# 3. Date of Meeting: June 29, 2017 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2017 TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT INFORMATION ITEM SUBJECT: Intelligent Transportation Systems

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1 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2017 TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT INFORMATION ITEM Date of Meeting: June 29, 2017 # 3 SUBJECT: ELECTION DISTRICT: STAFF CONTACTS: Intelligent Transportation Systems Countywide Robert S. Brown, Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Penny Newquist, Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Joe Kroboth, III, Transportation and Capital Infrastructure PURPOSE: To present a report on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Concept of Operations and Implementation Plan, and a set of recommended actions to implement ITS technologies in Loudoun County. BACKGROUND: Loudoun County s Countywide Transportation Plan lays out a broad vision for a multi-modal transportation system that is safe, affordable, convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound. One of the major strategies identified toward achieving this vision is to employ Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies in order to maximize the efficiency of the transportation network. The Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (DTCI) has developed a plan that outlines a roadmap for Loudoun County to support the implementation of Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO). TSMO, as outlined by the Federal Highway Administration, is a set of integrated strategies to optimize the performance of operations on existing infrastructure through implementation of multimodal and intermodal, cross-jurisdictional systems, services, and projects designed to preserve capacity and improve security, safety, and reliability of a transportation system. Loudoun County has several transportation challenges including traffic bottlenecks, crash hotspots, park-and-ride lots nearing capacity, and weather events impacting the transportation network daily. Technology to manage the resulting recurring and nonrecurring congestion from these challenges is currently limited in the County. Despite being the fastest-growing County in Virginia and home to several major transportation facilities in the state, the County is largely devoid of technologies to provide situational awareness of conditions, optimized operations, and information to travelers. Most of the Virginia Department of Transportation s (VDOT) ITS deployments in Northern Virginia are concentrated on Federally-designated Interstate highways (e.g. I-66, I-495, I-95) and facilities in Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William Counties. VDOT offers support resources to Loudoun County for incident management for extended time periods; however, Loudoun County

2 Item 3, Intelligent Transportation Systems Board of Supervisors 2017 Transportation Summit June 29, 2017 Page 2 stakeholders have expressed the need for the County to be more active in transportation operations. Other entities who operate their own roadways and traffic signals, such as the Town of Leesburg and Arlington County, have deployed their own technologies for monitoring and managing conditions on their transportation networks. The DTCI has recently completed a Concept of Operations Plan (Attachment 1) for integration of ITS equipment in the County. A companion document, the ITS Implementation Plan (Attachment 2) describes recommended improvements that can be phased in as the Board deems appropriate, if they so choose to do so. Specific transportation technology needs were identified from interviews with County stakeholders. High-level needs expressed by stakeholders include: Greater situational awareness during emergency management events; Ability to quickly alert road users of hazards; More outlets for providing traveler information; Increased information flows and coordination with VDOT Public Safety Traffic Operations Center (PSTOC); Ability to know when parking lots and transit buses fill up; and Improved transportation connections between activity centers. An important stakeholder is the Loudoun County Sheriff s Office, which has the primary role of dispatching assets for incident management in Loudoun County, coordinating with VDOT and Virginia State Police (VSP), and sending out traffic information to the public. Given that it owns and maintains most of the roadways, traffic signals, and ITS devices in the County, VDOT is another important stakeholder. Continued coordination with these two entities will be imperative during implementation planning and operations. Recommendations (Attachment 3) for a connected system of technologies, services, and partnerships were developed from stakeholder needs. These include: Integrate with Waze via its Connected Citizens Program (CCP); Provide additional camera coverage at known, targeted bottleneck and high-crash locations (Attachment 4 shows existing and proposed traffic camera locations); Provide targeted overhead and portable message sign deployments for traveler information and alerts (Attachment 5 shows proposed message sign locations); Implement systems for monitoring road conditions during severe weather events; Deploy intelligent safety improvements for bicycles and pedestrians at trail crossings and intersections; Deploy smart parking infrastructure at targeted garages, lots, or streets; Provide dynamic traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers; Build out a communication network to support transportation technology, including fiber optic deployments; Improve incident management on Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 using safety service patrols; Increase use of data for transportation planning using sensors and third-party sources; Pilot active traffic signal management of an arterial corridor; Pilot autonomous shuttle circulator service; and

3 Item 3, Intelligent Transportation Systems Board of Supervisors 2017 Transportation Summit June 29, 2017 Page 3 Establish a Loudoun County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) of appropriate scale. One consideration is the implementation of a TOC for monitoring and managing the information flow provided by the above actions. Full real-time operations of a TOC will require a commitment of funding and staffing; thus, it is recommended that Loudoun County consider a phased approach to TOC operations and subject to future appropriations. An initial phase would implement a baseline of technology (e.g., cameras, changeable message signs, Waze integration), that can be integrated within the context of existing systems and staffing and interface with VDOT s existing capabilities at the PSTOC and the County s Sheriff s Office. Over time, Loudoun County could add supplemental systems that address the needs expressed by stakeholders and increase its role in the real-time operations of the TOC. Ultimately, it is recommended that the County sets up a TOC in Loudoun County that is jointly operated by DTCI and the Sheriff s Office. An analysis of recurring maintenance requirements and staff capabilities is included in the Implementation Plan. This plan was presented in a meeting with VDOT at the PSTOC on April 14, In that meeting, VDOT expressed that other than continuing to monitor and retime traffic signals, they did not have the funds to expand their TSMO activities in Loudoun County. In fact, their current funding for operations is barely sufficient to support their operations and maintenance activities at current levels. However, they were supportive of Loudoun investing its own funds to supplement VDOT s activities in the ways described in our plan. ISSUES: TSMO is a new initiative for the County: To date and for Loudoun, it has been exclusively the realm of VDOT. That is not to say that other localities do not have their own programs. Arlington County, the City of Alexandria and the Town of Leesburg are all active in TSMO. Arlington has over 200 cameras, several message signs, and Bluetooth reader units capable of reliably calculating point-to-point travel times for public messaging. The Town of Leesburg actively manages its traffic signals using ten strategically located surveillance cameras. Both of these jurisdictions also own miles of fiber between them. In Loudoun, this will require additional expertise beyond what is available today. Design, construction oversight and maintenance of outdoor electronic assets requires specific expertise. The County manages plenty of IT assets, including surveillance cameras, but additional resources will be needed to operate and maintain these electronics housed on the roadside in non-climate controlled environments. In addition, success in TSMO requires a sustained cooperative partnership between multiple departments including DTCI, Information Technology, Sheriff, Emergency Communications and others. Stakeholder meetings have been very encouraging in this regard, but sharing of information and resources between departments will prove important for continued success. It also requires effective partnership with the Town of Leesburg and VDOT, but again, our meetings with these stakeholders have encouraged us that all parties are committed to work together toward the common goals of safety and mobility in the region. Fiber Network: To implement an ITS program, a robust network of fiber optic cabling throughout strategic locations in the County is essential. The most direct and efficient route for this cabling

4 Item 3, Intelligent Transportation Systems Board of Supervisors 2017 Transportation Summit June 29, 2017 Page 4 section would be for the cables to run with the roadways. In addition to the traffic control devices, the fiber could connect other public facilities such as fire stations, libraries, schools and community centers back to the County s network. A map showing the recommended Fiber Optic Network route is shown in Attachment 6. VDOT has been successful in resource sharing agreements statewide with telecom companies. Given the amount of fiber already installed in Loudoun County by private companies, there may be opportunities for fiber resource sharing to reduce construction costs. Waze Software Application: Waze is powered and used by drivers all over the world. Drivers connect to one another and work together to improve each other s driving experience. They improve the driving experience by sharing real-time information relating to travel speeds, congestion, location of hazards on the road and shoulder of the road as well as traffic accident location. Information on road construction activity is also available to assist drivers with the rerouting of their trip. As a community-based traffic and navigation app, Waze was created as a social navigation tool for private cars. FISCAL IMPACT: Full implementation of all items in the plan is estimated to cost in the range of $3 million to $4.5 million in capital expenditures. Operations and maintenance is estimated at $800,000 to $1.8 million per year over five years. The plan is designed to be implemented in part or in whole. Guidance received from other jurisdictions (Leesburg, Arlington) was to start small and expand as experience is gained. The estimated cost to integrate a fiber conduit system with a road project is estimated to be approximately $30-50 per linear foot of road (one side only). STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: The following staff recommendations are presented for the Board s consideration and discussion: 1. Staff recommends the Board endorse the described direction for the near-term project identified in the Attachment 3 summarized from the draft TSMO Plan. This includes installation of surveillance cameras and the continued dissemination of information through Loudoun Alerts and having those alerts be integrated into the Waze Software application. 2. Staff recommends the Board direct staff to include fiber optic conduit and cabling as a standard feature of all new roadway projects. 3. Staff recommends the Board direct the DTCI Staff enter into Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with VDOT, Town of Leesburg and Waze for sharing data, including camera feeds and to bring those MOUs to the Board for approval. DISCUSSION: Staff is seeking direction from the Board on the following questions: 1. Is it the Board s desire to pursue the implementation of the near-term project identified in the TSMO Plan? 2. Is it the Board s desire for Staff to include fiber optic conduits with road projects developed by the County and to initiate the process to include this requirement in the Facility Standards Manual? 3. Is it the Board s desire to direct staff to enter into negotiations with VDOT, the Town of

5 Item 3, Intelligent Transportation Systems Board of Supervisors 2017 Transportation Summit June 29, 2017 Page 5 Leesburg and entities such as Waze to develop MOUs relating to the sharing of transportation network operations data? ATTACHMENTS: 1. Concept of Operations Document 2. Implementation Plan Document 3. Summary of near-term improvements 4. Map of Existing and Proposed Camera Locations. 5. Map of Proposed Changeable Message Sign Locations 6. Map of Proposed Fiber Optic Network

6 LOUDOUN COUNTY TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY PLAN A TSMO ROADMAP CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS DRAFT FINAL JUNE 2017 Prepared By: For: ATTACHMENT 1

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8 CONTENTS 1. Introduction... 1 Project Organization... 1 Scope of ITS System... 3 Stakeholders... 4 Overview of Document... 4 Referenced Documents State of Play... 6 Transportation Congestion and Safety... 6 Traffic Signals in Loudoun County and in Northern Virginia... 7 Roadway ITS in Loudoun County and in Northern Virginia... 8 Transit ITS in Loudoun County and in Northern VIrginia Incident Management in Loudoun County Parallel Efforts Transportation Technology Needs Needs Identified by Stakeholders ITS References in the CTP Proposed Actions and Operations Proposed Actions Alternatives for Management and Operations Maintenance Expectations Operational Scenarios Scenario 1: Daily Operations / Bottlenecks Scenario 2: Major Snow Event Scenario 3: Snow Event Impacting Schools Scenario 4: Traffic Crash Major Scenario 5: Traffic Crash Minor Scenario 6: Planned Event Scenario 7: Parking Lot Full Scenario 8: Bus Running Late Other Considerations Appendix... A-1 i Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

9 FIGURES Figure 2-1. Existing Roadway ITS Infrastructure in Loudoun County Figure 2-2. Existing Roadway ITS Infrastructure in Northern Virginia Figure 2-3. Parking Availability Signage in Reston Town Center (Fairfax County) Figure 2-4. Example Real-time Transit Information Display in Arlington County. 15 Figure 2-5. Existing Information Flows for Incident Management and Traffic Text Alerts Figure 4-1. Potential Information Flows to and from Proposed TOC Figure 4-2. Loudoun County Transportation Technology Plan Proposed Phasing Figure 5-1. Real-time Event Information Flows (Future Proposed) Figure 6-1. SWOT Analysis Figure A-1. Average Speeds on Loudoun County Roadways, AM Peak Hour (8:00 AM 9:00 AM), September-October 2016 (Source: RITIS).. A-3 Figure A-2. Average Speeds on Loudoun County Roadways, PM Peak Hour (5:00 PM 6:00 PM), September-October 2016 (Source: RITIS). A-4 Figure A-3. Per-Mile Crash Density on Loudoun County Roadways, (Source: VDOT)... A-5 Figure A-4. Park-and-Ride Lot Ownership, Average Occupancy, and Size (Source: Kimley-Horn)... A-6 TABLES Table 2-1. Loudoun County Transit Technology Plan Recommended Deployments Table 4-1. Alternative Management Levels for Management of TOC Table 5-1. Alternative Management Levels for Management of TOC (Same as Table 2) Table A-1. Loudoun County Bottleneck Rankings, September-October A-1 Table A-2. Specific Needs Identified by Stakeholders and Relevant Themes. A-11 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations ii

10 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACRONYM ACS ADA ART AV CAD CAD/AVL CATT CCP CCTV CMS ConOps CTP CV DIT DTCI ECC EOC ERFs ESS FHWA GTFS ICM ITS LCSO LCT MWAA NRO NVRC NVRPA NVTA NWS OEM PIO PRTC PSTOC PTZ TRANSLATION Adaptive Signal Control System American with Disabilities Act Arlington Transit Automated Vehicles Computer-Aided Dispatch Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location University of Maryland Center for Advanced Transportation Technology Connected Citizens Program (Waze) Closed-Circuit TV Changeable Message Sign Concept of Operations Countywide Transportation Plan Connected Vehicle Department of Information Technology Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Emergency Communications Center Emergency Operations Center Electronic Registering Fareboxes Environmental Sensor Station Federal Highway Administration Generalized Transit Feed Specifications Integrated Corridor Management Intelligent Transportation Systems Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Loudoun County Transit Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Northern Region Operations Northern Virginia Regional Commission Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority Northern Virginia Transportation Authority National Weather Service Office of Emergency Management Public Information Officer Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center Pan-Tilt-Zoom iii Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

11 RRFB RSE SPaT SWOT TIM TOC TSMO TSP TSS UPS V2I V2V VAC VCC VDOT VPP VSP VTRC VTTI W&OD WMATA XML Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon Roadside Equipment Signal Phase and Timing Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats Analysis Traveler Information Message Transportation Operations Center Transportation Systems Management and Operations Transit Signal Priority Traffic Sensor Station Uninterruptible Power Supply Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Vehicle-to-Vehicle Virginia Automated Corridors Virginia Connected Corridors Virginia Department of Transportation Vehicle Probe Project Virginia State Police University of Virginia Virginia Transportation Research Council Virginia Tech/Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Washington and Old Dominion Trail Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Extensible Markup Language Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations iv

12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Loudoun County s Comprehensive Transportation Plan lays out a broad vision for a multi-modal transportation system that is safe, affordable, convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound. One of the major strategies identified toward achieving this vision is to employ Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies to maximize the efficiency of the transportation network. This Transportation Technology Plan outlines a roadmap for Loudoun County to support the implementation of Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO). TSMO, as outlined by the Federal Highway Administration, is a set of integrated strategies to optimize the performance of operations on existing infrastructure through implementation of multimodal and intermodal, cross-jurisdictional systems, services, and projects designed to preserve capacity and improve security, safety, and reliability of a transportation system. 1 Loudoun County has several transportation challenges including traffic bottlenecks, crash hotspots, park-and-ride lots nearing capacity, and weather events. The road network is being expanded and the Silver Line is being extended to meet the demands of being the fastest-growing county in Virginia. However, growth in demand will always outpace the ability to build roads. TSMO strategies are needed to make the best use of the available capacity. Despite its stature as a technological hub, the County is largely devoid of technologies to manage congestion and to provide situational awareness of the condition of the transportation network, optimize operations, and provide information to travelers. Most of VDOT s ITS deployments in Northern Virginia are concentrated on Federally-designated Interstate highways (e.g. I-66, I-495) and facilities in Fairfax and Arlington Counties. VDOT s ITS assets are operated from the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (PSTOC) in Fairfax County. VDOT offers support resources to Loudoun County for incident management for extended time periods; however, Loudoun County stakeholders have expressed the need for the County to increase its own assets to optimize operations of the transportation system. Other entities who operate their own roadways and traffic signals, such as the Town of Leesburg and Arlington County, have deployed their own technologies for monitoring and managing conditions on their transportation networks. This Concept of Operations (ConOps) identifies Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), or transportation technology, that are appropriate to Loudoun County. The ConOps was developed in coordination with other parallel efforts including ITS initiatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Northern Region Operations and the Loudoun County Transit Technology Implementation Plan. This ConOps is the precursor to a TSMO Implementation Plan, which in coordination with other regional agencies, defines a program of appropriate and cost-effective transportation technology projects. This effort extends the County s position as a technology leader to provide optimized 1 v Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

