Project Background |
Project Goals and Objectives |
Existing Agency Technical Capabilities
Additional Data, Technical Assistance or Training Needs |
Analysis Method and Assumptions |
IDAS Analysis Results
Recommendations for ARTIMIS |
Lessons Learned |
Project Cost and Schedule
Future Usage of Data and/or Technical Approaches Developed |
Contacts
ARTIMIS, the Advanced Regional Traffic Interactive Management Information System, is one of the earlier ITS systems deployed in the United States. The system provides traffic management and traveler information on 88 miles of the most heavily traveled freeways in the greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. ARTIMIS represents a remarkable partnership between the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), and Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI).
The Cincinnati region's population is approximately 1.85 million, with approximately 3.3 million daily trips during the morning and afternoon peak periods. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) during the peak periods is estimated at 22 million miles. The Texas Transportation Institute's The 2001 Urban Mobility Report estimates that 63 percent of peak period travel on the Cincinnati region's freeways is in congested conditions. The population in the region is expected to exceed 2 million by 2010.
ARTIMIS began limited operations in June 1995 and the system was completed in December 1998, with ongoing expansion and enhancements.
The ARTIMIS components and services include:
In order to assess the effectiveness and performance of the ARTIMIS program, and to develop a strategic decision making framework for future system enhancements, the KYTC, ODOT, OKI, and other agencies in the region commissioned two studies:
This case study describes the use of IDAS for these two studies.
The major goals of the ARTIMIS program are to:
ARTIMIS strives to achieve these goals through the functions performed by the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) and the Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS), including:
The evaluation of ARTIMIS was centered on the following key issues that the participating agencies needed addressed:
The first three objectives were addressed through the use of surveys, focus groups, and personal interviews. The last objective, quantify the benefits of ARTIMIS, involved the application of the ITS Deployment Analysis System (IDAS).
The system benefits task focused on identifying and quantifying the benefits of ARTIMIS including mobility, congestion, accidents, air quality, and energy impacts. OKI and the study partner agencies did not have the historical "before" and "after" data available for the evaluation study so they were wrestling with an approach to conduct the analysis.
| Since historical data (before the deployment of ARTIMIS) for comparison of performance indicators were not available for a "before" and "after" evaluation, IDAS was used to provide estimates of the benefits of ARTIMIS. |
Additional advantages of IDAS that led to OKI's selection of the tool for the system benefits evaluation included:
OKI's data services department, which maintains the region's travel demand model among other responsibilities, had the technical capabilities to apply the IDAS program for these studies. However, OKI opted to have consultants conduct the IDAS analysis due to limited staff resources. In order to evaluate the system benefits of ARTIMIS and estimate the impacts of the proposed ITS program plan using IDAS, the region's travel demand model data was obtained from the OKI data services department and used in the analysis.
In addition to the data obtained from the OKI travel demand model to conduct the analyses, the study utilized data from various other sources in order to better represent conditions in the Cincinnati region. The IDAS default impact values for the ITS components included in ARTIMIS were adjusted to reflect results from various studies that had been conducted on the ARTIMIS system including:
The adjusted impact values used for the ARTIMIS evaluation are identified in the following table, Comparison of Impact Values Used for the ARTIMIS Evaluation.
| Impact Measure | IDAS Default | Adjusted Value |
|---|---|---|
| Incident Management (Freeway Service Patrol and Reference Markers) | ||
| Reduction in incident duration | 55% | 22.5% |
| Reduction in fatalities | 10% | 10% |
| Reduction in emissions and fuel | 42% | 17.2% |
| Telephone and Web Information Services | ||
| Market penetration (percent using the service) | 1% | 0.42% |
| Time savings per traveler | 15% | 15% |
| Dynamic Message Signs | ||
| Percent time sign is on and disseminating information | 10% | 10% |
| Percent vehicles that save time | 20% | 24% |
| Time savings | 3 minutes | 17 minutes |
| Highway Advisory Radio | ||
| Percent vehicles tuned into broadcast | 25% | 5% |
| Percent vehicles that save time | 25% | 25% |
| Percent time of extreme conditions | 10% | 2% |
| Time savings per traveler | 4 minutes | 4 minutes |
IDAS analysis were conducted separately for the two studies:
Data were obtained from the OKI regional travel demand model to use as inputs into the IDAS model. The model data included both network files and travel demand files (trip tables) representing the a.m. and p.m. peak periods. Year 1995 model files were used for the ARTIMIS evaluation, to represent traffic conditions before ARTIMIS was deployed. Year 2010 networks and trip tables were used in developing the ITS program plan. Four separate modes were obtained from the OKI model, including all auto, walk to local transit, kiss and ride transit, and park and ride transit. These data were imported into the IDAS software to conduct the analysis.
