sustainability of the system. Through the development of this ITS Strategic

Plan and accompanying Action and Implementation Plans, MassDOT has built internal and external relationships that will

enable coordinated, strategic ITS deployments across the Commonwealth. Based on input from the stakeholders and partners,

this plan sets the course for ITS investments in Massachusetts for the next 10 years. This plan was developed collaboratively

by the formation of the Statewide ITS Planning and Coordination Committee (SIPCC). Key members of the SIPCC have been

acknowledged on the previous page. The foundation of this plan is to enable the members of the SIPCC will work diligently

and methodically to achieve the most technologically advanced and user-friendly travel experience in the nation.

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Strategic Plan Overview

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The Massachusetts Statewide ITS Planning Coordination Committee

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Web Link

The Massachusetts ITS Strategic Plan was completed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and is housed on

their website for public viewing and download. The ITS Strategic Plan can be found at the following address:

PLACEHOLDER FOR MassDOT WEBSITE ADDRESS: Currently under development.

Interim WEB Site is being hosted by the consulting firm Gannett Fleming in a Share Point application at the following link:

http://collaborate.gfnet.com/sites/MassDOT/StrategicPlan/default.aspx

Note Regarding Strategic Plan Resource Allocation

The ITS Strategic Plan was developed to coordinate the implementation and use of technology throughout the

Commonwealth’s transportation network. While the contents of the Plan were developed as a collaborative effort among

transportation key stakeholders within Massachusetts, the strategies are not fiscally constrained. Responsibility to execute

and allocate resources to the strategies and completion of tasks will lie with the SIPCC Representative organization that is the

primary owner. Projects described herein are subject to the availability of funding within the owning organization, and any

independent arrangements made between organizations to support the project.

Timeframe

The Massachusetts ITS Strategic Plan has a ten year horizon. While the vision and mission may not be fully realized within

this time period, the strategies contained herein are considered to be reasonable steps toward achieving this mission by

furthering the Plan’s goals and objectives. Throughout the ten year period the strategic plan should be updated periodically to

reflect the dynamic needs of the Commonwealth. However, at the conclusion of the ten year period, a new Strategic Plan

should be developed to reflect the anticipated new and unique needs of the Commonwealth at that point in time.

http://collaborate.gfnet.com/sites/MassDOT/StrategicPlan/default.aspx

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Introduction Strategic planning for transportation is about linking

agency mission to actions. Demonstrating such links is

what enables the design and implementation of successful

projects; meeting the needs of travelers using a diversity of

modes with varying purposes. The advantages that

intelligent transportation systems (ITS) provide in

facilitating seamless travel are sometimes not immediately

clear. Unlike a new freeway segment that links point A to

B, understanding the benefits of implementing ITS requires

an understanding of what ITS has to offer and an

appreciation for its role in the overall transportation

network.

This strategic plan links the planned ITS activities in

Massachusetts to the mission of the agencies that

implement and support ITS, as well as to the travelers that

use it. By completing the strategic planning process, a

framework was developed that provides the opportunity for

an integrated transportation system through the use of

technology.

Technology by itself will not solve mobility concerns.

However, when combined with institutional changes and

performance-driven objectives that are consistently

measured and evaluated, technology can provide the proper

balance between investment and performance for all

transportation users. This plan sets forth a direction for

intelligent transportation in Massachusetts, coupling

foundational projects with consensus building. To this end,

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it is critically important to create implementable projects

within budget.

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Context: Current ITS Environment Transportation organizations such as the Massachusetts Department of

Transportation and regional transit authorities have been implementing and

using Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) throughout the Commonwealth

for over 15 years. ITS has become an integral part of maintaining and

operating critical roadways, providing travelers with valuable information,

providing transit users with public transportation information, improving

public transportation vehicle operations, and enhancing the safety and security

of the greater transportation network. ITS has played an important role in

high profile, important construction projects and on critical corridors within

the Boston region and throughout the Commonwealth. Notable systems are

deployed in the following locations and corridors:

I-93 Corridor – including Boston’s Central Artery/Tunnel Project

I-95 Corridor – Metropolitan Boston

I-91 Corridor – Western Massachusetts

I-90 Massachusetts Turnpike – including the Ted Williams Tunnel

MBTA – System Wide

MassPort – Aviation and Seaports

Springfield, MA – Pioneer Valley Transit Authority

Boston, MA – Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Worcester, MA – Worcester Regional Transit Authority

While the types of systems deployed vary based on the needs of the

location or corridor, they are primary comprised of several typical

combined subsystems. These subsystems include the following

technologies:

Variable Message Signs (VMS) – Used to disseminate

information to users

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Closed-Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) – Used for incident

management monitoring and surveillance

Real-Time Travel Monitoring (RTTM) – Used to monitor roadway

usage. Currently using Bluetooth© technology, replacing

traditional loop sensors to more accurately report drive times to

motorists (using portable VMS)

Electronic Tolling Systems – Used to collect tolls on the Mass.