13 transportation operations and improved communication to travelers on travel conditions in a rapidly transforming transportation network. Specific transportation technology needs were identified from interviews with County stakeholders. These needs form the foundation for the actions recommended in this ConOps, which would ultimately be implemented through programmed projects. High-level needs expressed by stakeholders include: Greater situational awareness during emergency management events Ability to quickly alert road users of hazards More outlets for providing traveler information Increased information flows and coordination with VDOT PSTOC Ability to know when parking lots and transit buses fill up Improved transportation connections between activity centers An important stakeholder is the Loudoun County Sheriff s Office, which has the primary role of dispatching assets for incident management in Loudoun County, coordinating with VDOT and Virginia State Police (VSP), and sending out traffic information to the public. Given that it owns and maintains most of the roadways, traffic signals, and ITS devices in the County, VDOT is another important stakeholder. Coordination with these two entities will be imperative during implementation planning and operations Recommendations for a connected system of technologies, services, and partnerships were developed from stakeholder needs. These recommended actions will position Loudoun County to improve situational awareness, increase information to travelers, and ultimately actively manage the transportation system. The following actions are detailed in the ConOps: Integrate with Waze via its Connected Citizens Program (CCP) Provide additional camera coverage at known, targeted bottleneck and high-crash locations Provide targeted overhead and portable message sign deployments for traveler information and alerts Implement systems for monitoring road conditions during severe weather events Increase use of data for transportation planning using sensors and thirdparty sources Establish a portal for disseminating data collected from transportation technologies in Loudoun County Deploy smart parking infrastructure at targeted garages, lots, or streets Provide dynamic traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers Build out a communication network to support transportation technology, including fiber optic deployments Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations vi

14 Improve incident management on Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 using safety service patrols Pilot active management of an arterial corridor Pilot autonomous shuttle circulator service Establish a Loudoun County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) of appropriate scale Loudoun County is considering the implementation of a TOC for monitoring and managing the information flows provided by the above actions. Full real-time operations of a TOC will require a commitment of funding and staffing; thus, it is recommended that Loudoun County consider a phased approach to TOC operations. An initial phase would implement a baseline of technology (e.g., cameras, changeable message signs, Waze integration), that can be integrated within the context of existing systems and staffing and interface with VDOT s existing capabilities at the PSTOC and the County s Sheriff s Office. Over time, Loudoun County could add supplemental systems that address the needs expressed by stakeholders and increase its role in the real-time operations of the TOC. Ultimately, it is recommended that the County sets up a TOC in Loudoun County that is jointly operated by Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (DTCI) and the Sheriff s Office. An analysis of recurring maintenance requirements and staff capabilities is included in the Implementation Plan. An analysis of internal Loudoun County strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats was conducted as part of this ConOps. This analysis shows how Loudoun County s is positioned to take a greater role in TSMO. Overall, there is strength in the desire to have an active role in transportation operations, but both the County s and VDOT s existing staffing levels and organizational structure may need to change to accommodate this. The lack of ownership of existing infrastructure and assets in the County is an obstacle, yet there are numerous opportunities to gain more local, real-time, control to improve the efficiency of the transportation system. vii Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

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16 1. INTRODUCTION Loudoun County has been a rapidly-growing leader in various aspects of technology in community and business life. It is one of the most highly-educated localities in the U.S. and the Washington, D.C., metro area, and it is home to a wealth of information and communications technology companies, federal government contractors, and other knowledge-sector industries 2. It is the fastest-growing county in Virginia in terms of population, with nearly a 20 percent increase in population just between 2010 and 2015 and a doubling of population in the 1990s and 2000s 3. It is now the third-largest county in the Commonwealth. This growth has coincided with an increase in traffic congestion, roadway construction, and a rise in multimodal transportation options. Despite its status as a leader in technology in community and business life, Loudoun County lacks sufficient technologies to provide improved traffic operations and information to travelers. This report defines a Concept of Operations (ConOps) for implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), or transportation technology, as appropriate to Loudoun County. The plan follows Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program efforts for Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO). This will lead to an Implementation Plan, which, in coordination with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), will define a program of projects that define technology applications and how they will be operated. These technology applications are in the areas of roadway infrastructure, incident management, safety and security, and transit. Budgetary capital and operating costs will be developed and potential funding sources will be identified. The results of this effort will build upon the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP), which guides the development of a countywide multimodal system. The County has noted in its current CTP that one of the major strategies for achieving its vision of safe, affordable, convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation system is to employ intelligent transportation systems technologies in order to maximize the efficiency of the transportation network. PROJECT ORGANIZATION Prior to the development of the ConOps, a framework was developed for organizing needs and system concepts to maintain traceability throughout the project. It consists of a mission statement, seven themes for directing the planning, and a set of actions to guide its implementation a432 1 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

17 MISSION The mission statement provides a summary of the overall aims of the effort essentially what is being done and why the County is doing it. The mission is as follows: Use technology in Loudoun County to improve transportation operations through efficient utilization of the existing transportation network capacity. This mission is in line with the Federal emphasis on TSMO, which FHWA defines as a set of integrated strategies to optimize the performance of operations on existing infrastructure through implementation of multimodal and intermodal, cross-jurisdictional systems, services, and projects designed to preserve capacity and improve security, safety, and reliability of a transportation system. 4. TSMO is a strategy in response to fewer funds being available to build our way out of congestion and focuses on improving situational awareness and active management of the transportation system to optimize operations. THEMES Seven themes are used to organize stakeholder needs and system concepts. Many of the themes align with the transportation goals of the CTP, particularly those relating to safety, efficiency, economic development, and agency coordination. Safety Use technology to improve safety, alert the public of hazardous conditions, and provide continuity of operations Situational Awareness Improve the ability to identify, process, and comprehend what is happening on the transportation network in real-time Mobility Improve personal mobility across all modes of travel Traveler Information Expand communications to travelers on conditions Economic Development Use technology to support the attraction and retention of businesses to Loudoun County Planning Use data to support transportation operations planning Coordination Improve coordination within the County and with external agencies 4 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 2

18 ACTIONS A set of actions are recommended for the County to implement and form the basis of projects included in the Implementation Plan, which will be developed following this ConOps. Each action falls under one or more theme and is based on specific stakeholder needs that were voiced during outreach efforts. Actions are detailed in Section 4. SCOPE OF ITS SYSTEM The recommended system of technology involves deploying equipment at targeted locations in the field, piloting new transportation services and traffic management strategies, and developing partnerships with internal and external entities for improved operations of the Loudoun County transportation network. The connected system would provide benefits across all of the themes and accomplish the mission of this effort. Note that this ConOps document does not lay out requirements for owners and operators of these systems; rather, a series of actions are proposed which will lead to an Implementation Plan. The proposed actions, which are detailed in Section 4, include: Integrate with Waze via its Connected Citizens Program (CCP) Provide additional camera coverage at known bottleneck and high-crash locations Provide additional overhead and portable message sign deployments for traveler information and alerts Implement systems for monitoring road conditions during severe weather events Increase use of data for transportation planning using sensors and thirdparty sources Establish a web portal for disseminating data collected from transportation technologies in Loudoun County Deploy smart parking infrastructure at targeted garages, lots, or streets Provide dynamic traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers Build out a communication network, including fiber optic communications, to support transportation technology Improve incident management on Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 using safety service patrols Pilot real-time active traffic signal management of an arterial corridor Pilot autonomous, driverless shuttle circulator service in and around transit-oriented development Establish a Loudoun County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) of appropriate scale 3 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

19 STAKEHOLDERS The following entities within and external to Loudoun County were identified as key stakeholders. A meeting was held with each of the internal County stakeholder groups listed below during the development of this ConOps. Meetings were also held with the Town of Leesburg and VDOT. Coordination with other external stakeholders will occur during the implementation efforts as appropriate. COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (DTCI) o Transit and Commuter Services Loudoun County Sheriff s Office Fire and Rescue Department o Emergency Communications Center Office of Emergency Management o Emergency Operations Center Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Economic Development Department of Finance and Procurement Office of Mapping and Geographic Systems Department of Information Technology (DIT) EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS Towns of Leesburg and Purcellville Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Dulles Greenway/Trip II Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NVRPA) Virginia State Police Neighboring Jurisdictions Private Entities University of Virginia / Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) Virginia Tech / Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) OVERVIEW OF DOCUMENT The remainder of this ConOps document is laid out as follows: Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 4

20 Section 2 describes the state of play in Loudoun County with regards to transportation issues, existing transportation technology, and existing practices relating to incident management and public communications. Section 3 describes needs identified by stakeholders within Loudoun County relating to transportation technology and TSMO. These needs are referenced back to the project themes and needs for ITS identified in the CTP. Section 4 describes actions, including proposed deployments, alternatives for management and operations of a potential TOC in the County, and maintenance expectations. Section 5 describes operating scenarios for future technology implementations and highlights the differences between existing operations and potential future operations. Section 6 describes other considerations relevant to a ConOps, including a strengths/needs/weaknesses/opportunities (SWOT) analysis and considerations for staffing and costs. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS Loudoun County 2010 Countywide Transportation Plan (Adopted June 15, 2010; Amended through December 6, 2016). Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (Adopted March 2006; Draft Update being produced for 2017). Loudoun County Transit Technology Implementation Plan (Draft, 2016). Northern Virginia East-West Integrated Corridor Management Concept of Operations (Draft, 2017). VDOT Northern Region Operations (NRO) Strategic Plan (2008). 5 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

21 2. STATE OF PLAY This section examines the existing state of play, or existing conditions, with regards to transportation issues and associated technology deployments in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia. This section first briefly assesses transportation congestion and safety concerns on County roadways. It then reviews roadway ITS deployments in the County as compared to the Northern Virginia region, noting that most deployments are concentrated on interstate highways and facilities in Fairfax and Arlington Counties. Loudoun County, which does not have a Federally-designated interstate highway but does have several limited-access freeways or partial freeways, currently has limited roadway ITS infrastructure deployed. This section also reviews existing technology deployments for transit service in the County and at park-and-ride lots in the County. Finally, this section reviews existing information flows within the County for responding to traffic incidents. TRANSPORTATION CONGESTION AND SAFETY As Loudoun County continues its rapid growth in population and employment, traffic congestion continues to grow as well within the County. Several locations within the County roadway network suffer from multi-hour congestion during peak commuting periods, affecting thousands of drivers. In addition, there are several locations within the County that have been observed to be hotspots for crashes and added delays. The County also has several park-and-ride lots providing access to commuter bus service; however, some of these lots are known to be over-capacity or approaching capacity, potentially forcing more vehicles back onto area roadways. TRAFFIC BOTTLENECKS The County has several locations within the regional transportation network that operate as major traffic bottlenecks. The County transportation network is constrained by major barriers such as Dulles Airport, bodies of water (the Potomac River, Goose Creek, and Broad Run), and mountainous terrain to the west. These barriers, coupled with an incomplete roadway network lacking in parallel routes, contribute to growing congestion concerns in the County. A table in the Appendix provides a listing of the top-ranked bottlenecks in the County for September and October Out of all bottlenecks in Northern Virginia, four within the County are among the top 25 bottlenecks in the entire region. Within the Appendix, maps are also provided showing average weekday AM and PM peak-hour speeds on Loudoun County roadways. CRASH HOTSPOTS There are several locations in on County roadways prone to safety concerns, especially along the arterial network in the eastern half of the County. A heatmap in the Appendix shows crash density on County roadways using crash data from 2013 through The highest crash frequencies generally occur in the eastern Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 6

22 portions of the County along the Route 7, Route 28, and Waxpool Road corridors. Crash hotspots generally align with major arterial commuting corridors and known bottleneck locations. Due to previously-mentioned constraints in the roadways network, impacts from a traffic incident can be wide-reaching within the network. OTHER TRANSPORTATION CONSTRAINTS Park-and-Ride Capacity Several park-and-ride lots, most of which are served by transit, are heavily utilized by commuters taking advantage of bus service or carpooling options. Two new park-and-ride lots opened in These lots are operated by various parties, including the County, VDOT, and private owners. Loudoun County Transit (LCT) currently operates commuter bus service from park-and-ride lots within the County to the Washington, DC area, as well as feeder service to Metrorail stations in Fairfax County. Many of the major lots in the County are operating at or near capacity, which limits the overall capacity of transit service and could potentially be turning away less frequent transit riders who are unsure if they will be able to park when they want to take transit. These lots do not have technology deployed to count the number of spaces occupied and share this information via upstream signage or online platforms. A map in the Appendix shows park-andride lots in the County and adjacent areas in Northern Virginia, showing lot ownership, estimated weekday occupancy based on parking counts or estimates between 2013 and 2015, and overall lot size. Weather-Related Incidents Finally, response to weather events is a significant concern within the County, especially as population and employment within the County continues to grow and as more commuters pass through the County from the north and west. Due to its proximity to the Appalachian Mountains, Loudoun County is more susceptible to winter events than its eastern neighbors closer to Washington, DC. Notable recent events include the January 2016 blizzard, which crippled the County with more than three feet of snow in some areas. The County also has low-lying areas near the Potomac River and Goose Creek that are prone to flooding. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) has noted in its Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan that Loudoun County has a high risk for flooding and winter weather, as well as other natural hazards such as wind, tornadoes, and drought. TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY AND IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA In the Commonwealth of Virginia, VDOT generally owns, operates, and maintains traffic signals in most Counties, while independent Cities generally own, operate, and maintain their traffic signals. In Loudoun County, VDOT has approximately 7 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

23 200 traffic signals as of 2016, nearly all of which are located east of US 15. VDOT also owns, operates, and maintains traffic signals in all Counties bordering Loudoun (Clarke, Fauquier, Prince William, and Fairfax). Within VDOT s Northern Region, NRO has approximately 1,400 signals. VDOT is in the process of upgrading traffic signal controllers and software throughout the region and has upgraded approximately 1,000 signals as of July More information on VDOT s traffic signal upgrades can be found in the Appendix. Separately, the Town of Leesburg owns, operates, and maintains its own traffic signals; it currently has 60 signals in operation. VDOT and its partner Cities and Towns, including the Town of Leesburg, work to coordinate traffic signal systems along corridors to optimize vehicle throughput and minimize repeated braking or stoppages. VDOT retimes its signals in Northern Virginia every few years based on peak hour traffic counts. VDOT s signals can be monitored and reconfigured remotely via a central system, which is housed in Fairfax County and described in the next section. ROADWAY ITS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY AND IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA ITS devices can be used to help detect and assess the severity of traffic congestion, crashes, parking availability, and weather incidents and to combat some of the issues mentioned in the previous sections by alerting roadway operators and travelers. Figure 2-1 shows existing roadway ITS infrastructure assets in the County and just outside the County. This infrastructure is owned and maintained by VDOT. The existing roadway ITS infrastructure includes: Environmental Sensor Station (ESS) Weather Platforms ESS obtain environmental conditions information, including air temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, precipitation type and intensity, and visibility, from sensors along roadways. ESS are deployed at three locations in northwestern Loudoun County, as well as one ESS at Dulles Airport Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) Cameras CCTV cameras are used to monitor real-time traffic conditions and validate reported incidents. CCTV deployments in the County include two along Route 28, two along Route 7, one along US 50, and one along Waxpool Road. The County also owns two portable traffic cameras managed by the Sheriff s office, which are used for general support during special events. Town of Leesburg also has cameras managed by its public works staff and police department; Leesburg staff use their cameras to monitor real-time conditions daily, adjust traffic signal timings, and coordinate with law enforcement for incident management. Traffic Sensor Station (TSS) TSS collect traffic counts and vehicle classification data. One TSS is installed along Route 28 in Loudoun County. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 8

24 Changeable Message Signs (CMS) the County owns five portable CMS, which are prepositioned along Route 7, Route 15, and US 50, but can be relocated for special events and construction. All of these are remote-programmable. No VDOT fixed-in-place CMS are currently deployed in the County. The Town of Leesburg also owns five portable message signs, which it uses for incident management, milling and paving, and special events. For comparison, Figure 2-2 shows a zoomed-out view of ITS infrastructure assets in the Northern Virginia region. These assets are heavily confined to interstate facilities (I-66, I-495, I-95, and I-395), where VDOT has invested heavily in traffic sensors and detectors, CCTV cameras, and message signs. Other ITS deployments are scattered among major arterial facilities, generally within Fairfax County. Loudoun County does not have a Federally-designated interstate highway but does have several limited-access freeways or partial freeways, including Route 267 (the tolled Dulles Greenway), Route 28, and Route 7. These facilities carry heavy traffic volumes, especially during multi-hour peak periods, and have posted speed limits of at least 55 miles per hour. 9 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

25 Figure 2-1. Existing Roadway ITS Infrastructure in Loudoun County Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 10

26 Figure 2-2. Existing Roadway ITS Infrastructure in Northern Virginia 11 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