Other parameters, such as baseline travel time skims (zone to zone), turn prohibitors, volume-delay curves, in- and out-of-vehicle travel times, and vehicle occupancies from the OKI model, were evaluated and incorporated into the IDAS model replacing the default values. A two-percent growth factor was applied to the travel demand model trip tables to reflect the population increase in the Cincinnati area between 1995 and 1999 for the ARTIMIS evaluation study. The auto occupancy for the auto trip table was 1.36 persons per vehicle.
The a.m. peak period represented 2.5 hours from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and the p.m. peak period represented 3.5 hours from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. It was assumed that most of ARTIMIS' benefits occur during the peak periods and that this approach would produce a more conservative estimate of average annual benefits.
For the evaluation effort, the individual ARTIMIS components were deployed in IDAS according to information provided by the operations control center, facts and statistical information, and maps obtained from the ARTIMIS system. A few of the IDAS default impact values were adjusted to reflect results from various local studies as shown in the Comparison of Impact Values Used for the ARTIMIS Evaluation table above.
For the benefit/cost analysis, the evaluation plan estimate of capital and operating costs for the ARTIMIS system were based upon data provided by OKI and the ARTIMIS operations control center.
The following are the ARTIMIS enhancements and additions planned for the year 2006 in the ITS program plan included in the analysis:
The 2010 ITS program plan is more extensive and includes the components in the 2006 plan plus the following:
The OKI ITS program plan consisted of two milestone years of deployment, 2006 and 2010. The 2010 OKI, existing plus committed (E+C) a.m. peak period travel demand model was used for both the 2006 and 2010 scenarios. The 2006 trip estimates were derived based on interpolation between the 1995 and 2010 trip tables. The a.m. time period was used for the ITS program plan analysis as the OKI a.m. peak period model is better validated. The combined a.m. and p.m. peak period results were estimated based on factors from the ARTIMIS evaluation results. For the ITS program plan results, the a.m. peak period monetized benefits were multiplied by a factor of 1.63 to estimate the total peak period benefits (a.m. and p.m. peak periods combined).
The ITS projects modeled in IDAS for the ITS program plan only include those for which the deployment specifics were identified, including geographic location, timing of improvements, estimated costs, implementation methodology, and target impacts. Due to the constraints of IDAS, some ITS components were not included in the analysis (e.g., bridge snow and ice removal). In addition, due to the limitations of the OKI model, truck-related components were not included in the analysis, as the regional model does not have truck trip tables and trip times.
For the benefit/cost analysis, the project team developed the capital costs and operating and maintenance (O&M) costs were estimated based on the ratio of current average annual O&M to capital costs for the ARTIMIS system.
The IDAS analysis results are presented separately for the ARTIMIS evaluation study and the ITS program plan. The ITS program plan results are further divided into year 2006 versus 2010.
The IDAS analysis of the ARTIMIS system produced the following findings:
These impacts were monetized to produce a benefit/cost ratio for the ARTIMIS evaluation (see following table). As shown, ARTIMIS results in an annual savings of approximately $136 million to the Cincinnati region. The benefits of ARTIMIS outweigh the costs by a significant margin and result in a net benefit of $125 million per year with a benefit/cost ratio of 12:1.
| Performance Measure | Annual Value |
|---|---|
| Benefits | |
| User mobility | $1,811,000 |
| Travel time reliability | $119,511,000 |
| Fuel consumption | $180,000 |
| Accidents | $2,596,000 |
| Emissions | $11,753,000 |
| Total Annual Benefits | $135,850,000 |
| Total Average Annual Cost | $11,160,000 |
| Benefit/Cost Comparison | 12:1 |
The IDAS analysis of the short-term 2006 ITS program plan resulted in the following results:
The benefits and costs for the 2006 ITS program plan are summarized in the following table. These results are based upon a combination of the a.m. and p.m. peak periods. As mentioned previously, the p.m. peak period impacts were estimated using a factor from the ARTIMIS evaluation effort. It is estimated that the 2006 ITS program plan will result in a benefit/cost ratio of 12:1.
| Performance Measure | Annual Value |
|---|---|
| Benefits | |
| User mobility | $26,292,000 |
| Travel time reliability | $123,237,000 |
| Fuel consumption | $13,871,000 |
| Accidents | $2,487,000 |
| Emissions | $8,563,000 |
| Total Annual Benefits | $174,450,000 |
| Total Average Annual Cost | $13,985,000 |
| Benefit/Cost Comparison | 12:1 |
The IDAS analysis of the longer-term 2010 ITS program plan resulted in the following findings:
The following table presents a summary of the benefits and costs for the 2010 ITS program plan, including both the a.m. and p.m. peak period estimated impacts. It is estimated that the 2010 ITS program plan will result in a benefit/cost ratio of 9:1.
| Performance Measure | Annual Value |
|---|---|
| Benefits | |
| User mobility | $33,401,000 |
| Travel time reliability | $49,300,000 |
| Fuel consumption | $3,899,000 |
| Accidents | $6,688,000 |
| Emissions | $2,239,000 |
| Total Annual Benefits | $95,528,000 |
| Total Average Annual Cost | $10,665,000 |
| Benefit/Cost Comparison | 9:1 |
The following are the key recommendations, which resulted from the ARTIMIS system benefits evaluation. These recommendations focus on improvements to the ARTIMIS system.
| The greatest benefit of ARTIMIS is from the incident management components. Therefore, expansion plans should focus on additional incident management improvements. |
The following additional actions are recommended based on the evaluation:
These recommendations were incorporated into the ITS program plan and several of the recommendations from the evaluation study have already been implemented including:
These are lessons learned from the implementation of IDAS.
| 1.