Pike, Sumner and Ted Williams Tunnels and the Tobin Bridge

Next Arrival Systems – Used to relay transit schedule

information to riders

Transit Signal Priority Systems (TSP) – Used to facilitate

improved transit vehicle operations

Weigh-in-Motion Scales – Used to monitor and enforce truck

weight restrictions

Roadway Weather Information Systems (RWIS) – Used to

monitor roadway weather conditions

For further details of the ITS subsystems deployed in each region, refer to

the MassDOT ITS Architecture link below:

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/regionalitsarchitecture/index.html

These subsystems are all connected to a control center that is operated by the respective owning organization.

Several prominent control centers within Massachusetts include MassDOT’s Highway Operations Center, MEMA’s

Command Center, Boston’s Operations Control Center, MBTA’s subway and

bus Operations Control Centers, and Springfield’s Traffic Management

Center. While these systems and subsystems have all successfully fulfilled

their goals, the ITS implementations have now reached a level of maturity

where the lifecycle costs can be effectively measured and analyzed. The ITS

Strategic Plan incorporates this wisdom gained over the past two decades of

ITS development, and incorporates these valuable lessons learned within the

strategies identified.

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/regionalitsarchitecture/index.html

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The Statewide ITS Planning

Coordination Committee (SIPCC) In a new world that requires unprecedented fiscal

responsibility, all organizations responsible for

transportation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

understand the importance and benefit of continuous

coordination of efforts. To promote a team-oriented

environment, MassDOT created the Statewide ITS

Planning and Coordination Committee (SIPCC). The

SIPCC was established to guide the development and

execution of this Strategic Plan and will provide ongoing

guidance for ITS in Massachusetts.

The SIPCC represents the views, perspectives and needs of

stakeholders covering the entirety of the Commonwealth,

including all aspects of transportation services. The SIPCC

will guide the planning and implementation of the ITS

system to ensure that it meets stakeholder needs and

promotes MassDOT’s mission to deliver excellent customer

service to people who travel in the Commonwealth, and to

provide a safe and reliable transportation system that

strengthens the economy and quality of life for all citizens

in the Commonwealth.

The objective of the SIPCC is to create a forum where

agencies and organizations can raise issues, identify needs,

exchange ideas, discuss existing practices, and assist in the

prioritization of operational enhancements for the

Massachusetts transportation system. Ultimately, the

SIPCC coordinates efforts across all transportation

organizations to improve the transportation network, and

links efforts together to maximize fiscal efficiency and

minimize duplication and redundancy. Input obtained at

the SIPCC meetings will guide the planning and

deployment of an integrated transportation system

throughout the Commonwealth.

Partners versus Stakeholders

By establishing the SIPCC, MassDOT implemented the

principle that all who are affected by ITS projects in the

Commonwealth should have a voice regarding the direction

of the program and ultimately the implementation of

projects that benefit transportation system users. In this

way, the Department-through the SIPCC-invites

participants to be more than simply stakeholders that

review progress at pre-established milestones. A

continuous and consistent dialog among knowledgeable ITS

experts, those responsible for implementing technology

projects, and those affected by the implementation will

result in a better and more responsive transportation

system.

The SIPCC members are shown in the summary of this

plan on page 6.

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SIPCC Structure

Regional ITS Planning and Coordination Committees

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Values MassDOT and its partners believe that Intelligent

Transportation Systems are essential to both the short-

term and long-term success of the transportation system in

Massachusetts. In order to define and achieve success, all

partners agreed on the overarching values shown below.

These values represent the basis for all activities that will

be completed as part of the Massachusetts ITS Program.

Coordination – Promote the coordinated uses of

existing resources and planning efforts for future

needs

Traceability – Link initiatives to a documented

transportation operation need

Public Safety – Uphold the safety of the traveling

public

Information Quality – Promote meaningful,

accurate, and up-to-date traveler information

Efficiency

o Practical Efficiency – Promote MassDOT’s

goal to implement efficient travel across all

modes of transportation

o Fiscal Efficiency – Avoid duplication of efforts

across transportation organizations within

the Commonwealth

Customer Service – Promote initiatives that align

with and satisfy customer needs. Consistently

validate initiatives against customer feedback

Protection of Life, Safety and the Environment

– Utilize ITS and operations to protect the public,

where possible, which includes supporting incident

response, first responder safety, evacuations and

emission reduction

Equity – Promote shared, equal, access to traveler

and operations information for people of all

backgrounds and education levels

Open Access – Promote open access and exchange

of information between transportation organizations,

and to the traveling public

Flexibility – Implement adaptable, scalable and

interoperable transportation operations solutions

Education and Outreach

o Internal Education – Promote the education

and retention of qualified ITS staff to

implement, operate and maintain systems

o External Education – Promote the education

of the traveling public regarding available

transportation operations resources

Cost Effective – Implement efficient and cost

effective transportation operations solutions that

consider lifecycle costs

Local Vision – Improve outreach to local

government to increase awareness of available

transportation operations tools.