27 VDOT s ITS assets are operated from the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (PSTOC) in Fairfax County. The PSTOC is located adjacent to VDOT s Northern Region headquarters and houses NRO s Transportation Operations Center (TOC) and Signal System, as well as staff from state and local law enforcement and emergency response. Arlington County, which owns and operates its own roads and traffic signals (as opposed to VDOT and much like independent Cities in the Commonwealth), owns and maintains a suite of its own ITS infrastructure separate from VDOT, including a network of CCTVs throughout the County and message signs along arterials. Those assets are also shown in Figure 2-2. All of Arlington s ITS assets are linked via a County-wide fiber network and can be monitored through the Arlington s own TOC. All of Arlington County s CCTV feeds are shared with the PSTOC. The City of Alexandria also operates a TOC and has its own ITS deployments. Finally, the Town of Leesburg has its own ITS deployments and a virtual TOC, described in the next section. VDOT NRO also is involved with several additional ITS deployment initiatives, including the following: Upgrading all VDOT traffic signal controllers and communication to be able to communicate with the PSTOC in real-time Deploying adaptive signal control systems 5 along various corridors in the region (all in Fairfax and Prince William Counties) Partnering with WMATA to deploy transit signal priority (TSP) along the Route 7 corridor in Fairfax County to improve transit operations. Partnering with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) and others to deploy roadside devices to facilitate connected vehicle (CV) and autonomous vehicle (AV) technology testing on more than 70 miles of interstates and arterials in Northern Virginia, including I-66, I-495, US 29, and US 50 in Fairfax and Prince William Counties. Deploying uninterruptible power supply (UPS) at all NRO traffic signals to allow for continuous short-term traffic operations during power outages. A detailed overview of ITS deployments and initiatives in Northern Virginia can be found in the Appendix. TSMO IN THE TOWN OF LEESBURG Over the past several years, the Town of Leesburg in the center of Loudoun County - has become proactive in deploying ITS devices and actively managing its surface transportation network. Unlike Loudoun County, the Town of Leesburg owns and operates its traffic signals and roadways (not VDOT). Leesburg operates 60 traffic signals as of April 2017, all but eight of which are connected by fiber. The Town has also deployed pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras at 10 targeted 5 With an adaptive signal control system (ACS), traffic signal timings are automatically re-optimized in response to detected conditions along a corridor. This is in contrast with typical traffic control systems, in which general parameters such as the maximum green time for a given movement or the total amount of time to complete one cycle through the signal (cycle length), are fixed inputs. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 12

28 signals and seeking to increase its video deployments. The Town s traffic signal technician and police department can access video feeds and traffic signal statuses via virtual traffic operations center (TOC) software on Town laptops. The Town is in the process of upgrading software at all signals; signals which have been upgraded can also have timings adjusted remotely in real-time. Leesburg is proactive with using video for incident monitoring and making real-time adjustments to signal timings in response to incidents, congestion, or queueing. Town staff maintain a relationship with VDOT PSTOC staff and coordinate regularly with regards to signal timing adjustments and incidents. The Town of Leesburg s TSMO efforts for its local street network can serve as a baseline for a potential targeted state-of-play for Loudoun County. TRANSIT ITS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY AND IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA As a major growth hub within the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, Loudoun County has seen an expansion in transit service and ridership in the past several years. Loudoun County Transit (LCT) currently operates commuter bus service from park-and-ride lots within the County to Washington, DC, feeder service to Metrorail stations in Fairfax County, local bus service, and ADA paratransit. Phase II of Metrorail s Silver Line, slated to open in 2020, will bring heavy rail service to Ashburn and the Dulles North area. LCT plans on expanding connecting bus service to Metrorail stations when the Silver Line Phase II service begins 6. LCT is currently using the following technologies to enhance its bus service operations and facilitate traveler information: Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) CAD/AVL systems are used to track vehicle locations in real-time and automatically assign drivers and vehicles to routes. LCT has deployed Clever Devices CAD/AVL on its commuter and Metrorail connection service; LCT has a separate AVL system for its local service that allows it to see vehicle locations in real-time. With the Clever system, LCT can obtain real-time bus arrival predictions, which riders can access through a mobile app and website. Electronic Registering Fareboxes (ERFs) ERFs allow for fare media presented by boarding passengers, such as SmarTrip cards, to be scanned and assessed, storing information on the transaction. LCT currently has ERFs deployed on commuter and Metrorail connection service, which allow riders to use SmarTrip cards to pay for trips. Riders can also load value onto their SmarTrip cards while on buses. LCT intends to purchase ERFs for local bus service as well. Notification systems Bus Biz is an notification system used to notify customers of future schedule changes, temporary bus stop closures, and park and ride updates. LC Alert and SV Alert are real-time Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

29 text messaging systems used to notify customers of service disruptions. LC Alert is for commuter bus service and SV Alert is for Metro connection service. These notification systems are provided by the current bus operation contractor. These practices are in line with technologies employed by other bus transit agencies in the Washington, DC, area. All transit agencies in the region allow for fare payment via SmarTrip, and the other local transit providers in Northern Virginia (Fairfax Connector, ART, DASH, and PRTC) have deployed CAD/AVL systems for automatically dispatching and tracking vehicle locations. PARK-AND-RIDE TECHNOLOGY Several park-and-ride lots served by transit are heavily utilized by commuters. Two new park-and-ride lots have opened in The park-and-ride lots in the County are operated by various parties, including the County, VDOT, and private owners. No lots or garages in the County contain technology to track the number of spaces currently occupied in real-time. These systems have become more widespread in recent years and frequently feature signage directing lot/garage users to available spaces. Example local deployments of parking data collection and signage systems include lots in Reston Town Center and Tysons Corner Center in Fairfax County. Figure 2-3 provides an example of such signage in Reston Town Center. County staff have acknowledged specific park-and-ride lots which, from anecdotal evidence and occasional field counts, are operating at or near capacity, including the Dulles North and Dulles South lots. These lots could potentially benefit from such signage. The County is currently constructing new garages at the two future Metrorail stations in the County (Ashburn and Loudoun Gateway); a private company has also been contracted to construct a second garage at the future Ashburn station. These garages will be located adjacent to Route 267 (Dulles Greenway). DTCI staff have stated that the County intends to deploy technology to count parking space availability in real-time at the two County-owned Metrorail garages. Figure 2-3. Parking Availability Signage in Reston Town Center (Fairfax County) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 14

30 MULTIMODAL INFORMATION DISPLAYS Elsewhere in Northern Virginia, information displays have been implemented (from multiple vendors) which aggregate multimodal transportation information into a dynamic display. An example implementation in Arlington County is shown in Figure 2-4. These displays pull information from publicly-accessible open data feeds, including: Real-time transit arrival predictions (bus and rail) from WMATA, Arlington Transit, and DASH (Alexandria) Scheduled transit arrival times when real-time information is not available Availability of nearby Capital Bikeshare bicycles Alerts from transit agencies or VDOT Other feeds such as local weather and news Loudoun County Transit does not have real-time feeds integrated with these information displays, which are currently most prevalent at Metrorail stations in Arlington County and eastern Fairfax County, as well as major transit hubs such as Shirlington. Figure 2-4. Example Real-time Transit Information Display in Arlington County 15 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

31 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT IN LOUDOUN COUNTY Figure 2-5 provides a flow chart for how typical information flows for incident management in Loudoun County occur today, from the incident to the first responders and to the public. Incidents can be identified by the public, a Loudoun County Sheriff s Office (LCSO) deputy, or another police or rescue agency. If an incident is detected by the public via a 911 call or an LCSO deputy, the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), which is housed within County Fire and Rescue, will transfer the call to LCSO dispatch. If an incident is verified as needing to be handled by Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police (VSP), MWAA Police, or another jurisdiction, the ECC will transfer the call to the appropriate dispatch. The LCSO deputy dispatched to the incident will identify any traffic issues on the scene or during patrol, relaying this information back to dispatch. If Fire and Rescue are dispatched to the scene, they are also able to relay traffic information to LCSO dispatch. External entities such as Leesburg Police, VSP, or MWAA Police also can relay information to LCSO dispatch of request a traffic alert. LCSO dispatch (both Public Information Officer or dispatchers) can send out text alerts through Alert Loudoun, which provides emergency information, news releases, traffic information, weather alerts, and more. One of Alert Loudoun s categories is Loudoun Traffic and Road Closures, which users can sign up for to receive text alerts. The Town of Leesburg also can post their own alerts through the system. The subscriber base for Alert Loudoun is approximately 16,000 people. LCSO maintains a traffic activity map that pulls data automatically from the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system. The event will remain on the map while a deputy is working the incident, even if the roadway has been cleared. Events managed by Leesburg Police Department or VSP are not displayed on the map. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 16

32 Figure 2-5. Existing Information Flows for Incident Management and Traffic Text Alerts VDOT has a dedicated representative to provide LCSO with support resources during incidents. The employee works part-time but is available 24/7 and facilitates the deployment of VDOT assets such as signage and cones. It takes time for VDOT to mobilize these resources, typically within a two-hour window, and are therefore engaged for longer incidents. LCSO has begun acquiring its own assets, for example a trailer of cones, to provide quicker response times. COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER The County has an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which operates under the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). The EOC is only activated during significant events, such as a weather event, major emergency, or planned special event. Within the EOC, various agencies and decision-makers come together in preparation for and during these emergency or special events. The EOC services provide situational awareness, along with coordination with other agencies and utilization and allocation of scarce resources. The County is provided with a telephone number into VDOT s operations center (the PSTOC in Fairfax County), but VDOT does not place personnel in each EOC around Northern Virginia during an event. A secure partners agreement is currently ongoing and will provide the County with additional access to VDOT cameras; currently, OEM staff have noted that the County has no eyes on roadways, particularly the Town of Leesburg (which, due to security and firewall issues, cannot share its camera feeds with external parties) and areas in the western half of the County. The EOC has various communications channels, including: County Sheriff s office, who maintain traffic alerts and a webpage. County Public Affairs and Communications Office, who handle Social Media and Loudoun Alerts 17 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

33 County Fire and Rescue, who can rebroadcast Sheriff s alerts VDOT PSTOC VSP, who can contact other state DOTs and send alerts to truckers PARALLEL EFFORTS Other ongoing efforts related to the transportation technology planning efforts in the County, including this project, are described in this section. VDOT EAST-WEST ICM PLANNING EFFORTS Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) uses technology and policy to better utilize all seats (car, bus, train, bike, etc.), all travel lanes, all parking, and all modes in a corridor through coordinated information sharing, decision-support, and traveler information. VDOT is currently working on an ICM planning study for the Northern Virginia East-West Corridor, which encompasses Loudoun County and includes several major freeway and arterial routes, including US 50, Route 7, and the Dulles Greenway, as well as existing and planned transit systems. The conceptual ICM system will include an expansion of real-time conditions monitoring deployments, a data warehouse, enhanced decision-support, nextgeneration traveler information products, and advanced incentivization tools to alter travel demand. This system will be comprised of many existing ITS systems currently in operation, as well as new systems to better streamline coordination and management of the transportation network. Loudoun County s coordination with VDOT on this ICM planning effort will be essential for the ConOps and Implementation Plan and eliminating redundant planning efforts. VDOT will be releasing its own ICM implementation plan in May 2017 and is hoping to follow up this plan with applications for grant funding for implementation. LOUDOUN COUNTY TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Loudoun County Transit and Commuter Services is currently in the process of finalizing a parallel but coordinated Transit Technology Implementation Plan. This plan provides recommendations for ITS upgrades or new deployments through FY These recommendations are summarized in Table 2-1. These projects are generally focused on technologies on transit vehicles and backend software systems for the transit agency; this Concept of Operations generally focuses on technologies for the roadway network and for connections between transportation modes. The Implementation Plan that is part of this current study, together with the Transit Technology Implementation Plan, will form a coordinated framework for multimodal transportation technology projects in the County. Table 2-1. Loudoun County Transit Technology Plan Recommended Deployments 7 7 Source: Loudoun County Transit Technology Implementation Plan (2016) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 18

34 Functional Area Reporting and Analysis Service Change Implementation Fare Collection Fleet Management and Maintenance Traveler Information Transit Signal Priority (TSP) ITS Project Procure transit data management, reporting, and analysis software to facilitate automated analysis of service, including evaluations of potential alternatives to schedule changes. Procure transit scheduling software to expedite the process of making changes to bus service schedule. Implement electronic fareboxes on local service fleet to avoid manual fare handling, recording, and processing. Integrate CAD/AVL system and farebox system to help evaluate the productivity of routes. Expand wireless LAN deployment at bus yard to alleviate issues with data upload from vehicles. Develop publicly-accessible Generalized Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) feed, including a GTFSreal-time feed, to facilitate third-party app development. Integrate Loudoun County Transit s real-time bus arrival information with regional Real-Time Next Bus Electronic Signs, focused on commuter transit hubs in Arlington and Washington, DC. Integrate real-time bus information with GeoHub, an online platform for geographic data maintained by the County. Deploy transit signal priority at traffic signals along targeted corridors to help maintain on-time performance of buses. EMERGENCY VEHICLE PREEMPTION Loudoun County Fire and Rescue has an upcoming capital improvement project to deploy traffic signal preemption technologies at 76 intersections throughout the County. This infrastructure will allow for emergency vehicles to communicate with traffic signals and preempt the current signal timing to provide a green signal for the emergency vehicle. The Transit Technology Implementation Plan notes that this infrastructure can be used to support deployment of transit signal priority (TSP) at a later date. The preemption devices are slated to be deployed beginning in FY ; the Transit Technology Implementation Plan proposes that transit signal priority be deployed in FY2022. This effort is notable in that it represents an existing commitment within the County to improve traffic signal technology, and it should be done in such a way that future enhancements such as TSP can build off of it Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

35 NORTHERN VIRGINIA HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) prepared a regional hazard mitigation plan in , which is currently being updated for re-release in This plan defines regional and local levels of risk for various hazards (e.g. floods, tornadoes, winter storms) and commitments from localities to reduce risks from natural hazards. Local officials can refer to the plan in decisions regarding funding capital improvements or for prioritizing future funding. Within the plan, Loudoun County is noted as having high risks for flooding and winter weather, as well as wind/tornadoes and droughts. The plan notes several mitigation actions for the County, including: Installing back-up power capabilities at key intersections Increasing the number of gauges along waterways to track water levels Developing a plan for adding flood signage and gates in known trouble spots Developing a strategy for installation of message signs and traffic cameras for maintaining situational awareness This hazard mitigation plan effort is relevant to this current study in that it provides documentation of existing risks and needs in the County and recommendations for several transportation-related technology deployments. BACKUP GENERATORS AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS In conjunction with VDOT NRO s initiative to deploy uninterruptible power supply (UPS) equipment at all signals in the County, the County has a separate initiative to deploy backup generators in the event of a widespread power outage, as UPS typically can only power a signal for a few hours during an outage. The County conducted a study in 2016 to prioritize over 100 signals to receive backup generators and associated equipment, and the FY2017 adopted budget for the County has a line item for design of the backup generator system. Similar to the County s plans to deploy emergency vehicle preemption technology at targeted traffic signals, this effort highlights an existing commitment within the County to improve traffic signal technology. GEOHUB As of 2016, Loudoun County is partnering with ESRI and entered into a pilot program to deploy GeoHub, a crowdsourcing tool for citizens to submit spatial information. This tool, of which the only other deployment nationwide is in Los Angeles, can allows users to explore, visualize, and download various geolocation based data elements maintained by the County. Loudoun County is a leader in digital mapping, and transportation technology elements should be included in the County s future mapping. 9 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 20

36 3. TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY NEEDS NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY STAKEHOLDERS Specific transportation technology needs were identified from interviews with County stakeholders, which took place in late Summer and Fall Interviews were conducted with each stakeholder individually, with follow-up interviews conducted where appropriate. A detailed list of needs gathered from County stakeholders, and their link to one or more themes, is included in the Appendix. While every stakeholder group did not have specific needs relevant to this plan, the interviews were also useful in identifying support roles that stakeholders could play. Detailed meeting notes can be found in the Appendix. The needs form the foundation for the actions included in this ConOps, which are ultimately implemented through programmed projects. These needs have been linked back to the themes expressed in the beginning of this document. High-level needs expressed by County stakeholders include the following: OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT/EOC There is a need for greater situational awareness during emergency management events. This is particularly true for areas around and west of Leesburg. There are many flood prone areas in Loudoun County, so there is a need to monitor these conditions and close roads when necessary. Any new system that is deployed, for example CCTV cameras, needs to handle multiple users and have defined policies and procedure for control during certain scenarios. Time is of the essence during emergency events, so having the ability to quickly alert road users of hazards and identify the owners/operators of roads is also needed. Relevant themes: Safety, Situational Awareness, Traveler Information, Planning, Coordination SHERIFF S OFFICE The Sheriff s Office expressed a need for more outlets for providing traveler information, whether it be portable or overhead message signs, or increasing the subscriber base for alerts. There is an overall need to increase the amount of information provided to the VDOT PSTOC from Loudoun County. Improved coordination of adjacent work zones and reporting of work zone impacts is also needed. Finally, there is a need for evacuation planning and the ability to manage traffic signals and improved situational awareness during such an event. Relevant themes: Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Traveler Information, Planning, Coordination FIRE AND RESCUE Fire and Rescue needs improved situational awareness for effective service delivery. This includes knowing if critical access points and water supplies are 21 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

