Traffic Operations Centers (TOC) help monitor and manage traffic with the ultimate goals of improving mobility and motorist safety, while reducing user costs. Similarly, connected vehicle (CV) technology creates two-way communication links between vehicles and roadway infrastructure toward the goal of improvements in safety, mobility and environmental impacts. The data produced through CV applications closely relates to several core functions at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) TOCs; and through this study, AECOM presented MDOT with the guidance to incorporate CV data and applications into daily TOC operations effectively. The study included the following elements:
- Overview of existing CV activities and best practices obtained from past studies nationwide
- A high-level review of identified CV data sets and acknowledgement of the data sets that are available from the MDOT CV Program
- Evaluation of the potential direct application of CV data sets to support the functions of the MDOT TOCs
- Identification of which CV data/applications are suitable for use in the near term
- Guidance on the impact that CV technology may have to the TOC in the future, and the development of a roadmap for integrating the applicable CV data into TOC operations
AECOM ultimately recommended near-term CV applications that could yield high returns for TOC operations and presented a course of action for MDOT to follow with regards to data management and data warehousing, as well as operational procedure adjustments and personnel training needs. Through the integration of CV data into the TOC environment, it is expected that better information can reach a wider audience more quickly.