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Challenges Challenges represent potential barriers or roadblocks,

which, if not addressed, could hamper or prevent the

possibility of successfully implementing projects that reflect

the ITS program values. Challenges also help identify

limitations that exist so that strategies can be developed

within frameworks that promote success. By

understanding boundaries associated with economics, time

and resources, the program can be appropriately planned.

Five challenge themes were defined and developed by the

SIPCC.

Financial Constraints

Funding of capital projects may take precedence

Resources for critical positions may be unavailable

Operations and maintenance are unique and

unanticipated costs for ongoing operational efforts

have to be evaluated

Unfunded mandates continue to be imposed

Lack of Clear and Consistent Project Parameters

Realistic and meaningful timeframes are not always

a part of project execution

The right stakeholders are not always identified

Accessibility for users with disabilities is not always

provided

Geographic ITS subdivisions exist around the

Commonwealth

Responsibilities for collaborative projects are not

always defined

Technical Deficiencies during Implementation

Future integration needs are not always considered

Timeliness and quality of information is not always

considered as part of project execution

Experienced implementation personnel unavailable

Emerging technology awareness is difficult to plan

for and accomplish

Conformity to standards is lacking

Data and Resource Sharing

There are inconsistencies between shared

information

Unplanned event coordination is difficult and

sometimes not done at all

Evaluation of the benefits of activities is often

difficult

End User Education

Raising awareness of available resources is difficult

Visibility can be difficult to achieve among

competing interests and information.

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Vision The Massachusetts ITS Program strives to deliver services

and solutions that create a welcoming environment to users

of the Commonwealth’s transportation system. The term

user-friendly reflects the values of equity, ease of use, open-

access and information quality. By providing user-friendly

ITS, all partners will work to ensure that the economy, the

integrated transportation network and the social fabric of

Massachusetts can operate at the optimal and safest level.

The vision statement is the message that the SIPCC wants

to deliver to those outside of the program about what this

program hopes to achieve. It is the belief of the SIPCC that

ITS technologies and initiatives will create a more user-

friendly experience for all travelers in Massachusetts.

The vision statement also serves as the link between the

ITS program and the more broad themes identified as part

of YouMoveMassachusetts. The YouMoveMassachusetts

initiative identified 10 themes that were important to

travelers. The ITS strategic plan vision is shown in bold at

the top right of this page and the circles represent

YouMoveMassachusetts themes that connect to the vision.

Read more about the themes at

http://youmovemassachusetts.org/themes.html.

As the next phase of YouMoveMassachusetts, known as

weMove Massachusetts, becomes more defined, this

strategic plan will be coordinated with those efforts by the

SIPCC.

http://youmovemassachusetts.org/themes.html

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Mission A Mission Statement is inward focused. It is intended to inspire

people within the program to meet identified goals and form a sense

of cohesiveness for the program. The Massachusetts ITS Strategic

Plan mission statement is designed to be in alignment with the

mission statements from the agencies represented in the SIPCC. The

mission will help improve the visibility and importance of a robust ITS Program, and links the mission of stakeholder agencies

to it’s the SIPCC’s core activities . The SIPCC Member Agency Mission Statements are shown below.

Statements among the SIPCC members have similar themes that are

fueled by the values of the organization. The themes that crosscut all these

efforts include:

• Quality of Life • Customer Service

• Safety • Economic Growth

• Security • Coordination

• Accessibility

The strategic plan Mission Statement reflects the missions and values of all

the SIPCC member organizations and the needs established by the

youMoveMassachusetts outreach program. The Mission Statement guided

the development of this strategic plan and will be used to guide future ITS

planning efforts.

As strategies and actions are implemented, they will be compared against

the Mission Statement to ensure that they are furthering the greater

initiative to “implement transportation technologies that promote a

seamless system to safely, quickly, and reliably move people, goods and

services throughout the Commonwealth.”

Deliver excellent customer

service to people who travel in the Commonwealth,

and to provide our nation's safest and most reliable

transportation system in a way that strengthens our

economy and quality of life.