37 clear. The ability to navigate intersections safely with the use of traffic signal preemption is also needed. Relevant themes: Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Planning TRANSIT AND COMMUTER SERVICES Transit and Commuter Services has a need to fill in current capability gaps of transit ITS and establish a baseline of technology for local transit service vehicles. This is largely being accomplished through a parallel effort, the Transit Technology Implementation Plan. There is a need to provide more traveler information to the public via a standard schedule feed and dynamic information at major transit hubs. The ability to know when parking lots and transit buses fill up and disseminate that information to travelers is needed. Improved first- and lastmile connections to transit are also needed as new developments arise. Relevant themes: Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Traveler Information, Economic Development, Planning, Coordination ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Department of Economic Development has an overall need for transportation technology and a working, complete, transportation system to attract and retain businesses and associated workforce, including providing access for low-wage workers to jobs. Improved transportation connections are needed, whether it be to Dulles Airport or between activity centers and development communities. As more transportation data becomes available to Loudoun County, it needs to be shared with the public and the app developer community. Traveler information and smart parking systems are needed for a seamless transition between home and the future Metro stations. Relevant themes: Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Traveler Information, Economic Development, Planning MAPPING AND GEOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS The Office of Mapping and Geographic System has a need to maintain consistent mapping across all departments. This includes the ability to maintain records and mapping of future technology deployments. The data generated from future systems and ITS devices should also be able to integrate with existing GIS resources for real-time operations and planning. Relevant themes: Planning, Coordination ITS REFERENCES IN THE CTP The County s current CTP recognizes the need for technology to enhance the transportation system and maximize its efficiency. In the current CTP, a broad vision is laid out for a multi-modal transportation system that is safe, affordable, convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound. The CTP lays out a series of Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 22

38 strategies toward achieving this vision. One of the major strategies identified is to employ intelligent transportation systems technologies in order to maximize the efficiency of the transportation network. A second major strategy identified is tracking of system performance, which indirectly ties back to having a connected network of ITS technologies to collect information on the transportation network. Specific ITS needs referenced in the CTP include the following: In Chapter 2 (County Road Network), under Design and Construction Standards, it is noted that the County will employ ITS technologies in the design of transportation projects where feasible in order to maximize the efficiency of the road network and alleviate congested corridors. In Chapter 3 (Transit and Other Mobility Options), transit ITS infrastructure specified in the CTP includes internet-based route querying or route-building as well as signage at stops detailing the minutes-to-arrival of buses. The County expects to have this signage deployed at Metrorail stations. Under Chapter 5 (Air Travel), it is noted that ITS systems are needed to support the movement of passengers and cargo to and from Washington Dulles International Airport and Leesburg Executive Airport. The CTP states that the County will explore options to implement ITS technology and multi-modal networks to enhance airport access, particularly at Dulles Airport. 23 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

39 4. PROPOSED ACTIONS AND OPERATIONS This section proposes a series of actions - ranging from deploying technology at targeted locations in the field, to providing new transportation services, to developing partnerships with external entities for improved operations of the transportation network to address Loudoun County s defined transportation technology needs. These actions form the basis of projects which are described in greater detail in the Implementation Plan. New operating and management processes may be needed to implement all of these actions. In the future, this includes a recommended development of a Loudoun County transportation operations center. It should be noted that the recommended actions are intended to be phased, with an initial set of baseline deployments that will form the foundation for future actions. This phased approach, including potential alternatives to management and operations, are explored in this section. Additional maintenance responsibilities are also included. PROPOSED ACTIONS This section is the main focus of the ConOps and includes the recommended actions for the County to take to accomplish the mission of this effort. Each action is tied back to one or more themes. The actions include a brief description, the current state of play, source stakeholder needs justifying the action, and images showing example implementations. Note that the actions in this section are not organized in priority order. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 24

40 Action #1: Integrate with Waze via its Connected Citizens Program (CCP) Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County needs to enhance its ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation, especially in "mission critical" situations. Additionally, Loudoun County needs to improve reporting of work zone impacts and coordination between adjacent work zones. The County should join Waze's Connected Citizen Program, which will provide the County with detailed information on how its roads are used but also allow the County to leverage the Waze platform to disseminate information about closures or planned construction. Situational Awareness, Traveler Information, Coordination Currently, there are few changeable and remote-programmable sign deployments within the County, and the County's alert system requires users to sign up. The Sheriff's office would like to increase its subscriber base for alerts. There is currently little coordination between different work zone contractors even if the work zones are on the same route. Several major routes in the County have nearby work zones which can impact each other. Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Increased subscriber base for alerts Improved reporting of bottlenecks due to work zones Improved coordination of adjacent work zones to reduce traffic impacts Waze Watchlist (source: 11 Waze Live Map (source: 25 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

41 Action #2: Provide additional camera coverage at known bottleneck and high-crash locations Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County needs additional camera coverage to provide situational awareness and emergency management through real-time camera feeds. Current camera coverage (mainly provided by VDOT) covers a limited number of locations and does not provide situational awareness for several major known bottlenecks and high-crash locations. The system should be capable of handling multiple viewers and designating camera controls. Safety, Situational Awareness, Coordination VDOT has CCTVs installed at less than ten select locations in eastern Loudoun County, generally along the Route 28 corridor. There are no cameras along US 15 or west of Leesburg. Sheriff's office has two portable traffic cameras. Leesburg police department has one camera. These are used for general support during special events. Staff have noted that in general there are no "eyes" on the transportation network in Leesburg and western Loudoun County. Leesburg has cameras monitoring conditions within the Town, but due to firewall issues cannot share their camera feeds with external entities such as the County or VDOT Several departments, including Emergency Management and Public Schools, drive the roadways to gain situational awareness. Additional camera coverage for situational awareness and emergency management Defined policy/procedure for giving camera control to a particular user Situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Increased amount of information provided to PSTOC (VDOT s traffic control center) from Loudoun County Ensure critical access points are kept clear CCTV at traffic signal (source: Kimley-Horn) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 26

42 Action #3: Provide additional overhead and portable message sign deployments for traveler information and alerts Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County needs message signs to provide traveler information, particularly on major travel corridors with high crash frequencies, known bottleneck locations, and daily variations in congestion extent and duration. Currently, there are few changeable and remote-programmable sign deployments within the County. Safety, Mobility, Traveler Information VDOT does not have any changeable message signs (CMS) installed in Loudoun County. There are no CMS on the privately-owned Dulles Greenway as well. The County currently has seven (7) prepositioned CMS to provide information during emergency events, but not all are remote programmable. Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Additional portable message signs to provide traveler information Overhead message signs on major corridors to provide traveler information Improved reporting of bottlenecks due to work zones Pole-mounted CMS (source: Kimley-Horn) 27 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

43 Action #4: Implement systems for monitoring road conditions during severe weather events Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County needs systems to monitor road conditions during weather events, such ice, snow, flooding. Flood gauges and road weather sensors that assess the impact to the pavement can be used in decision making for road treatment, closure, responding to weather related incidents, and providing the public with alerts. The Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan has noted that the County has a high risk for flooding in low-lying areas, and there are multiple known travel corridors prone to flooding in the County. Safety, Traveler Information Three environmental sensor stations are installed in northwestern Loudoun County (owned by VDOT) There are multiple known travel corridors prone to flooding in the County, but limited flood gauges along waterways, no fixed message sign deployments, and no flood gates at any locations. Ability to close roads prone to flooding Situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 28

44 Action #5: Leverage emerging technologies to deploy multimodal safety improvements at intersections Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County should implement or support VDOT in implementing intelligent detection and warning systems to improve safety at intersections for all modes. This could include pedestrian crosswalk warning systems, detection, and LED enhancements to signs. The improvements would promote safe walkability for pedestrians, mobility for cyclists, and heighten driver awareness of vulnerable road users. Application areas includes school zones and trail crossings, as well as new multimodal developments in Loudoun County. Safety, Mobility VDOT has begun implementing thermal pedestrian detection and rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFB) in school zones in Loudoun County Loudoun County has several pedestrian and bicycle trails, most notably the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD), that are highly used and intersect with major roadways Detection and warning technologies are readily available in the industry for multimodal applications Accommodations for complete streets and multimodal developments Improved first- and last-mile connections to transit as new land developments arise Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

45 Action #6: Establish a portal for disseminating data collected from transportation technologies in Loudoun County Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) With an anticipated increase in the amount of data available on transportation operations, Loudoun County needs a portal for aggregating this data and sharing with different departments. This should be coordinated with the development of the County's GeoHub. While there are other regional efforts for combining and sharing real-time data with the public, the County will at least have a consistent view of its transportation technology assets along with its other assets. Planning, Coordination The County has undertaken a pilot program with ESRI called the GeoHub, which is a public platform for submitting, visualizing, and downloading location-based open data There are scattered records and mapping system of ITS deployments, especially those not owned by the County. Open data provided to other County departments, the public and app developer community System for identifying which owner/operator has responsibility for a road Ability to maintain records and mapping of future ITS deployments Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 30

46 Action #7: Increase use of data for transportation planning using sensors and third-party sources Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County should take advantage of a wide range of novel and innovative transportation data sources to gain a more accurate understanding of transportation conditions, travel patterns, and trends. These sources include third-party "big data" vendors such as INRIX, AirSage, StreetLight, and others, who can provide detailed travel time and origindestination information. These sources could also include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi sensor deployments on corridors. Situational Awareness, Planning, Coordination Over the past few years, several "big data" vendors have emerged providing detailed travel time and origin-destination data based on probe samples of devices (cell phones, GPS units, etc.). This data can be broken down into various time periods or user groups (for example, "personal" versus "commercial" trips). At the same time, many agencies have utilized Bluetooth or WiFi sensors physically deployed along corridors or travel sheds to obtain travel time and origin-destination data. Many jurisdictions and agencies are beginning to utilize these data sources to supplement or replace traditional data sources, such as manual traffic counts or "floating car" travel time runs. These data sources can be used for planning and operational analyses and can provide substantial insights on travel patterns and reliability. These data sources should continue to improve rapidly over the next several years. Open data provided to the public and app developer community Understanding of the shared mobility state of play and the County's role in providing this service Improved reporting of bottlenecks due to work zones Bluetooth beacon at traffic signal cabinet (source: Kimley-Horn) 31 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

47 Action #8: Deploy smart parking infrastructure at targeted garages, lots, or streets Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County desires to provide information to travelers on parking, including locations of availability, restrictions on parking, and pricing. In order to provide this information, underlying infrastructure such as data collection systems and communications must be deployed at targeted locations. Dynamic signage can direct travelers to specific parking areas or inform them of available parking spaces. Park and ride lot utilization and availability is a particular area of interest. Situational Awareness, Mobility, Economic Development, Planning Park and ride utilization is currently tracked by a manual count once a month Three garages are currently under construction for Metrorail stations in the County (two of which are being constructed by and will be owned by the County). The County currently has an existing residential permit parking program; its processes for receiving, reviewing, and approving applications is currently under study and being evaluated for inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. This program is likely to expand in anticipation of the incoming Silver Line Metrorail extension and the likely increase in demand for parking. Infrastructure to support future smart parking meters Electric vehicle charging stations at Metro parking facilities Traveler information for a seamless transition between home and Metro parking ont+of+restaurant_highres.jpg Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 32

48 Action #9: Provide dynamic traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers would provide real-time information on conditions and travel options for multiple modes. This includes information on roadway conditions, transit conditions and arrival times, car sharing, and bike sharing. These displays would be located at park and ride lots, future Metro stations, and major developments to facilitate transportation connections. The displays can be located indoors or outdoors, and would be connected to a communications network so the information can be easily updated. Mobility, Traveler Information Loudoun County does not have real-time information displays, which are currently more prevalent in Arlington County and eastern Fairfax County. However, the County is planning for higher-density urban development in several areas, most notably in the vicinity of the Ashburn Metrorail station. The County provides real-time information on transit conditions via text alerts and a website and desires to develop a real-time GTFS feed. Dynamic traveler information at transit hubs for waiting passengers Improved first- and last-mile connections to transit as new land developments arise Traveler information for a seamless transition between home and Metro parking Improve transportation connections between activity centers and the airport Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

49 Action #10: Improve incident management on Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 using safety service patrols Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Actively monitoring and responding to incidents with safety service patrols would benefit the County's major routes, Route 28, Route 7, and US 50. Higher traffic volumes are expected as Route 7 becomes a full freeway, and both routes are currently not covered by services provided by VDOT. Patrols would detect incidents, minimize incident duration, clear roadway obstructions, and provide temporary traffic control. The service could be separate from or an extension of the existing services provided on Northern Virginia interstates. However, funding arrangements and coordination with VDOT would be needed. Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Coordination Some of the duties of a safety service patrol are currently handled by the Sheriff's Office and VSP No safety service patrols currently exist in Loudoun County VDOT currently provides safety service patrols on I-66, I-495, and I-95. Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 34

50 Action #11: Build out Loudoun County communication network to support transportation technology Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County desires to expand broadband communications throughout the County, especially to underserved areas in western Loudoun County. This network can be used to support transportation technology deployments, such as cameras and message signs. DTCI could potentially take advantage of fiber deployments from other agencies within the County to ensure broadband communications for future deployments and explore potential partnerships for deploying fiber. The County should emphasize fiber deployments in and around the new Metrorail stations, especially at traffic signals. The County could also look to require developers to provide mapping information on nearby fiber deployments as new developments are built. Safety, Economic Development, Coordination There currently exists a wide range of fiber optic cable within the County owned by VDOT or private companies such as Verizon and CenturyLink. DIT desires to expand the County's broadband footprint to underserved areas in western Loudoun County, including a fiber network to support public schools and libraries (currently leased from Verizon) and interconnect County buildings and facilities. Situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

51 Action #12: Pilot active management of an arterial corridor Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County would pilot active management of a highly congested corridor using a private contractor. This would involve real-time operations of the corridor and management of recurrent and non-recurrent congestion. The provider would monitor conditions and dynamically adjust traffic signals to manage delays and queues. The contractor would have performance targets to maintain to ensure the corridor operates as efficiently as possible. The pilot would run for a limited duration before the County decides to continue this strategy or expand to other corridors. Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Traveler Information, Coordination Traffic signals in Loudoun County a currently operated and managed by VDOT. This strategy has been used in several cities in the U.S. and worldwide. Real-time traffic conditions for effective service delivery Video detection at traffic signal in Arlington County (source: Kimley-Horn). 31 Traffic management center workstation (source: Kimley-Horn) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 36

52 Action #13: Pilot autonomous shuttle circulator service Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) An autonomous shuttle service would serve multiple purposes. This innovative technology would increase personal mobility with first- and last-mile connections and be attractive to businesses and visitors. The service would first be implemented in a relatively controlled environment (low-traffic area or separate path). The County will have several existing and future developments that are appropriate for an autonomous shuttle. The technology required to provide such a service currently exists and is being used in several U.S. cities and worldwide. Vehicles typically hold 10 to 15 passengers and travel at low speeds during testing. Mobility, Economic Development Shuttle services within and between developments currently do not exist in Loudoun County. Loudoun County Transit Metro Connections provides service between park and ride lots and Metro stations. Some future developments are proffered to have a shuttle service, such as Moorefield Station. Transportation circulator service that connects activity centers and development communities Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

53 Action #14: Establish a Loudoun County transportation operations center (TOC) Description Themes State of Play Relevant Need(s) Loudoun County needs a TOC to facilitate the use of technology to efficiently operate the transportation network. The TOC could take many forms and would likely be implemented in phases. In general, a TOC houses tools and people who work to quickly identify and respond to incidents and disseminate information to the public. An initial implementation could an "equipment only" or "virtual" TOC that includes the systems to use or view the equipment in the field (e.g., cameras, CMS, sensors) by any remote user via a dashboard. Over time, Loudoun County would establish and operate a physical TOC. Safety, Situational Awareness, Mobility, Traveler Information, Planning, Coordination The Sheriff's Office currently performs some of the duties of a TOC - dispatching resources, disseminating traffic information, coordinating with VDOT The VDOT PSTOC has limited focus on Loudoun County The Town of Leesburg maintains a virtual TOC for incident response, conditions monitoring, and real-time timing adjustments. Other jurisdictions in Northern Virginia maintain their own TOC (Arlington County and City of Alexandria) VDOT has noted that they would like to get more information from Loudoun County Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Increased amount of information provided to PSTOC from Loudoun County Real-time traffic conditions for effective service delivery Traffic operations center workstations and video wall (source: Kimley-Horn) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 38

54 ALTERNATIVES FOR MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS Many of the concepts proposed in the previous section will require additional real-time management and operations of conditions. These conditions to manage include: Incidents Where and what severity? What is the expected duration? Are there any recommended diversions? Major bottlenecks - Which merges/signals are backing up? Are these locations backing up more than usual? What are contributing factors? What is the impact on the transportation network? Park and ride lots - Which are full? Can a lot filling up be predicted? Can this information be communicated to travelers? Transit - Are buses full? Are buses behind schedule? Are there delays on Metrorail? Flooding - Where and what severity? Are there any road closures or diversions? Winter weather - Are roads passable? What is the status of clearing efforts? In conjunction with the concepts and deployments proposed in the previous section, the County should consider the deployment of a virtual or physical transportation operations center. This TOC would be responsible for monitoring and managing of the conditions described above. A high-level overview of information flows into and out of the TOC is provided in Figure 4-1. Deployment and staffing of a TOC would aid Loudoun County in being able to observe traffic congestion and transportation network conditions in real-time, allowing more rapid and automated responses to conditions. Full real-time operations of a TOC will require a commitment of funding and staffing; thus, it is recommended that Loudoun County consider a phased approach to TOC operations. Given that VDOT owns and maintains most of the roadways, traffic signals, and ITS devices in the County, coordination with VDOT will be imperative. It is possible that the TOC could begin as an initiative at the VDOT PSTOC with dedicated staff monitoring new inflows of information from Loudoun County and relaying information back out, such as posting messages to new CMS in the County. Table 4-1 suggests alternative management levels for the location of the TOC and the operating entity. 39 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