OKI did not have the staff resources available to prepare the travel
demand model data in the format necessary for direct import into
IDAS. However, the Tranplan files and OKI model documentation
provided were well organized and thorough. The model data were
easily converted into IDAS format through the use of TP+ and Viper,
making the import into IDAS relatively seamless.
2. The use of impact values from local sources better represented conditions in the Cincinnati region versus the use of national default values available within IDAS. 3. Matching the ITS components in ARTIMIS and the ITS program plan to the components available in IDAS required careful consideration prior to use of IDAS, particularly the use of the components and possible synergies. 4. Agency review and approval of modifiable IDAS defaults, particularly impact values and benefits values (value of time, incident costs, etc.), is critical for confidence and comfort with the results. |
To expand lesson-learned #3 above, the impacts and benefits of an ITS deployment1 are directly dependent upon the technologies adopted, the operational parameters and philosophies, and the resulting services provided to the end-user. The analysis of ITS benefits requires the aggregation of the different services provided into distinct cohesive clusters of ITS projects, which can be modeled in IDAS. It is therefore important that the analyst has a thorough understanding of the following in order to accurately model ITS projects in IDAS:
It is helpful to document these processes along the following lines:
The IDAS analysis was conducted for two projects, including the ARTIMIS Evaluation and the Regional ITS Architecture/ITS Program Plan. The projects began in December 1999 with the majority of the IDAS related tasks being conducted between October 2000 and August 2001. The cost for the IDAS runs was approximately $99,000. This cost included work associated with the systems benefits analysis including setup, running, and reporting IDAS results; meetings; travel; computer time; presentations; technical memorandums; and the final report. These costs exclude agency staff time.
As an MPO, OKI is interested in using IDAS in the future to satisfy the Congestion Management System (CMS) requirements. These include:
These CMS requirements are to be addressed by Transportation Management Areas (TMAs) with populations of 200,000 or more. IDAS is well suited to address these requirements as it can be used to analyze alternative ITS strategies and test tradeoffs of traditional highway and transit infrastructure options.
TMAs that are in non-attainment for ozone or carbon monoxide must conduct additional analysis. In metropolitan areas such as Cincinnati, highway corridors in need of capacity expansion must be analyzed for reasonable travel demand reduction and operational management strategies, which includes ITS. If analysis shows that these strategies cannot fully satisfy the need for added capacity, it is only then that traditional additional capacity (e.g., adding lanes) can be justified. Until recently, OKI felt there was no tool available to effectively quantify the performance of ITS technologies as required for the CMS. With IDAS, there is an available tool to analyze ITS strategies.
| In addition to providing a planning tool for CMS, IDAS can also provide a policy tool for justifying ITS investments. Typically, MPOs sign off on the transportation investments in metropolitan areas. In the eyes of many MPO Board members, ITS improvements do not have the same visibility as added lanes, improved intersections, or transit expansion. It has been difficult to convey the magnitude of potential ITS benefits in comparison to the relatively low cost for an assortment of dispersed technologies. Now, with IDAS, decision makers can begin to see the estimated benefits of an ITS system or of ITS expansion. |
As funding becomes more and more competitive, OKI needs this ability to compare ITS performance with other potential projects. OKI is now including ITS recommendations in regional long-range transportation plans. IDAS can help with planning as well as programming. It adds a new dimension to understanding how technologies can assist travelers and makes it easier to bring these technologies to the OKI region.
This is one of four case studies describing the application of the ITS Deployment Analysis System (IDAS) software program. These case studies illustrate innovative approaches in conducting ITS planning and program development.
This work was performed under contract with:
Federal Highway Administration
Planning and Environment
Office of Metropolitan Planning and Programs
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
The Case Study was prepared by:
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
1300 Clay St., Suite 1010
Oakland, CA 94611
Telephone: (510) 873-8700
Fax: (510) 873-8701
Web: http://www.camsys.com
For further information, please contact:
Dory Montazemi, PE, AICP
Deputy Executive Director
OKI
801-B West Eighth Street, Suite 400
Cincinnati, OH 45203
Telephone: (513) 621-6300
Fax: (513) 621-9325
Web: http://www.oki.org