The

MBTA is a dedicated world class transit system

built upon customer service excellence, accessibility,

reliability, state-of-the-art technology, and a diverse

workforce that reflects our commitment to the

communities we serve

Massport owns and operates an

integrated world-class transportation network that

promotes economic growth and opportunity,

enhances the quality of life of New England

residents and protects the freedom to travel safely,

securely, efficiently and cost-effectively.

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Overview of Goals

The goals of the Massachusetts ITS Program outline what

will be accomplished by 2022, how it will be accomplished,

and who the responsible parties will be.

The ITS Program mission statement identifies four goal

areas in addition to the emphasis on user-friendliness from

the vision statement:

Coordination – based on the desire to create a

seamless system, coordination of activities among

partner organizations is essential.

Safety and Security – a core function of

government and transportation organizations is to

ensure public safety and to secure the total system

against natural and man-made catastrophes.

Reliability and Efficiency – A transportation

system should be transparent. This goal will help

focus attention on developing and deploying devices

and systems that enable both business and travel

reliability and efficiency.

User-friendly – As described in the vision

statement, equity, access, and quality are essential

to providing a user-friendly transportation

experience to enhance life in Massachusetts.

Each of these goals will succeed or fail based on the ability

to satisfy specific critical success factors. These critical

success factors represent governance, institutional

conditions, or support that must be sustained in order to

achieve the goal. These success factors are indicated for

each of the four goals.

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Goal 1: Implement solutions to improve

inter-agency communication and

coordination. The purpose of this goal is to maintain the momentum that

was realized by the creation of the SIPCC and to ensure

that all agencies realize fiscal efficiency by taking

advantage of shared resources and coordinated ITS

deployment.

The ultimate goal of forming committees and groups to

discuss issues and needs is to achieve the cooperation

needed to implement projects. The task of building cohesive

groups capable of executing projects that provide services to

travelers in Massachusetts requires close coordination and

communication. Technology projects especially benefit from

this process because they usually are highly complex, cross

multiple institutional and jurisdictional boundaries, and

have uniquely high demand for ongoing management

throughout the development process.

Performance Measures

Reduced implementation administrative costs

Increased quantity of projects coordinated across agencies

Minimized or eliminated duplication in projects

Increased rate of projects that fulfill their goals

Decreased duration of the ITS project development and

execution process

Critical Success Factors

The commitment to participate in coordination

meetings and activities is fulfilled.

Business efficiencies are linked to program

performance.

All stakeholders are satisfied with project outcomes.

Funding available for projects is increased and

flexibility to adapt based on available funding is

considered.

Awareness and positive opinion of ITS within SIPCC

agencies is increased.

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Goal 1: Implement solutions to improve inter-agency communication and coordination.

Objective Strategies Next Steps

Improve effectiveness of ITS implementation

by educating stakeholders and end users.

It is the belief of the SIPCC that focusing on

this objective will help enable the successful

completion of the rest of this strategic plan, the

action plan and the program in general.

Through the creation of this objective the

SIPCC has demonstrated a proactive approach

to improving the implementation of ITS

through coordination.

Develop statewide policies

and procedures for increased

coordination and buy-in

from MassDOT divisions as

well as other agencies.

Establish a SIPCC

legislative and executive

outreach working group.

Develop ITS education

campaigns for the public,

legislators and traffic

engineers.

Conduct SIPCC meetings and Regional

ITS Planning and Coordination

Committee (RIPCC) meetings in each

region on a quarterly basis.

Conduct awareness campaign to

increase positive opinion of ITS among

the public, legislators and traffic

engineers.

Electronically disseminate ITS

outreach newsletters annually.

Use a consensus-based, strategically planned,

decision-based approach to implement ITS

initiatives.

Throughout the strategic planning process the

SIPCC reiterated the importance of

coordination and fostering an environment of

openness and inclusion as ITS is planned and

implemented. This objective embodies that

that desire. Once memorandums of agreement

are established between the multimodal

agencies it will be important to make sure a

consensus is developed that allows all

stakeholders to have input and to ensure that

the projects that benefit the most people and

make the best use of available funds are

prioritized. This will help with the

sustainability of the SIPCC and will contribute

to executing this strategic plan.

Develop a common platform

to enable resource sharing.

Develop a standardized

project execution process for

ITS Projects.

Streamline the planning

and consensus process for

ITS deployments across the

Commonwealth.

Revise the procurement

process and contracts to be

more suitable for ITS

projects.

Improve the project

acceptance process to ensure

that all stakeholders are

satisfied that all systems

are fully functional.

Define requirements for resource

sharing platforms.