55 Figure 4-1. Potential Information Flows to and from Proposed TOC Table 4-1. Alternative Management Levels for Management of TOC Level Operators/ Location Description Pros Cons 1 Unstaffed (equipment only) Access to equipment and software via individual systems backend. Dashboard fed by systems. Quickly addresses needs Low investment, low risk Dedicated staff not required Limited responsivenes s and ability to manage 2 VDOT, operated at PSTOC Equipment and systems which are deployed communicate directly to PSTOC, with dedicated staff tasked with monitoring and managing conditions in Loudoun County VDOT is already operating out of PSTOC Lack of local, Loudoun County, presence Likely requires funding for operators 3 VDOT, operated at Loudoun County TOC Equipment and systems communicate to TOC in Loudoun County. VDOT supplies dedicated staff tasked with monitoring and managing conditions. Existing VDOT model (Stafford County) More local presence Requires funding for operators Requires capital investment of standing up TOC Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 40

56 Level Operators/ Location Description Pros Cons 4 Loudoun County, (DTCI/LCSO) operated at Loudoun County TOC Equipment and systems communicate to TOC in Loudoun County. Dedicated staff from County are tasked with monitoring and managing conditions. Information feeds are also shared with VDOT. Control by Loudoun County Active management Strong County coordination LCSO has existing relevant duties and awareness of needs Requires capital investment of standing up TOC Need to hire and train dedicated staff Coordination of multiple County departments It is recommended that the County ultimately get to Level 4, where a TOC is set up in Loudoun County and operated jointly by DTCI and the Sheriff s Office. A potential location for the TOC is the Sheriff s Office, given their existing role in dispatching for incident management, coordinating with VDOT and VSP, and sending out traffic information to the public. DTCI staff would operate the TOC during AM and PM peak hours, and the Sheriff s Office would operate it during off-peak hours as necessary. The TOC would also always be sharing information with VDOT PSTOC. A phased approach is recommended to get to this level of operations. PHASED APPROACH A phased approach to increasing the County s role in TOC operations should consider the following: Baseline technology initiatives that can occur outside of a Countyspecific TOC that can be integrated within the context of existing systems and staffing. These technologies should be considered most essential for bringing the County up to an acceptable baseline of technology. For example, deployments of additional cameras or CMS could interface with VDOT s existing traffic operations capabilities at the PSTOC. Supplemental technology initiatives that will require upgrading of systems/procurements of new systems and potential dedicated staffing. These technologies will supplement and advance several of the goals and needs expressed previously, and should provide an influx of new data for planning and operations. For example, a parking data collection system and upgrades to transit ITS systems will allow the County to be more proactive in planning and share new information with travelers. Real-time operations technology initiatives that would necessitate and facilitate a County-staffed and led TOC. For example, management of traffic signals in real time and County control of CMS would require dedicated staffing. 41 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

57 The proposed actions are laid out for this phased approach in a preliminary timeline shown in Figure 4-2. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 42

58 Increasing County Role in TOC Operations Phase 1: Baseline Technology (1-3 years) Phase 2: Supplemental Technology (3-6 years) Phase 3: Real-Time Operations (6+ years) Waze Integration CCTV Camera System Additional CMS Road Weather Sensors Multimodal Safety Improvements Data Portal "Equipment Only" TOC Data for Planning (Sensors and Third-Party Sources) Smart Parking Infrastructure Traveler Information Displays Transit ITS Upgrades (Parallel Effort) Traffic Signal Preemption/Priority (Parallel Effort) Integration of Transit ITS in TOC Loudoun County Operated TOC during Peak Hours Safety Service Patrols Real-Time Traffic Signal Operations Fully Loudoun County Operated TOC Build out Communication Network Pilot Active Management of a Corridor Pilot Autonomous Shuttle Figure 4-2. Loudoun County Transportation Technology Plan Proposed Phasing Long-Term 43 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

59 MAINTENANCE EXPECTATIONS Simply installing new technologies will not result in a more efficient transportation system; they will need to properly operated and maintained to have maximum effectiveness. Inadequate maintenance can result in poor system performance, equipment failures, and increased life-cycle costs. County-owned devices that would be deployed (e.g., cameras, CMS, sensors, information displays, parking infrastructure) will require ongoing maintenance; this may be provided through General Services, Department of Information Technology (DIT), or DTCI. Countystaff responsible for maintenance will need to be trained to configure, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair equipment. These trainings can be provided by the suppliers of the hardware when implemented. Backend systems (e.g., control systems for field devices, data portal, TOC) will also need to be maintained. This includes installing updated hardware and software, correcting potential deficiencies, and responding to system failures. Since there is currently a limited amount of transportation technology in Loudoun County, there is likely a maintenance knowledge gap and the additional maintenance duties may be a burden to existing staff duties. It is recommended that an analysis of recurring maintenance requirements of each of the proposed actions and current staffing capabilities be performed. This analysis is completed in the Implementation Plan, where the scopes of specific projects are provided in greater detail along with ongoing maintenance cost estimates. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 44

60 5. OPERATIONAL SCENARIOS This section outlines several theoretical operational scenarios that describe how users would interact with the proposed new technology implementations. These scenarios are designed to bring to light any requirements for the system that otherwise may have been overlooked in the needs gathering stage. These scenarios are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to highlight those deemed to have the most impact on the proposed deployments and related operating procedures. Each of these scenarios build off information flows shown in Figure 5-1, many of which are new or enhanced information flows proposed in this Concept of Operations. For each element in the operational scenarios, the needed management levels from Section 4.2 are provided. Table 2 is repeated here for reference. Table 5-1. Alternative Management Levels for Management of TOC (Same as Table 2) Level Operators/ Location Description Pros Cons 1 Unstaffed (equipment only) Access to equipment and software via individual systems backend. Dashboard fed by systems. Quickly addresses needs Low investment, low risk Dedicated staff not required Limited responsivenes s and ability to manage 2 VDOT, operated at PSTOC Equipment and systems which are deployed communicate directly to PSTOC, with dedicated staff tasked with monitoring and managing conditions in Loudoun County VDOT is already operating out of PSTOC Lack of local, Loudoun County, presence Likely requires funding for operators 3 VDOT, operated at Loudoun County TOC Equipment and systems communicate to TOC in Loudoun County. VDOT supplies dedicated staff tasked with monitoring and managing conditions. Existing VDOT model (Stafford County) More local presence Requires funding for operators Requires capital investment of standing up TOC 4 Loudoun County, (DTCI/LCSO) operated at Loudoun County TOC Equipment and systems communicate to TOC in Loudoun County. Dedicated staff from County are tasked with Control by Loudoun County Active management Strong County coordination Requires capital investment of standing up TOC 45 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

61 Level Operators/ Location Description Pros Cons monitoring and managing conditions. Information feeds are also shared with VDOT. LCSO has existing relevant duties and awareness of needs Need to hire and train dedicated staff Coordination of multiple County departments Figure 5-1. Real-time Event Information Flows (Future Proposed) SCENARIO 1: DAILY OPERATIONS / BOTTLENECKS On a typical weekday evening, volume delays begin to grow on Route 7 westbound heading toward Leesburg. Vehicle travel times are being captured in real time via INRIX s vehicle probe data feeds, which VDOT has access to at the PSTOC. (Management Levels 1-4) A filtering algorithm calculates travel times for Route 7 westbound segments and Route 28 northbound segments and outputs an XML feed to the CMS control software. (Management Levels 1-4) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 46

62 CMS on Route 7 westbound and Route 28 northbound (north of the Dulles Toll Road) are updated showing travel times to US 15 in Leesburg. (Management Levels 1-4) Travel-time messages are suspended during off-peak hours as determined by VDOT or County staff. (Management Levels 1-4) SCENARIO 2: MAJOR SNOW EVENT National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts predict a major snow event for Loudoun County, activating the EOC. This includes staff from the TOC and Sheriff s Office. (Management Levels 1-4) TOC staff monitor Waze data for reports of incidents and slowdowns. Real-time conditions are also monitored via CCTV feeds. (Management Levels 3-4) VDOT, in coordination with County staff, use road weather sensors to assess pavement conditions and determine the appropriate road treatments. (Management Level 4) The EOC communicates information to news outlets, but alerts are also posted CMS throughout the County via the TOC. (Management Levels 1-4) SCENARIO 3: SNOW EVENT IMPACTING SCHOOLS National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts predict a snow event for Loudoun County that may impact schools. (Management Levels 1-4) County staff use CCTV feeds and road weather sensors to assess road pavement conditions and make recommendations to Loudoun County Public Schools. (Management Levels 2-4) Loudoun County Public Schools communicates decision to close schools to the public using traditional methods news, radio, website, phone, and . (Management Levels 1-4) SCENARIO 4: TRAFFIC CRASH MAJOR A crash on Waxpool Road at Loudoun County Parkway is reported via the 911 call center. Staff are dispatched from the sheriff s department as well as fire and rescue. (Management Levels 1-4) TOC staff are able to confirm the incident visually via CCTV feeds as well as through the incident feed coming from Waze. The crash has blocked westbound through movements at the intersection. (Management Levels 2-4) CMS on Route 28 northbound south of Waxpool Road are updated to alert drivers to seek an alternate route. Gloucester Parkway is recommended as a detour route. (Management Levels 2-4) Engineers at the TOC monitor and adjust traffic signal timings to favor the now-heavy westbound traffic on Gloucester Parkway. (Management Levels 2-4) 47 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

63 Information about the incident is shared with VDOT to post on CMS and share via available data streams to travelers outside of Loudoun County. VDOT posts information about the incident on CMS is operates in Fairfax County on Route 28 northbound, and MWAA posts information on Route 267 westbound. (Management Levels 2-4) When the incident is cleared and the backup subsides, the TOC operator changes the CMS back to displaying travel times along Route 28 northbound (or turns the CMS messaging off). Traffic signal timings along Gloucester Parkway are reverted back to their typical settings. (Management Levels 2-4) SCENARIO 5: TRAFFIC CRASH MINOR A crash on Route 7 westbound near Route 9 is reported via the 911 call center. Staff are dispatched from the sheriff s department as well as fire and rescue. (Management Levels 1-4) TOC staff are able to confirm the incident visually via CCTV feeds as well as through the incident feed coming from Waze. The crash has blocked the right-most lane (of three) along Route 7. (Management Levels 2-4) The TOC dispatches a safety service patrol to the scene to manage traffic (Management Levels 2-4) TOC staff monitor travel times along Route 7 westbound via Waze and VDOT s INRIX feeds. Queueing of approximately one mile is observed, but this queueing is not spilling back onto any other area roads. (Management Levels 2-4) CMS on Route 7 west of US 15 are updated to alert drivers of the incident and lane blockage, but an alternate route is not recommended. (Management Levels 2-4) When the incident is cleared and the backup subsides, the TOC operator changes the CMS back to displaying travel times along Route 7 westbound (or turns the CMS messaging off). (Management Levels 2-4) SCENARIO 6: PLANNED EVENT A major closure of Route 7 is planned as a new interchange is being constructed with Route 287 in Purcellville. An overnight closure of Route 7 is planned in both directions due to replacement of a bridge deck. (Management Levels 1-4) TOC staff update the Waze planned construction feed and GIS GeoHub, sharing this data with drivers using these applications. (Management Levels 1-4) CMS on Route 7 west of US 15, as well as several portable CMS deployed along Route 7 east and west of the interchange, are updated to alert drivers several days in advance of the closure. (Management Levels 1-4) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 48

64 During the closure, the CMS alert drivers that Route 7 Business is being used as a detour through Purcellville and Hamilton. (Management Levels 1-4) During the closure, dedicated TOC staff monitor Waze and INRIX feeds along Route 7 for the extent of queueing and congestion. If applicable, CMS further east of the interchange in the County are updated to provide drivers with awareness of the situation. (Management Levels 2-4) SCENARIO 7: PARKING LOT FULL Parking occupancy data is collected for the Metrorail garages at the Ashburn and Loudoun Gateway stations and calculating garage loads in real-time. These feeds are communicated in real-time back to the TOC. (Management Levels 1-4) One weekday morning, due to heavy demand, the Ashburn garage is approaching capacity at 7:30 AM. TOC staff receive an automated alert, which also provides the occupancy at the Loudoun Gateway garage. There is still room for several hundred more vehicles at the Loudoun Gateway garage. (Management Levels 1-4) TOC staff update CMS along the Dulles Greenway eastbound and along Loudoun County Parkway recommending that drivers utilize the Loudoun Gateway garage. (Management Levels 2-4) SCENARIO 8: BUS RUNNING LATE Due to Loudoun County Transit releasing a publicly-accessible real-time GTFS feed, multiple third-party mobile apps for transit usage in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area incorporate LCT s information. Riders can utilize these apps to pull real-time arrival predictions for their local bus stop, such as expanded local bus service carrying riders from the Loudoun Gateway Metrorail station to nearby communities. (Management Levels 1-4) Information displays at the Metrorail station show a list of bus routes and arrival times as well, with incident feeds displayed in the same graphic. (Management Levels 1-4) 49 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

65 6. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS A SWOT analysis was conducted to evaluate how Loudoun County s is positioned to take a greater role in operating its transportation network with the use of transportation technology (see Figure 6-1). The analysis considered internal strengths and weaknesses, or advantages that can be leveraged and areas of needed improvement. External opportunities and threats, or elements of the environment that could provide advantages or obstacles to implementation, were also identified. A SWOT analysis allows an agency to identify what it does well internally and where it can improve, as well as how it compares to external entities. Strengths Executive support and interest for a more active county role in transportation operations Already deploying assets LCSO provides incident management, has a need for greater situational awareness Awareness of challenges and needs Population and demographics are invested in technology Buy-in for multimodal transportation options Opportunities Ability to gain more local, real-time, control to increase responsiveness Currently building out a roadway network can deploy technology alongside road and signal construction projects VDOT Integrated Corridor Management Local connections to federal resources (e.g., proximity to FHWA can lead to learning opportunities) Changing technology new opportunities at lower costs Changing nature of "everyday work" and lifestyles (e.g., increasing amount of teleworking) Abundance of data in the industry on travel patterns Weaknesses Current staff levels not organized for operations Limited institutional knowledge for operations Need a clear picture of communications network existing fiber is leased Segmentation of county departments (e.g. DTCI manages road construction and transit, LCSO manages incident response) Need a vision for an integrated multimodal network Geographic constraints of the transportation network (airport, mountains, Potomac River) Threats Currently, no Loudoun County funding dedicated to ITS VDOT currently owns and operates the roads and traffic signals Few existing County ITS assets Potential difficulties in forming future partnerships with other agencies Changing technology Lack of a NOVA-centric transportation data hub Competing Loudoun County priorities Figure 6-1. SWOT Analysis Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations 50

66 APPENDIX TRAFFIC BOTTLENECK RANKINGS The University of Maryland s Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT) Lab s Vehicle Probe Project (VPP) Suite has a built-in tool to identify and rank bottlenecks in a transportation network using archived INRIX vehicle probe data. This tool allows a user to query by specific regions or roads, such as all interstate facilities or select counties in Northern Virginia. Bottlenecks can be mapped and ranked by a variety of metrics, including an overall Impact metric developed by the CATT Lab which aggregates queue length over time over a date range. Kimley-Horn conducted a Bottleneck Ranking scan for all roads in Loudoun County as well as for all roads in Northern Virginia (including Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William Counties, as well as independent Cities) for September and October provides a listing of the top bottlenecks in the County for this time period. Table A-1. Loudoun County Bottleneck Rankings, September-October 2016 Ranking Location Notes 1 2 US 15 northbound at Route 655/Whites Ferry Road US 15 southbound at Route 655/Whites Ferry Road 3 Route 9 westbound at Route 287/Berlin Turnpike Route 606 westbound at Arcola Road Route 659 southbound at Evergreen Mills Road Route 606 eastbound at Route 267/Dulles Greenway Route 7 westbound at Ashburn Village Boulevard Route 7 eastbound at Belmont Ridge Road US 50 eastbound at Route 609/Pleasant Valley Road Route 659 eastbound at Evergreen Mills Road A-1 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations Lane drop south of intersection creates bottleneck for traffic heading toward Maryland in the evening. Traffic signal creates bottleneck for traffic heading south from Maryland in morning. New interchange between Loudoun County Parkway and Route 606 will directly address this Northstar Boulevard extension will directly address this Future interchange to be constructed here Future interchange to be constructed here Northstar Boulevard extension will directly address this MAPS OF CONGESTION, CRASH DENSITY, AND PARK-AND- RIDE LOTS Figure A-1 and Figure A-2 show average speeds on Loudoun County roadways during the AM and PM peak hours, respectively, for September and October 2016 (source: RITIS).

67 Figure A-3 provides a heatmap showing crash density on Loudoun County roadways using crash data from 2013 through 2015 (source: VDOT). Figure A-4 provides a map of park-and-ride lots in the County and adjacent areas in Northern Virginia, showing lot ownership, estimated weekday occupancy given parking counts or estimates between 2013 and 2015, and overall lot size (source: Kimley-Horn). Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-2

68 Figure A-1. Average Speeds on Loudoun County Roadways, AM Peak Hour (8:00 AM 9:00 AM), September-October 2016 (Source: RITIS) A-3 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

69 Figure A-2. Average Speeds on Loudoun County Roadways, PM Peak Hour (5:00 PM 6:00 PM), September-October 2016 (Source: RITIS) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-4

70 Figure A-3. Per-Mile Crash Density on Loudoun County Roadways, (Source: VDOT) A-5 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

71 Figure A-4. Park-and-Ride Lot Ownership, Average Occupancy, and Size (Source: Kimley-Horn) Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-6

72 DETAILED OVERVIEW OF ITS DEPLOYMENTS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA Transportation Operations Centers (TOCs) VDOT s ITS assets are monitored from the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (PSTOC) in Fairfax County. The PSTOC is a partnership between Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia that brings multiple agencies and functions together under one roof to enhance the effectiveness of public safety response, improve traffic congestion management, and better manage the response to and recovery from major emergencies 35. The PSTOC is located just south of I-66 in western Fairfax County adjacent to VDOT s Northern Region headquarters. Within the PSTOC, the following agencies are housed: VDOT s Northern Region Transportation Operations Center (TOC) and Signal System. The TOC monitors traffic and incidents by using cameras and other information-gathering mechanisms to better manage day-today traffic flow and large incidents. The Virginia Department of State Police (VSP) Division 7 communications center, which receives and dispatches all #77 (interstate-related) calls for the Northern Virginia region. Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications, which receives and dispatches all emergency and nonemergency police, fire and rescue calls in Fairfax County. Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), which oversees and activates the county's Emergency Operations Center during emergency incidents. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department staff for assisting with specific dispatching Fairfax County Police Department Forensics Arlington County, which owns and operates its own roads (as opposed to VDOT, much like independent Cities in the Commonwealth), owns and maintains a suite of its own ITS infrastructure separate from VDOT, including a network of CCTVs throughout the County and message signs along arterials. Those assets are also shown in Figure 2-2. All of Arlington s ITS assets are linked via a County-wide fiber network and can be monitored through the County s traffic operations center (TOC). All of Arlington County s CCTV feeds are shared with the PSTOC A-7 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

73 VDOT Northern Region Operations ITS Initiatives VDOT NRO also is involved with several additional ITS deployment initiatives, including the following: Signal Controller and Communications Upgrades NRO is upgrading all VDOT traffic signal controllers and communication in the region to Type 2070 ATC controllers and Ethernet broadband communication. These upgrades will result in controllers with up-to-date features and improved ability to respond to traffic, with high-speed communication to the central system at PSTOC. As of July 2016, out of 1,425 signals in the region, approximately 1,000 had been upgraded. Adaptive Signal Control Systems (ACS) ACS hardware and software allows traffic signal controllers to adjust timings on-the-fly in response to actual traffic demand. Several such platforms currently exist around the US; NRO has piloted two ACS in the region and recommended three corridors which could potentially benefit from implementing ACS: o Route 7 from Seven Corners to S. George Mason Drive (Fairfax County) o US 29 from Circle Woods Drive to Graham Road and from US 15 to Ridge Top Road (Fairfax and Prince William Counties) o Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) from Popes Head Road to US 1 (Fairfax County) Transit Signal Priority (TSP) TSP allows buses to reduce dwell time at traffic signals by holding green signals longer or initiative green signals earlier. TSP modifies normal coordinated signal operations to better accommodate transit vehicles, as opposed to signal preemption, which interrupts a coordinated signal cycle for special events such as a train crossing or emergency vehicle. NRO has partnered with WMATA to deploy TSP along Route 7 at 15 intersections in Fairfax County to and the City of Falls Church improve transit operations along the corridor. Connected Vehicle (CV) and Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Test Beds - CV technologies include any of a number of different communication technologies to communicate with the driver, other cars on the road (vehicle-to-vehicle, or V2V), roadside infrastructure (vehicle-toinfrastructure, or V2I), and the cloud. This technology can be used to improve vehicle safety, improve traffic operations, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Separately, fully automated or self-driving vehicles (AV) are defined by the USDOT as those in which operation of the vehicle occurs without direct driver input to control the steering, acceleration, and braking and are designed so that the driver is not expected to constantly monitor the roadway while operating in selfdriving mode. To have a fully automated vehicle, the vehicle must also be a connected vehicle. Several states, including the Commonwealth of Virginia, have taken initiatives involving the real-world testing and deployment of CV and AV technologies. The Virginia Tech Transportation Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-8

74 Institute (VTTI), in partnership with VDOT and others, has undertaken two initiatives to study CV and AV technologies in Northern Virginia: o o o The Virginia Connected Corridors (VCC) initiative is facilitating the real-world development and deployment of connected-vehicle technology using roadside equipment units (RSEs) and highly instrumented vehicle fleets. This initiative includes the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed, which is located along I-66 and on US 29 and US 50 in Fairfax County and is the largest infrastructure test bed in the nation. This test bed allows developers and researchers to test how connected vehicle technologies will perform under real-world operating conditions. Connected applications being studied so far include traveler information, enhanced transit operations, lane closure alerts, and work zone and incident management. The Virginia Automated Corridors (VAC) initiative, unveiled in summer 2015, aims to streamline the use of Virginia s roads and state-of-the-art test facilities for automated vehicle testing, certification, and migration toward deployment. The VAC initiative will offer automated vehicle developers the opportunity to test their technologies on Virginia roads covering more than 70 miles of interstates and arterials in Northern Virginia, including I-66, I-495, US 29, and US 50 in Fairfax and Prince William Counties. Additionally, to advance CV and AV technologies in Northern Virginia, VDOT is taking the initiative to broadcast signal phase and timing (SPaT) data and implement work zone safety and related traveler information message (TIM) applications. A contract has been issued with the developers of the firmware and the capability is expected within FY17. This capability will facilitate applications such as red light violation warnings and eco-driving and is a step towards additional applications such as emergency vehicle preemption and TSP. In addition to broadcasting SPaT messages from equipped intersections, NRO is also working to develop the capability to access this data directly from the central signal control system. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) UPS deployments allow for continuous traffic operations during power outages. NRO has been taking a phased approach to furnishing and installing UPS at critical intersections due to limited resources but also to prepare for a more manageable life-cycle replacement maintenance program. Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) ICM uses policy and technology to better utilize all seats (car, bus, train, bike, etc.), all travel lines, all parking, and all modes in a corridor through coordinated information sharing, decision-support, and traveler information. NRO is currently working on an ICM planning study for the Northern Virginia East-West Corridor, which encompasses Loudoun County and includes several major freeway and arterial routes, including Route 7 and the A-9 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

75 Dulles Greenway, as well as existing and planned transit systems. Coordination with VDOT on this ICM planning effort will be essential for streamlining the ConOps and Implementation Plan and eliminating redundant planning efforts. DETAILED STAKEHOLDER NEEDS Table A-2 on the following page provides a detailed matrix of needs expressed by County stakeholders during the outreach process. Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-10

76 Table A-2. Specific Needs Identified by Stakeholders and Relevant Themes Description Source Stakeholder Safety Situational Awareness Mobility Traveler Information Economic Development Planning Coordination Additional camera coverage for situational awareness and emergency management Office of Emergency Management, Sheriff's Office Defined policy/procedure for giving camera control to a particular user Office of Emergency Management Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Office of Emergency Management Ability to close roads prone to flooding Office of Emergency Management System for identifying which owner/operator has responsibility for a road Office of Emergency Management Situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Office of Emergency Management Ability to maintain records and mapping of future ITS deployments Office of Mapping and Geographic Systems Fill in capability gaps of on-board transit ITS including schedule uploading and reporting Transit and Commuter Services Transit schedule information provided to the public through GTFS Transit and Commuter Services Scheduling software for transit Transit and Commuter Services Baseline of technology for local transit service vehicles to collect fares and provide real-time location information Transit and Commuter Services Forward compatible technology at traffic signals to provide transit signal priority in the future Transit and Commuter Services Dynamic traveler information at transit hubs for waiting passengers Transit and Commuter Services Improved first- and last-mile connections to transit as new land developments arise Transit and Commuter Services Understanding of the shared mobility state of play and the County's role in providing this service Transit and Commuter Services Open systems with plug-and-play components Transit and Commuter Services Increased subscriber base for alerts Sheriff's Office Additional portable message signs to provide traveler information Sheriff's Office Additional overhead message signs on major corridors to provide traveler information Sheriff's Office Ability to monitor video feed of future Metro station cameras Sheriff's Office Improved reporting of bottlenecks due to work zones Sheriff's Office Increased coordination of adjacent work zones to reduce traffic impacts Sheriff's Office Increased amount of information provided to PSTOC from Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Backup power supply to traffic signals for sustained time periods Sheriff's Office Ability to deploy assets for multiple incidents at the same time Sheriff s Office Accommodations for complete streets and multimodal developments Economic Development Traveler information for a seamless transition between home and Metro parking Economic Development Electric vehicle charging stations at Metro parking facilities Economic Development Infrastructure to support future smart parking meters Economic Development Transportation circulator service that connects activity centers and development communities Economic Development Improve transportation connections between activity centers and the airport Economic Development Open data provided to the public and app developer community Economic Development Ensure critical access points are kept clear Fire and Rescue Transit signal preemption at key locations (funded project) Fire and Rescue Real-time traffic conditions for effective service delivery Fire and Rescue Ensure water supplies are kept clear and free of damage from snow plows Fire and Rescue A-11 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

77 STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW NOTES Loudoun County Office of Emergency Management Date Monday August 15, :30 AM Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Kevin Johnson Coordinator of Emergency Management EOC is where key agencies and decision makers come together in preparation for and during an emergency or special event Situational awareness is the primary role of the EOC along with coordination with other agencies and utilization/allocation of scare resources 28 agencies are part of the plan; VDOT is a player Leesburg and Purcellville are responsible for their own streets; other towns utilize VDOT resources during snow and wind events Major events in the past "Snowmageddon" Derecho in mph straight-line winds throughout the whole county Blizzard in 2016 VDOT doesn't place personnel in each EOC around NoVA during an event; Loudoun gets telephone number into VDOT's Operation Center Secure partners agreement is currently on-going and will give Loudoun additional access to VDOT cameras In general, they have no "eyes" on anything Leesburg and west Have 7 prepositioned variable message signs (VMS) to provide information during emergency events; some but not all are remote programmable Have 2 portable traffic cameras managed by the Sheriff's office; Leesburg has 1 managed by police department; used for general support during special events VMS "Mission critical" - need to get the message out fast Through traffic (e.g., Route 9, Route 7) as well as local commuters Interested in fixed VMS Alert Loudoun Several agencies are message senders Traffic comes from Sheriff's Office or Leesburg Police Department Weather is automatically pushed through the system Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-12

78 Have "reverse 911" Everbridge community notification tool Event Types Notice events: several days' notice (weather, etc.) No notice events o Incident command post - on scene coordination of activities o EOC in a support role Typical events handled by the EOC o Hazmat that effects transportation o Flooding events o Large special events (e.g., dignitary protection visits) - EOC will be activated based on size and complexity o Small special events (e.g., races, community events) Activate 2-3 dozen times a year, mostly weather related Unique challenge is mixed road owners/operators - VDOT, towns, County, HOA's Do not have an easy means to see what roads fall under which agency's responsibility (e.g., a database or GIS); EOC wouldn't need to maintain it but access it Notification media Portable message boards Alert Loudoun Social Media - using County's Public Affairs and Communications Office One issue is drivers that encounter a road closure use their GPS to reroute and may end up on "not ideal" secondary road (gravel); may not follow public safety detour instructions Have had conversations about drones Technology is still new Regulations still make local government use challenging Area of ongoing research Proximity to Dulles Airport and DC Have access to school cameras (so does Sheriff's Office) - share control depending on the situation Communication channels VDOT PSTOC VSP contacts other state DOTs -> alerts to truckers County's Public Affairs and Communications Office -> Social Media, Loudoun Alerts Fire and Rescue -> rebroadcast Sheriff's alerts Sheriff's Office-> traffic alerts, webpage Needs to be a system that can handle multiple users/viewers Need to define who has camera control - multiple agencies need to have control but through policy/procedure define who has control during certain situations Public Safety Communication Center Fire and rescue Sheriff Leesburg A-13 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

79 Difference between maintaining and reporting situational awareness and actually operating and making change Priorities Additional camera coverage Additional VMS Gates for closure critical flooding locations Need a follow-up meeting to dive deeper into specific needs and locations Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-14

80 Loudoun County Office of Mapping and Geographic Information Date Monday August 15, :00 PM Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Larry Stipek Director County has had a GIS since 1986; believed to be 3 rd oldest in the world Maintain parcels, addresses, and streets Maintains the County's basemap (aerials) Special projects supporting other departments Programming Security Database management Data distribution Two specific areas anticipating to focus on in the future Transportation Comprehensive Plan County is deploying ESRI GeoHub, a crowdsourcing tool for citizens to submit spatial information Only other system out there is LA ESRI is providing it free of cost Can pull in from outside data sources (data mining) NCRDEH (National Capital Regional Data Exchange Hub) - updated weekly, data for emergency services GIS seat in the EOC - fire and rescue have 2 GIS personnel that would typically fill this Assets maintained in GIS County buildings Schools Parks and amenities Streetlights Utilities and communication is handled by General Services and IT It would be good to keep records of future assets that are deployed Streets Centerlines Turn lanes Number of lanes Speed limits Don't know which streets are owned by HOA's A-15 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

81 Could determine which are owned by developers -> if not VDOT, town, county, developer then may be HOA Anything mapped and posted on the website goes through GIS (e.g. transit adds a park and ride) Have been experimenting with 3D mapping/lidar; mapped the County Courthouse grounds Are not doing asset management (date installed, etc.) but is something that could be linked to the spatial data in the future Need to watch LA's ESRI video on GeoHub Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-16

82 Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Transit and Commuter Services) Date Tuesday August 16, :00 AM Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Paul Mounier Transit and Commuter Services Division Manager Service Alerts Contractor (Transdev) uses a different system than Loudoun Alerts for service delays for customers that sign up LC Alert (commuter bus focused) and SV Alert (Metro Connection focused) are real-time text messaging systems for road closures and traffic delays that cause a bus to be late The dispatcher recognizes delays and sends out a SV or LC alert Bus Biz to customers on future schedule changes, bus stop closures, proposed service changes, park and ride updates Contractors Transdev o Operate out of transit maintenance and operations facility (TMOF) o Responsible for hiring driver and operations o Commuter buses (coaches and Gillig's that provide Metro Connection service) o Loudoun owns buses and facility MV Transportation o Own and operate buses and facility o Covers local services and paratransit Information doesn't get out to customers on local buses; originally set up a system for alerts but only four people signed up Have Clever devices real-time location for commuter and Metro Connection buses; getting ready to roll out to public Don't have reporting or schedule upload modules Clever contracts with Master Scheduler to get schedule into Clever system Scott needs to talk with Clever about getting a real-time GTFS feed from the Clever system A-17 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

83 There is a need for scheduling software given growth in County and transit services; right now it is done by spreadsheet Doing an ITS study right now; inventorying what they have; examining systems; output is going to be requirements that go into RFP to fill in the gaps of their ITS system Local fleet does not have any technology; no fareboxes, only a cash box Will either do GFI fareboxes but probably not cost effective Likely will do a RouteMatch/moovel type system (tablet-based) Technology upgrades will likely happen before the operations contracts are up In 2020 contracts will end, ITS deployment, and Silver Line opening; Paul wants to space this out; technology upgrades next year; RFP out in June 2018 for the operations contracts to have someone in place by June 2019 Fire department is working on getting EVP; could piggy-back on that effort for TSP (likely GTT) Want the technology to be compatible for TSP in the future There may not be specific corridors right now but as the County gets built out it may be beneficial Around Metro stations (new signals going in) Loudoun County Parkway No real-time traveler information provided right now at stations or park and rides Paul likes the traveler information boards over static; they are more dynamic and can change as needed; can give real-time as passengers are waiting; some authority to it Dulles Town Center - hub for local (need local bus tech) Leesburg Government Center - hub for local (need local bus tech) Dulles North Transit Station Dulles South (2 lots; one being built now) Leesburg/Sycolin Goose Creek - see this being a big hub in the future Harmony East Gate New Leesburg park and ride planned at the Village at Leesburg (near Wegmans); will be permitted and built by developer as part of proffer; County will buy it outright (several years out) Need conduit/communication and power for new park and ride lots Automated shuttles Maybe in next decade: One Loudoun; Moorefield (south of 772 Metro) proffered to provide a circulator shuttle; big cul-de-sac communities in Ashburn; developments around that Metro stations (crossing major roads where it is not walkable - e.g., Loudoun County Parkway); Water Center (quarry development) connection to Innovation Station Specific small communities No cameras on the buses or in the yard; only "drive cam" that must be triggered by something Shared mobility Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-18