Develop plan to coordinate all ITS

implementations within the

Commonwealth through the SIPCC.

Develop a project completion and

satisfaction checklist for completed ITS

projects.

Streamline the systems engineering

approach to ITS projects.

Systems engineering is not only a requirement

of projects that include Federal funding, it is a

common sense approach to implementing

projects that will provide the most benefit over

time and help ensure open and fair

competition. Systems engineering additionally

helps agencies avoid re-work and lost efforts by

providing a mechanism to develop projects in

modular format. FHWA conducted a systems

engineering workshop that many SIPCC

members attended during the strategic

planning process that led to this plan.

Develop modular and

scalable concept of

operations templates to

describe the relationship

between stakeholders for

ITS projects.

Develop a systems

engineering checklist and

toolkit to facilitate project

planning and funding.

Identify the focus areas to develop

Concepts of Operations for and a plan

to integrate the Concepts of Operations

into the execution process.

Develop draft systems engineering

checklist and identify items within the

list to include in the toolkit.

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Use a consensus-based, strategically planned,

decision-based approach to implement ITS

initiatives.

Throughout the strategic planning process the

SIPCC reiterated the importance of

coordination and fostering an environment of

openness and inclusion as ITS is planned and

implemented. This objective embodies that

that desire. Once memorandums of agreement

are established between the multimodal

agencies it will be important to make sure a

consensus is developed that allows all

stakeholders to have input and to ensure that

the projects that benefit the most people and

make the best use of available funds are

prioritized. This will help with the

sustainability of the SIPCC and will contribute

to executing this strategic plan.

Develop a common platform

to enable resource sharing.

Develop a standardized

project execution process for

ITS Projects.

Streamline the planning

and consensus process for

ITS deployments across the

Commonwealth.

Revise the procurement

process and contracts to be

more suitable for ITS

projects.

Improve the project

acceptance process to ensure

that all stakeholders are

satisfied that all systems

are fully functional.

Define requirements for resource

sharing platforms.

Develop plan to coordinate all ITS

implementations within the

Commonwealth through the SIPCC.

Develop a project completion and

satisfaction checklist for completed ITS

projects.

Streamline the systems engineering

approach to ITS projects.

Systems engineering is not only a requirement

of projects that include Federal funding, it is a

common sense approach to implementing

projects that will provide the most benefit over

time and help ensure open and fair

competition. Systems engineering additionally

helps agencies avoid re-work and lost efforts by

providing a mechanism to develop projects in

modular format. FHWA conducted a systems

engineering workshop that many SIPCC

members attended during the strategic

planning process that led to this plan.

Develop modular and

scalable concept of

operations templates to

describe the relationship

between stakeholders for

ITS projects.

Develop a systems

engineering checklist and

toolkit to facilitate project

planning and funding.

Identify the focus areas to develop

Concepts of Operations for and a plan

to integrate the Concepts of Operations

into the execution process.

Develop draft systems engineering

checklist and identify items within the

list to include in the toolkit.

Goal 1: Implement solutions to improve inter-agency communication and coordination.


Improve effectiveness of ITS implementation

by educating stakeholders and end users.

It is the belief of the SIPCC that focusing on

this objective will help enable the successful

completion of the rest of this strategic plan, the

action plan and the program in general.

Through the creation of this objective the

SIPCC has demonstrated a proactive approach

to improving the implementation of ITS

through coordination.

Develop statewide policies

and procedures for increased

coordination and buy-in

from MassDOT divisions as

well as other agencies.

Establish a SIPCC

legislative and executive

outreach working group.

Develop ITS education

campaigns for the public,

legislators and traffic

engineers.

Conduct SIPCC meetings and Regional

ITS Planning and Coordination

Committee (RIPCC) meetings in each

region on a quarterly basis.

Conduct awareness campaign to

increase positive opinion of ITS among

the public, legislators and traffic

engineers.

Electronically disseminate ITS

outreach newsletters annually.

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Goal 2: Provide a safe and secure

transportation environment for people

and goods. The purpose of this goal is to ensure that the system can

continue to operate at its full capacity and that traveler

confidence is as high as possible.

In the context of the Massachusetts ITS Program, safe is

defined as the ability to move about the transportation

system without the fear or likelihood of being involved in a

collision or system failure resulting in personal injury or

economic loss. Secure is defined as presence of facilities

and protocols that are intended to mitigate potential

malevolent attacks from forces outside of the transportation

system. These forces can be natural or manmade.

The SIPCC understands the role that ITS plays for both

safety and security in the lives of Massachusetts travelers.

It is dedicated to helping provide the safest and most secure

transportation system in the nation.

The implementation of an automated traffic management

system (ATMS) at the Highway Operations Center (HOC)

that is interoperable with the Massachusetts State Police

Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) will simplify incident

detection, verification and response, help reduce risk to

motorists and emergency responders associated with

incident clearance, and creating a common operating

picture between response agencies.


All agencies make a conscience effort to work

together to avoid emergency responder injuries and

fatalities.

Performance measures to track trends in incident

and roadway clearance times are implemented

across the Commonwealth.

A commitment by all agencies to reduce crime at

transit stations is maintained.

Adequate and qualified staffing is provided to

monitor and respond to situations.


Reduction in the number of roadway crashes

Reduction in the number of secondary crashes

Reduction in incident clearance time

Reduction in crime at transit stations

Reduction in commercial vehicle screening time.

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Goal 2: Provide a safe and secure transportation environment for people and goods.


Implement the ITS components of the Highway Safety Improvement

Program (HSIP) to support traffic and incident management activities.

In 2006 the Massachusetts Highway Department (now MassDOT) entered

into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) relating to the Massachusetts

Statewide Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The mission of this joint

group is to develop, promote, implement, and evaluate data-driven, multi-

disciplinary strategies to maximize safety for users of the roadway system.

The SHSP is the primary deliverable of the Highway Safety Improvement

Plan (HSIP) and is used to guide the program. In the 2006 plan there were 46

tier one and tier two strategies identified. The purpose of this objective is to

identify how ITS can help achieve those strategies.

The implementation of interoperable strategies of the National

Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management will provide a common

operating picture for MassDOT traffic management centers and the

Massachusetts State Police will be critical in the achievement of this

goal.

MassDOT – Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Link:

http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/default.asp?pgid=content/traffic/shsp&si

d=level2

Develop a multi-modal

emergency

management ITS

support plan.

Implement

interoperable ATMS

software and computer

aided dispatch that

provides a common

operating picture and

is shared with all

operations centers.

Maintain and enhance

the traffic

management working

group.

Implement technology

to achieve the National

Unified Goal (NUG) for

traffic incident

management to ensure

responder safety, quick

incident clearance and

reliable interoperable

communications.

Coordinate with HSIP

developers to

determine how to

standardize reporting

through technology.

Develop a plan for

collecting, predicting,

and distributing road

weather conditions.

Conduct

workshop to

gather needs for

a multi-modal

emergency

management

ITS support

plan.

Enhance

membership

and

participation in

the Traffic

Management

Working Group.

Include

members

knowledgeable

of traffic

incident

management

operations.

Prioritize SHSP

strategies.

Develop plan to

achieve GIS

system

interoperability

between SIPCC

organizations by

2015.

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25



Use ITS to improve security of people and freight on the roadways and

public transportation infrastructure.

Consumer and traveler confidence are two hallmarks of a successful society.

The SIPCC recognizes the role of ITS in both of those areas as well as that

improved traveler confidence will lead to greater consumer confidence.

Manufacturers, suppliers, shippers, and retailers rely on the transportation

system. Therefore the purpose of this objective is to deploy surveillance

technology to help increase surveillance of critical points of the

Commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure, and improve security for all

residents that use these facilities.

Increase the use of ITS

to improve

surveillance of critical

infrastructure, supply

chain routes, and

public transit routes.

Develop mobile

applications that allow

the public to easily and

safely report

suspicious activity.

Develop plan

to improve

remote

surveillance

capabilities

on critical

supply chain

routes.

Develop

agreements

between

member

agencies

regarding

how to fund

and

implement

mobile

security

applications.

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26



Implement the ITS components of a commercial vehicle operations

program to enforce regulations and enhance the security of freight

traveling on the roadway and the public transit system.

Massachusetts is participating in the national Commercial Vehicle

Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) program in order to improve

safety, mobility, and productivity, as well as to improve the efficiency and

effectiveness of the State agencies that are responsible for regulating the

commercial vehicle industry. The CVISN plan includes these goals:

Enhance highway safety, public safety, and public health

Promote efficiencies in Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO)

administrative functions

Improve coordination among CVO agencies

Develop and deploy information systems that will support new capabilities

in three areas.1

Create a Technology

Working Group to

integrate commercial

vehicle operations into

the planning process.

Improve the efficiency

and effectiveness of

commercial vehicle

screening at high

traffic corridors and

bottlenecks.

Conduct at

least two

Technology

Working

Group

meetings

annually.

Develop

approach to

CVO

planning

process.

1 Massachusetts CVISN Program Plan and Top-Level Design – Final Report, August 2011

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27

Goal 3: Improve the reliability and

efficiency of the transportation network

through the use of technology. The bottom line for many travelers is that they need a

transportation system that they can trust. The use of

technology that recognizes the value of time spent by

travelers is a key to successful ITS implementation and

user acceptance. The purpose of this goal is to ensure that

all ITS in Massachusetts be designed with the principles of

trust in mind.

Efficiency is a measurement that analyzes trip durations.

Within a multimodal context, it can be used to evaluate the

ability or likelihood that a traveler will be willing to change

modes of travel during the trip planning phase or once the

trip has begun.

Information can become powerful when enough access is

provided to persuade behavior change. There is a theory

behind providing accurate, reliable information both

passively and actively in a widely available and accessible

manner. The theory is that if a traveler becomes aware of

an impending disruption to their travel plans and a

convenient alternative is available, the traveler will modify

their behavior and choose an alternate. Therefore, it is

critical that decision points be identified, good data be

gathered, and strategies be employed to make reliable

information available to allow for decision making.

Confidence of the traveling public is built on performance,

which can be achieved by implementing a Traffic Incident

Management (TIM) process consisting of a planned and

coordinated multi-disciplinary process to detect, respond to,

and clear traffic incidents so that traffic flow may be

restored as safely and quickly as possible. Effective TIM

reduces the duration and impacts of traffic incidents and

improves the safety of motorists, crash victims and

emergency responders.


Increase the availability of ITS devices

Improve travel time reliability of roadway trips

Increase on-time arrivals of transit vehicles

Increase the accessibility of next-vehicle arrival

time information for transit vehicles

Increase accuracy of next-vehicle arrival times for

transit vehicles

Reduction in incident clearance times and

secondary accidents


ITS Standards are implemented and adhered to.

Travel times and transit arrival times need to be

98 percent accurate.

ITS devices and systems need to be available 97

percent of the time.

Law enforcement compliment and training

allowing 50 percent of all crashes to be reported

electronically.

Creation of a statewide TIM outreach program

and coordinated partnership.

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28

Goal 3: Improve the reliability and efficiency of the transportation network through the use of technology.


Leverage and implement the most current ITS

technologies to improve travel time reliability of

roadways and transit.

In 2010 the MassDOT Highway Division completed a

strategic plan that was intended to help that division

achieve four goals:

Improve incident management

Improve congestion management

Improve safety and security management

Improve operations and maintenance cost

effectiveness

This objective will help implement those strategies for

the Highway Division and across the entire

transportation network. Travel time reliability is one

cross-cutting area that can benefit from joint

coordination and implementation.

Develop a work zone ITS

deployment strategy and

standard procedure.

Develop a seasonal and special

events ITS deployment strategy

and procedure.

Develop a data warehouse with

a visual component to compile

and display congestion data.

Create a baseline and annual

congestion performance

measure report for key

corridors.

Establish working group

to identify feasible

methodologies to

mitigating recurring and

non-recurring roadway

congestion.

Assemble requirements

for a data warehouse that

will enable all

performance measures

identified within the

strategic plan.

Standardize the technological environment of

roadway and transit ITS.

Efficiency and standardization are related terms in ITS

and this objective aims to start the process of viewing

standardization in terms of efficiency. The reduction of

design costs, custom integration, and maintenance costs

will lead to more efficient ITS. Meeting and integrating

standards for ITS will not only allow ITS stakeholders to

work together more easily and perform their jobs

successfully; it will also allow the ITS community to take

advantage of the best technology available on the

market.

Implement design, construction,

integration and communication

standards for ITS field devices.

Implement an electronic crash

reporting system to reduce the

amount of time required to

investigate crashes.

Conduct existing

conditions survey of

current ITS technologies.

Begin ITS standards

working group to remain

current on national and

international ITS

standards.

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29



Improve efficiency of ITS and business processes that

support it.

To deliver the most technologically enhanced

transportation possible for travelers, ITS agencies must

operate their business as efficiently as possible. This

objective will help MassDOT and its partners formalize

and standardize all aspects of project development and

delivery.

Develop ITS design checklists

for incorporation into the

development process for all

projects.

Develop a standard lifecycle cost

analysis template that includes

an evaluation of replacement

costs and when the item will

become obsolete.

Develop a process to improve

early planning for operations

and maintenance budgets

associated with ITS use.

Conduct survey of the

current ITS project

design process.

Conduct survey of typical

lifecycle ITS costs.

Implement performance measures of the ITS program

in order to document and track the benefits of ITS

implementations and validate legacy and future

systems.

Measuring the outcome of ITS program efforts will help

document and track the benefits of implementation as

well as validate legacy and future systems. This

objective is designed to ensure that performance

measurement and evaluation is a part of all ITS

activities in the Commonwealth.

Implement data collection and

storage processes to protect the

integrity of ITS and

transportation data to enable its

tracking, review, and analysis.

Develop criteria to measure and

evaluate the performance of ITS

deployments.

Establish an ITS Performance

Measurement Working Group.

Conduct a minimum of

three working group

meetings annually.

Use performance

measurement goals to

guide future ITS projects.

Leverage sustainable applications of technology.

The impact of technology on environmental and fiscal

sustainability is significant. The challenge of agencies

implementing ITS is to remain aware of the most

advanced technologies available and to be able to

integrate them into the operational environment

successfully. This objective is designed to begin thinking

about how to accomplish that task.

Implement technologies that

collect revenues efficiently.

Identify measurable

environmental benefits of ITS

projects.

Conduct feasibility study

to determine conversion

of existing toll facilities to

electronic tolls.

Conduct environmental

impacts study to quantify

benefits of existing and

future ITS deployments.

30

30



Expand Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Activities

Traffic incidents are a primary source of non-

recurring congestion and the effect on travel time

reliability and network efficiency has been

documented at a national level. TIM can be a

primary driver when determining the correct

location of ITS devices and can also be used to

determine mode shift points from a multi-modal

perspective.

Expand the traffic management

coordination group to include

transit operations.

Develop a statewide

implementation plan for the

“Roadmap for National TIM

Leadership and Innovation.”

Develop TIM performance

measures as a capability of

ATMS.

Develop local TIM Teams as

method for improving the ITS

Planning process.

Link activities of the traffic

management group to the

SIPCC and the ITS Strategic

Plan.

Include Relevant Transit

Projects on Working

Group Agenda.

Further Institutionalize

TIM.

Revise the ATMS

ConOps.

Identify Multi-modal

opportunities.

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31

Goal 4: Use technology to create a more

user-friendly transportation experience

regardless of mode choice. The purpose of this goal is to implement ITS projects that

create a successful and rewarding travel experience for the

most users possible, including the diverse populace within

the Commonwealth.

One of the most important functions of traveler information

is to improve customer satisfaction with the transportation

system. Studies have shown that even when traveler

information does not improve travel time, it has a

measurable effect on customer satisfaction1. Traveler

information is a vital component of improving user-

friendliness of the Commonwealth’s transportation system.

In the context of ITS for Massachusetts, user-friendly is

defined based on the following values:

Customer Service – Promote initiatives that align

with and satisfy customer needs. Consistently

validate initiatives against customer feedback.

Equity – Promote shared, equal, access to traveler

and operations information for people of all

backgrounds and education levels.

Information Quality – Promote meaningful,

accurate, and up-to-date traveler information.

1 Watkins, Keri and Brian Ferris. Location-Based Services for

Public Transport. ITS World Congress, Orlando, Florida, October

2011


The public has a positive opinion of the

Massachusetts Transportation System.

A reliable traveler information system is

implemented and maintained.

Transit arrival time availability is increased.


Increase usage of traveler information

Increase customer satisfaction

Reduce the number of customer complaints

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32

Goal 4: Use technology to create a more user-friendly transportation experience regardless of mode choice


Implement a traveler information program to improve

connections between all modes of transportation,

enabling seamless travel throughout the

Commonwealth.

A multi-modal traveler information program will help

increase the number of people that are willing to change

modes of transportation during a single trip. A more

robust program that highlights where mode connection

points are and what type of additional delay should be

expected during the transfer will help offset roadway

congestion and improve public transportation ridership.

Expand the availability

of transit arrival and

departure information.

Expand and implement

intermodal electronic

payment systems.

Facilitate mode-sharing

information between

roadway vehicles,

airports, and public

transportation.

Assemble a working group to

identify potential future

electronic payment systems.

Develop requirements for mode

sharing traveler information

program.

Increase accessibility to real-time traveler

information.

Developing traveler information cannot be the final

activity in an efficient program. Proactively increasing

access and use of the system can help with many

performance measures that address reliability and

congestion. The SIPCC recognizes the value of a good

traveler information system and will use this objective to

make sure that the usage continues to expand.

Provide data to the public

through various sources

and platforms, including

mobile applications.

Increase media outlet

access to traveler

information, including

people with disabilities

and Limited English

proficiency (LEP).

Develop approach to convert

existing and future traveler

information to LEP format.

Identify methods to improve

presentation of traveler

information on existing

organization websites.

Use technology to improve the transportation

experience for travelers.

The SIPCC wants to ensure that the traveling public has

a voice in determining what works best. This objective

and strategy will help maintain the customer focus on all

ITS activities for the Commonwealth.

Implement a centralized

traveler feedback system

and database.

Develop traveler and user

satisfaction survey.

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