84 Need to understand government's role (bike share, TNC, etc.) and what is going on in this area Gamification, customer-focused, community rewards all interesting topics for the future (think Metropia) Appeals to younger demographic they want to capture First and last mile connections very important for this suburban County Do we partner with Uber? Get you to a park and ride lot and customer can pay for the whole trip without getting out of a single app Deployments need to be done in steps and be agile; in the end you may not end up with what you need if it's a very rigid development and deployment Looking for open systems, plug and play components A-19 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

85 Loudoun County Sheriff s Office Date Wednesday August 17, :00 AM Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) alan.toppen@kimley-horn.com Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) tyler.beduhn@kimley-horn.com Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) bob.brown@loudoun.gov Don Park Commander (703) don.park@loudoun.gov Sheriff's Office works a lot with Virginia State Police, EOC, and VDOT They work very closely with VSP; one will investigate the scene, the other will manage and detour traffic If closure lasts more than 2 hours they need to notify PSTOC; VDOT will send out support resources for signage, detours, etc. Have new signage on a few routes for quick clearance ("move vehicle to shoulder") Alerts to the public Sent out through their communications center and their own PIO office Social media is used a lot - often on Thursdays for events on the weekends Leesburg also pushes out alerts Would like to increase subscriber base Alert process Receive a report Emergency Communications Center (ECC) facilitates dissemination of information Unsure of the mechanism between CAD and the alert system - Don can provide additional details on the alert process with followup Planned closures They have a special events coordinator and the County also has one (through OEM) There is an event submission then goes to OEM They will copy relevant departments Permit through VDOT is required Notifications are published through alerts and social media Closure is staffed with the Sheriff's Office deputies Variable message signs "We can never have enough sign boards" Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-20

86 The 7 prepositioned sign boards have been hugely beneficial; VSP is jointly responsible for these with VDOT - Don can provide a location list Sign boards should be remote programmable Sheriff's Office has a few sign boards of their own that they use for special events, and also a vehicle mounted sign board from VDOT on a Sheriff's Office truck Special event groups are required to rent their own sign boards as much as possible Overhead signs on the larger roadways (Routes 7, 28, 50) may be helpful Mobile cameras Sheriff's Office purchased solar camera trailers with battery backup with UASI funding Used for special events (e.g., World Police and Fire Games), investigations, and road monitoring Can be monitored from the EOC Not continually monitored from ECC Can record video Will the local jurisdiction have monitoring capabilities of Metro station cameras? Sheriff's Office can work with station commanders and OEM to develop a list of high priority locations for camera deployments New signals are proffered to have UPS - Don can provide a list of high priority locations from previous prioritization efforts (can be helpful for future camera locations) UPS can only go so far; they are looking at generator backup with General Services Signal timing is very bad on Route 9 corridor Sheriff's Office responds with EOC activation during weather events Are looking at drones but they are really restricted for search and rescue by Virginia code; this would be the application area for the future Evacuation planning is important (DC's plan is sending everyone here) Signal timing Prioritized camera locations Reporting bottlenecks from work zones is a need Little coordination between different contractors on the same route - this is a big problem PSTOC would like to get more information out of Loudoun; there has been discussion of locating one of their contractors at the County - Don will provide the name of the VDOT person they talked to about this A-21 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

87 Loudoun County Department of Finance and Procurement Date Wednesday August 17, :00 AM Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Cheryl Middleton Division Manager and Purchasing Agency (703) Technology procurement is almost always done through a best value RFP process Look at the firm, level of experience, references, break down system requirements Typically a fixed price contract Typically ask the vendor to provide 1 year maintenance and price out years 2-5 upfront Offerors should indicate up front what they can do - there is a reason the County stands their ground and doesn't move forward if requirements are not met during implementation Procurement is not keeping up on the trends on what's happening in the transportation technology industry so it is beneficial to have a consultant on board to help through the process The County needs to be more flexible in developing requirements upfront RFI can also be issued to gather information on what the industry standard is and what peers in neighboring jurisdictions are doing Procurement should be looked at as more performance based ("we need the system to do this and don't care how we get there") During the Oracle deployment there was an issue with the County not being very open to changing business process Need to be more flexible and educated up front Need requirements checklist in RFP We can do this with off-the-shelf products We can do this with some personalization We can do this with some coding changes We cannot do this During the interview and demo, the County needs to do due diligence to ensure requirements can be met Need more emphasis on references and do site visits to other implementations; ask: was it on time, was it on budget, does it do what it should Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-22

88 Need to be sure resources are available to oversee deployment before starting the procurement "Pilot program" is not a good term for the Procurement Office; can't sole source after a pilot is done Pilot program would need to be done openly and competitively Needs to be a public and tested process Pilot would need to be a no or minimal cost to County If only one firm responds to pilot, that may be a red flag; should reach out to other vendors in the industry that are known to have the capabilities Waze partnership "There is mutual consideration involved" or exchanging something of value; would need to follow the procurement process If it truly is sole source then there are options to prove you have done the research and can fight your case Would be good to contact a jurisdiction who has done it before (such as Florida) to find out more of their procurement process KH should meet with IT; send invite to Bill McIntyre and copy Wendy Wickens; need to determine what, if any, support they can provide; general trend of providing less support Very appreciative that we included their office up front Loudoun has a procurement code but it is difficult to keep it up to date with trends and technology A-23 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

89 Loudoun County Department of Economic Development Date Tuesday August 23, :00 PM Location Central Station Drive, Suite 300, Ashburn, VA Attendees Name Position Phone Number Buddy Rizer Executive Director (703) James David Manager of Strategic Development (571) Miguel Salinas Assistant Director (703) Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Anthony Gallo Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Mission is to grow commercial tax base of the County, attract new business (over $2 billion last year), help businesses that are here expand/keep them here (retention program), providing a culture for startup/entrepreneurial ecosystem, growing the rural economy Business development team is based around clusters: data centers, health IT, medical, cyber security, basic IT, transportation, retail; not a geographic area but a similar line of business where the County is especially proactive (most based around technology - "we're the home of the cloud") Transportation is focused on logistics (e.g., work a lot with the airport, Amazon one-hour delivery) Have an ongoing relationship with Tesla; a lot of Google property in the County; most of these autonomous vehicle companies are working out in west coast in the prototype phases Loudoun has the highest concentration of science/tech workers anywhere in the country but haven t captured businesses with autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence yet Research now shows that 50% of Loudoun workforce is employed within the County A working complete transportation system is a big incentive for businesses Not just about the roads anymore; there is a desire for urban, walkable places Would like to see more complete streets (pedestrian, transit, multimodal) 90% of new office leasing near new Metro stops Consider other infrastructure assets the County has - extensive fiber network Fiber conduit is all privately owned but this department can introduce us to these owners Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-24

90 Gramercy District Smart City Partnership between Microsoft and developer (22 Capital Partners) Well-wired and automated Designed to be walkable and livable Incorporating technology into all aspects of development Sharing economy is something Loudoun wants to capture Opportunity to test new transportation solutions; potential to become a transportation lab Challenge: how to create an urban environment in a suburban area Car share may make sense for the County Parking Garage at Loudoun Station will be built by Comstock; unsure if technology was specified in the contract; probably will not accept SmarTrip; recommended a conversation with Comstock County is building the other two (Moorefield and Gateway); there should be the opportunity to specify technology here Garages need to have charging stations for electric vehicles Need a seamless transition from home to parking to Metro Price on-street parking to encourage short duration (would like smart meters); price garages lower for longer duration Automated vehicles Could see circulator between TODs - One Loudoun, Metro stations, airport Need to consider legislations around AVs Had an ad hoc economic advisory committee (started as night-time economy now more about attracting millennials and preparing for the future) that recommended having a collector service for TODs and activity centers Right now there are no options for getting to places like TopGolf, ifly Providing more choice other than oversized automobiles Very interested in the 3D printed autonomous shuttle - "great for branding" Have had issues attracting service workers to businesses in Loudoun County - affordability is a big problem; "waiting an hour to get from Loudoun Station to One Loudoun on local bus isn't going to cut it" The County looked at demographic changes in 2008 (by ethnicity and income levels) Multifamily/affordable housing and opportunities for mass transit are the biggest draw for lower-income workers The need is still there, but Loudoun hasn't done anything to fix it County demographer has updated maps that we can use Next logical step is to match up vehicle ownership rates with availability of mass transit Crucial that we align with the airport in planning; they have a lot of undeveloped land Make developments and airport more connected Communication and information that speaks across all modes How can we connect international travelers to their destinations? A-25 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

91 Information display at airport? Economic development can also be facilitated by another Potomac bridge crossing There is a lot of demand to increase the amount of breweries in the County (farm breweries) Does the transportation support it? Need to consider where the transportation system can handle added demand in some of the rural areas to support the weekend economy Economic Development is developing an app for the Farm Fall Tour through western Loudoun to provide information and turn by turn directions; will try to do this for a lot of events going forward; want to get into gamification County could have more open data; if you give the community the data sets, they will come up with the next app Will be important to integrate this effort into the Comprehensive Plan The more we integrate our policy documents the better we will be Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-26

92 Loudoun County Communications and Support Services Date Friday October 21, :00 PM Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Corey Parker Deputy Chief (703) Mike Harris Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Anthony Gallo Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is the answering point for fire, rescue, and police incidents The department is within Fire and Rescue Many of the other Loudoun County stakeholders met with during this project are supported by the ECC All the technology and infrastructure is managed by DIT (CAD, mobile data, phones) DIT staff is on-site in the office and also provides 24/7 support even if not in the office 911 system IP based Takes texts Can get location of call (~70% of calls are by mobile phone) $60+ MM invested in the radio system (Motorola) ~$14 MM invested in CAD Everbridge paging system (both internal and external) Primary communication is through voice (radio, cellular, etc.) All fire stations have fiber through Verizon (leased) Process: call comes in 2. Realize an event 3. Event is interpreted by dispatcher and entered into the CAD system 4. CAD provides a recommendation 5. Dispatch units 6. Communications with the units during the event Loudoun is very unique in having ECC and Sheriff's office separately taking calls Very different as an institution than law enforcement - very open with their communications and information Very reliant on passerby's reporting the incident Rely on people on street - "it is the best way to get the information" and provides an up close and personal means to see what is happening Most events do not require the deployment of the EOC A-27 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

93 Radio and phone to Clark County and Frederick County - have a dedicated radio channel, but most of the time communication is over cell phone In the future, CAD systems across multiple jurisdictions will communicate with each other to coordinate the deployment of unit Metro in Loudoun Metro will not have tunnels in Loudoun so communication issues are not expected Communication testing will begin as stations come on line Bidirectional amplifiers (BDA) can be put in place to boost signals if needed The current 234,000 calls a year taxes us; could be an increase in call volume with Metro Do not have authority over Dulles Airport Have authority for fire and rescue on the Greenway Would not necessarily dispatch based on a camera feed - intake is from the 911 system Could see cameras as a distraction for ECC - dispatchers must focus on calltaking; could work in parallel to support these other parts of the County Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-28

94 Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Date Wednesday November 2, 2016 Location 801 Sycolin Road Attendees Name Position Phone Number Maria Taylor Fire-Rescue Planner (703) Mike Harris Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Fire and Rescue Planning Navigating through legislative process for new fire houses and coordination with other agencies Asset management Review access and circulation of vehicles for new construction sites Any initiative that involves transportation and strategic planning goes through here When there is a road abandonment, interchange construction, closure of roads, there is consultation with DTCI or VDOT to look at other ways to provide access For example, truck climbing lanes on Route 7 - looking at what roads can be closed while still maintaining emergency access A lot this happens reactionary because other parties didn't anticipate the impacts Roads are occasionally closed from flooding; this process is routed through the ECC For snow events, fire and rescue drive the roads in the morning and do initial reconnaissance Drive efforts could be reduced with a system that provides road conditions and what access points are compromised OEM does the drives - check with them on critical locations EOC uses a few cameras during events Impassible roads cause a lot of issues; someone is sent to clear the road and the emergency vehicle follows There are few water utilities in the County; most water supply comes from underground sources these locations need to be kept clear for fire and rescue Above pipes for underground storage are damaged constantly by snow plows During last year's snow event, notice was sent out to the public and requested help of the citizens to clear water access or notify them if it was completely inaccessible so they could send support In addition to houses, the department has command centers; information must be distributed through the chain of command Operations Chief (Chief Johnson) would make decisions on how new information sources are used and distributed Maria can provide an organization chart A-29 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

95 A transit signal preemption project is about to begin Transit is also interested in priority and should coordinate with Fire and Rescue There are some existing signals and equipment with preemption in the towns (Purceville and Leesburg) Have a very strict agreement with VDOT A board member sent a note on an issue on Waxpool Road (fire truck couldn't get through) two years ago. Maria put together a whitepaper on intersections that could benefit from preemption (about 100) and gathered capital and O&M costs. Funds are now available. Putting together the team to implement (out for bid in Spring) Every new signal constructed and new fire trucks will be wired to have this capacity VDOT vetted the location list and compared with their planned efforts. Some locations would not be necessary with intersection reconstruction (interchanges, etc.) Agreement with VDOT is only for Fire and Rescue - this would need to be discussed and revised for transit Priorities Ensuring roads and access are clear Need to know where the issues are Real-time conditions will be critical for service delivery Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-30

96 Loudoun County Department of Information Technology Date Thursday November 17, :30 PM Location Attendees Name Position Phone Number Bill McIntyre Assistant Director Zenon Dragosz Administrator of Broadband and Cable TV Services Mike Harris Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Anthony Gallo Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) The footprint of DIT's network is based on the footprint of County facilities and where these are built (these are the customers) Expanding the County's internal network used for public safety could be more complex and would involve networking/security team DIT believes that VDOT permitting process now means that X amount of fiber that gets deployed is given to VDOT Route 7 example: two of the conduits are CenturyLink and VDOT has the third (CenturyLink was installing this for them) DIT wants to expand broadband to underserved areas in western Loudoun. Initiated RFI for public-private partnership earlier this year - three separate networks: Fiber network to support public schools and libraries (instead of leasing from Verizon) - will be partially funded by E-RATE moneys and partially by schools Interconnect LC government centers (government buildings, fire, rescue, parks, etc.) with fiber - same reason why schools want to get off leased fiber Fiber or wireless/fiber solution for western Loudoun (underserved) Would like to have all of these deployed at the same time Would like some sort of ring for redundancy A fourth network could be added at the same time for DTCI if funds are available RFI for County network has been issued and received response need to consolidate information before deciding whether to go to the Board and issue an RFP - wouldn't go to the Board until sometime in the spring E-RATE - program through USAC (federal government) that helps schools and libraries expand their broadband network - program provides funding to help connect schools and libraries via fiber E-Rate % is based on % free/reduced lunch - Loudoun would be eligible for the lowest amount of funding the feds could provide (still a 40% match) A-31 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

97 Main cost of putting in fiber is not the fiber - it's the trenching - the majority of this cost is going to be covered by E-RATE Other funding sources would be needed for remaining 60% (schools will not fund it all) Outside examples - NC, KY, Kent County (MD) - lots of states have taken this money and used it to subsidize their statewide networks Businesses in the west still need to get on the internet to do their business Establishing a potential transportation operations center DTCI, B&D, and General Services would find a location DIT would get involved when they find the location - what will it take to connect it? Several options: o DIT is already staffed and has the core competencies to staff this - just put in the equipment o DIT doesn t have the core competencies - here's what is needed to get there o DIT doesn t have the core competencies and it's not feasible - put it in an existing facility (e.g. data center) or put it on some sort of cloud system Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-32

98 Loudoun County Public Schools Date Wednesday November 30, 201 3:00 PM Location Education Court Attendees Name Position Phone Number Sarah Howard- O'Brien Land Management Supervisor Kevin Lewis Assistant Superintendent Mike Harris Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Alan Toppen Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Anthony Gallo Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Tyler Beduhn Consultant, Kimley-Horn (703) Bob Brown Transportation Planner (703) Sarah s role land use planner, work closely with construction, identify new school sites, obtain approval for new school sites Under Support Services there are several areas: planning, construction, transportation, facilities services, safety and security, nutrition services Should have a follow-up with transportation group within LCPS - Michael Brown is head of transportation division Weather events there is a team of people that get up in the middle of the night and drive around to see what the road conditions are and report back Kevin Lewis makes the ultimate decision to open/close schools If one school needs to close for weather, they all close Does Loudoun County Transit coordinate with LCPS on decision to provide service? Safety and Security section of LCPS manages the school cameras (inside and outside of buildings); Sheriff s Office can access this feed Buses LCPS puts over 800 buses on the road each day LCPS owns bus fleet and hires the drivers; maintains their own buses A lot of buses are stored on the school sites themselves; fueling stations on Sycolin Road and western Loudoun/Purceville All new schools are designed to have bus parking Would be important for bus drivers to know road conditions Making decision for new facilities - where land is available; close as possible to the population it will serve; if utilities and fiber are available All schools have some sort of communication (rural ones are likely on cable) Most of new construction is taking place in Dulles North and Dulles South New Academies of Loudoun (Science, Engineering and Technology*, Monroe Technology Center) - potential to provide data for student projects (talk with Kevin Lewis) There is an interest to bring in more employers and research groups to work with students A-33 Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations

99 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALY LEFT BLANK Transportation Technology Plan Concept of Operations A-34

100 LOUDOUN COUNTY TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY PLAN A TSMO ROADMAP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN DRAFT FINAL JUNE 2017 Prepared By: For: ATTACHMENT 2

101

102 CONTENTS 1. Introduction... 1 Project Organization... 1 Stakeholders... 2 Overview of Document... 3 Referenced Documents Project Profiles... 5 Near-Term Projects... 5 Long-term Projects Five-Year Program Funding Opportunities Appendix... A-1 i Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

103 FIGURES Figure 2-1. Existing and Proposed Closed-Circuit Television Cameras Figure 2-3. Existing and Proposed Changeable Message Signs Figure 2-4. Proposed High Water Detection Systems Figure 2-5. Proposed Fiber Network (Initial Buildout) Figure 3-1. FY 2019 FY 2023 Program TABLES Table 4-1. Potential Funding Opportunities for TSMO Projects and Deployments in Loudoun County Table A-1. List of Proposed Devices... A-2 Table A-2. Known Flooding Areas in Loudoun County (as of May 2017)... A-7 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan ii

104 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Loudoun County has been a rapidly-growing leader in various aspects of technology in community and business life and is the fastest-growing County in Virginia. This growth has coincided with a rapid increase in traffic congestion, roadway construction, and a rise in multimodal transportation options. Despite its status as a leader in technology in community and business life, however, Loudoun County lacks baseline technologies to provide improved traffic operations and information to travelers. This Implementation Plan defines a program of projects for the County to achieve this baseline of technology and provide situational awareness to operators and travelers. The following actions are proposed: Integrate with Waze via its Connected Citizens Program (CCP) to share information on work zones, road closures, planned events, and incidents. Provide additional camera coverage at known bottleneck and high-crash locations. Provide overhead and portable message sign deployments for traveler information and alerts. Implement systems for monitoring road conditions during severe weather events, including devices for monitoring flooding at known hotspot locations. Deploy intelligent safety improvements for bicycles and pedestrians at trail crossings and intersections. Deploy smart parking infrastructure at targeted garages, lots, or streets to inform travelers of parking space availability and aid in wayfinding. Provide dynamic traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers to inform users of travel options and enhance economic development. Build out a communication network to support transportation technology, including a County-owned fiber optic network for transportation Improve incident management on Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 using County-funded safety service patrols Increase use of novel data source for transportation planning, including third-party probe data and smart sensor data. Pilot active real-time traffic signal management of an arterial corridor. Pilot an autonomous shuttle circulator service in a transit-oriented urban development. Establish a Loudoun County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) of appropriate scale to actively monitor and manage the transportation network. iii Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

105 Planning-level cost estimates and timelines for each project are provided in this Implementation Plan. Potential funding sources at the federal, state, regional, and local levels are provided in this plan. Ultimately, these projects will help the County advance toward its vision of a safe, affordable, convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation system as stated in the current Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan iv

106 1. INTRODUCTION Loudoun County has been a rapidly-growing leader in various aspects of technology in community and business life. It is one of the most highly-educated localities in the U.S. and the Washington, D.C., metro area, and it is home to a wealth of information and communications technology companies, federal government contractors, and other knowledge-sector industries 1. It is the fastest-growing county in Virginia in terms of population, with nearly a 20 percent increase in population just between 2010 and 2015 and a doubling of population in the 1990s and 2000s 2. It is now the third-largest county in the Commonwealth. This growth has coincided with an increase in traffic congestion, roadway construction, and a rise in multimodal transportation options. Despite its status as a leader in technology in community and business life, however, Loudoun County lacks sufficient technologies to provide improved traffic operations and information to travelers. This report defines a plan for implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), or transportation technology, as appropriate to Loudoun County. The plan follows Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program efforts for Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO). This plan, in coordination with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), provides a program of projects that define technology applications and how they will be operated. These technology applications are in the areas of roadway infrastructure, incident management, safety and security, and transit. Budgetary capital and operating costs have been developed, and potential funding sources are identified. The results of this effort are being coordinated with the County s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP), which guides the development of a countywide multimodal system. The County has noted in its current CTP that one of the major strategies for achieving its vision of safe, affordable, convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation system is to employ intelligent transportation systems technologies in order to maximize the efficiency of the transportation network. PROJECT ORGANIZATION The Implementation Plan follows a Concept of Operations (ConOps) document, which defined a framework for organizing needs and system concepts to maintain traceability throughout the project. The ConOps outlined a mission statement providing the overall aim of the effort, themes to organize stakeholder needs and system concepts, and a set of proposed actions relating to these themes and mission statement. This Implementation Plan takes the proposed actions from the ConOps and defines them in terms of actual projects with highlevel scopes, targeted deployments, planning-level costs, and timelines for implementation a432 1 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

107 SCOPE OF ITS SYSTEM The recommended system of technology involves deploying equipment at targeted locations in the field, implementing new transportation services, and developing partnerships with external entities for improved operations of the Loudoun County transportation network. The connected system would provide benefits across all of the themes and accomplish the mission of this effort. The proposed actions, which are detailed in Section 2, include: Integrate with Waze via its Connected Citizens Program (CCP) to share information on work zones, road closures, planned events, and incidents. Provide additional camera coverage at known bottleneck and high-crash locations. Provide overhead and portable message sign deployments for traveler information and alerts. Implement systems for monitoring road conditions during severe weather events, including devices for monitoring flooding at known hotspot locations. Deploy intelligent safety improvements for bicycles and pedestrians at trail crossings and intersections. Deploy smart parking infrastructure at targeted garages, lots, or streets to inform travelers of parking space availability and aid in wayfinding. Provide dynamic traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers to inform users of travel options and enhance economic development. Build out a communication network to support transportation technology, including a County-owned fiber optic network for transportation Improve incident management on Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 using County-funded safety service patrols Increase use of novel data source for transportation planning, including third-party probe data and smart sensor data. Pilot active real-time traffic signal management of an arterial corridor. Pilot an autonomous shuttle circulator service in a transit-oriented urban development. Establish a Loudoun County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) of appropriate scale to actively monitor and manage the transportation network. STAKEHOLDERS The following entities within and external to Loudoun County were identified as key stakeholders. Internal County stakeholders were interviewed during the development of this plan. Meetings were also held with the Town of Leesburg and VDOT. Coordination with other external stakeholders will occur during the implementation efforts as appropriate. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 2

108 COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (DTCI) DTCI Transit and Commuter Services Sheriff s Office Emergency Communications Center Fire and Rescue Emergency Operations Center Public Schools Economic Development Finance and Procurement Mapping and Geographic Systems Information Technology EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS Towns of Leesburg and Purcellville VDOT Dulles Greenway/Trip II WMATA Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NVRPA) Virginia State Police Neighboring Jurisdictions Private Entities University of Virginia / Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) Virginia Tech / Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) OVERVIEW OF DOCUMENT The Implementation Plan document is laid out as follows: Section 2 presents detailed profiles of 13 near-term projects, several long-term projects, and other ongoing initiatives recommended for the County to establish a baseline of transportation technology. Each of the project profiles contains a detailed description, example deployment locations (where applicable), project benefits, options for technology and communications, lead agency(s) and stakeholders, staffing and maintenance needs, a proposed schedule, and planning-level cost estimates. These profiles are intended to provide a framework for project programming. 3 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

109 Section 3 presents a five-year program of all of the projects, showing the program-level annual capital and operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. This section re-emphasizes a phased approach to technology deployments, as the County builds on successes of initial implementations. Section 4 describes a series of potential funding sources for transportation technology projects, including federal grant programs, state-administered programs, and regional and local funding sources. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS Loudoun County 2010 Countywide Transportation Plan (Adopted June 15, 2010; Amended through December 6, 2016). Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (Adopted March 2006; Draft Update being produced for 2017). Loudoun County Transit Technology Implementation Plan (Draft, 2016). Northern Virginia East-West Integrated Corridor Management Concept of Operations (Draft, 2017). VDOT Northern Region Operations Strategic Plan (2008). FHWA Best Practices for Road Weather Management, Version 3.0 (2012) Michigan DOT Road Weather Information System (RWIS) Evaluation (2013) Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC). Evaluation of a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon System at the Belmont Ridge Road and W&OD Trail Mid-Block Crosswalk (May 2015). VDOT Traffic Engineering Division Instruction & Information Memorandum #IIM-TE-384.0: Pedestrian Crossing Accommodations at Unsignalized Intersections (July 18, 2016). District Department of Transportation ITS and Communications Master Plan (2013). VTRC Research Report: Performance Analysis of Virginia s Safety Service Patrol Programs (June 2006). Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 4

110 2. PROJECT PROFILES The following sections present 13 near-term projects, several long-term projects, and other on-going initiatives recommended for Loudoun County to establish a baseline of transportation technology. Near-term projects are intended for FY 2019 FY 2022 and include appropriately sized infrastructure to advance the County s transportation technology program. Several of the projects phase in systems over multiple years starting small so that the County can build on successes of initial implementations. Long-term projects are intended for years beyond FY Details of these projects are provided at a higher level. NEAR-TERM PROJECTS Each project profile contains: Project description Location(s) Project benefits Technology options Communication needs Lead agency and stakeholders Staffing needs Maintenance needs Schedule Planning level capital and O&M budgets Cost estimates provide high and low estimates based on cost data gathered from the U.S. Department of Transportation ITS Cost Database, knowledge of recent ITS deployments around Virginia, and engineering judgement 3. Cost estimates are broken into major tasks or components with the following assumptions unless otherwise noted: Feasibility, outreach, and preliminary engineering (15% of construction and development costs) Construction and development (based on unit costs) Integration (12% of construction and development costs) Project management (10% of construction and development costs) Annual operations and maintenance cost (15% of total deployment cost) Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

111 WAZE CONNECTED CITIZENS PROGRAM Project Description Loudoun County needs to enhance its ability to quickly alert local and passthrough commuters of a hazard or emergency situation, especially in "mission critical" situations. Additionally, Loudoun County needs to improve reporting of work zone impacts and coordination between adjacent work zones. The County should join Waze's Connected Citizen Program, which will provide the County with detailed information on how its roads are used but also allow the County to leverage the Waze platform to disseminate information about closures or planned construction. As a government partner in Waze s Two-Way Connected Citizens Data Exchange, the County will share road closure and incident data with Waze, and Waze will share information on incidents, congestion, and roadways hazards. This project will require the County to develop and host a feed of work zones or planned events on a server accessible to Waze and potentially develop a mechanism for retrieving and storing Waze s information (Waze also has a web interface for public sector partners). Location(s) County-wide Project Benefits Increased sharing of information to travelers on work zones or planned events, leading to increased person throughput, reduced person hours of delay, and a reduction in secondary crashes. Situational awareness for County staff of traffic incidents and anomalies Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 6

112 Technology Options The County needs to develop an XML feed and host this feed on a server accessible to Waze. The County needs to develop a scraping mechanism for retrieving and storing Waze s real-time feed; alternatively, the County can access Waze s data via its web interface. Communication Needs Waze requires data be shared via a properly-formatted XML file in its Closure and Incident Feed Specification (CIFS) format 4. This feed must be hosted and accessible via HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP. Server requirements are minimal given the simplicity of the feed. Waze makes its data available for partners to retrieve through a localized XML or JSON feed that is updated every two minutes; additionally, Waze offers a web interface (its Traffic View Tool) where partners have access to real-time, user-reported incidents and estimated travel times along pre-selected routes. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Department of Information Technology Staffing Needs DTCI staff to maintain list of planned construction and closures. DIT staff to maintain HTTP or FTP server. Maintenance Needs Ongoing feed of planned construction and closure Ongoing maintenance of HTTP or FTP server Schedule < 1 month FY 2019 Capital and O&M Costs Internal staff time only the Waze CCP is free to member jurisdictions Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

113 EXPANDED CAMERA COVERAGE FOR CONDITIONS MONITORING Project Description Loudoun County needs additional camera coverage to provide situational awareness and emergency management through real-time camera feeds. Current camera coverage (mainly provided by VDOT) covers a limited number of locations in the County and does not provide situational awareness for several major known bottlenecks and high-crash locations. This project calls for deployments of cameras at targeted locations in accordance with results of parallel intersection prioritization studies undertaken by the County. Deployment will include furnishing and installation of color closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) with pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) capabilities, power and communications, and integration with a central server and traffic operations center software package. The system should be capable of handling multiple viewers and designating camera controls. CCTVs will be mounted on existing poles or signal mast arms where available; CCTVs at interchanges may require new pole installation as these cameras tend to be at greater heights than intersection locations. Camera feeds would be shared with the public as view-only access via the internet and with VDOT. Location(s) A phased approach is recommended to camera deployment, with five cameras deployed per year for the first five years. Phased locations are shown in Error! Reference source not found.. A full list of camera locations can be found in the Appendix. The phasing was determined considering parallel intersection prioritization studies, the phasing of the Message Sign Deployments project in this plan, and to provide relatively uniform coverage of key roadways. Locations may be adjusted as implementation decisions are made and sight lines are evaluated. A total of 61 locations have been identified for CCTV installation at full buildout beyond the first five years Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 8

114 Camera locations have been cross-referenced with parallel studies, including the Countywide Traffic Signal Network Prioritization and Backup Signal Power Study (2016) and the DTCI Roadway Intersection Improvement Program (2017) Project Benefits Situational awareness for County staff and incident responders of traffic incidents and anomalies as well as road weather conditions Potential ability to use camera feeds to make real-time adjustments to traffic signal timings or respond more quickly to incidents, leading to increased person throughput, reduced person hours of delay, and a reduction in secondary crashes. Technology Options County staff have requested color CCTVs with pan-tilt-zoom capabilities. The software for operating the cameras should be capable of handling multiple viewers and designating camera controls. Communication Needs Camera deployments will require broadband communications to send video imagery to a central server. This can be through the signal s leased line or via a dedicated fiber network. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Loudoun County Sheriff s Office Department of Information Technology Office of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center VDOT Staffing Needs As the County assumes a more active role in active management of its transportation network, a dedicated staff member from DTCI could be tasked with monitoring camera feeds during peak periods. Staffing of an operations position is considered in the County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) project. Sheriff s Office staff will have read-only access to camera feeds. 9 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

115 Figure 2-1. Existing and Proposed Closed-Circuit Television Cameras

116 Maintenance Needs Maintenance needs include camera cleaning, camera hardware maintenance, power/communications maintenance, server maintenance, and software maintenance. Schedule A phased approach (five per year) is recommended for FY 2019 FY 2023 An initial limited deployment process could commence immediately but should not be conducted until decisions are made with regards to the central system for viewing camera feeds as well as the County s and VDOT s roles in managing the feeds. Capital and O&M Costs Capital costs include cameras, mounting and installation, video encoding/decoding, software configuration, and a server. Operational costs include power and communications costs. Maintenance costs include the maintenance needs described above. Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $38,000 $75,000 Construction and Development $250,000 $500,000 Integration $30,000 $60,000 Project Management $25,000 $50,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $343,000 $685,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $51,000 $103,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on 25 locations at low and high costs of $10,000 and $20,000 per location. 11 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

117 MESSAGE SIGN DEPLOYMENTS Project Description Loudoun County needs message signs to provide traveler information, particularly on major travel corridors with high crash frequencies, known bottleneck locations, and daily variations in congestion extent and duration. Currently, there are few changeable and remote-programmable sign deployments within the County. VDOT does not have any fixed changeable message signs (CMS) installed in the County, and there are no CMS on the privately-owned Dulles Greenway as well. The County has seven (7) prepositioned and remote-programmable, portable CMS to provide information during emergency events. Deployment will include furnishing and installation of either overhead gantries or roadside tower poles for CMS at targeted locations, such as before major decisions points. It also includes additional portable CMS for officers to position. The selected locations support alternative operations such as travel time messaging to multiple destinations, travel alerts for crashes, and guidance messages for emergency scenarios. The preliminary locations provided below should be refined at the time of implementation using stakeholder input. CMS structures should also be context sensitive, such as painted black. Cantilevered or butterfly sign structures are recommended. Deployment will include power and communications and integration with a central server and traffic operations center software package. The project also includes furnishing and installation of roadside sensors (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) at key locations to support the collection of real-time travel time information to post on CMS. This system collects anonymous device data (unique MAC address) from road users with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi enabled devices and utilized a central server to process the data using advanced filters and algorithms calibrated for the corridor. The central server will publish a feed of travel times to the control software used by the CMS. Such as system is appropriate for Loudoun s system of arterials and state highways given that travel time data available from data vendors has not been deemed acceptable by VDOT for arterial roads. VDOT has validated travel time data from data vendors for use on its freeway facilities but has not yet found this data to be accurate Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 12

118 enough for reporting for arterial facilities. The system will also provide the County with a rich data source for planning and operational analyses. Sensors will be installed at locations where power and communication would be available, such as at roadside cabinets for CMS or traffic signals. Location(s) Message signs are proposed at seven locations along Route 7, Route 15, US 50, Route 28, and Route 267. Roadside sensors are proposed at 28 locations to supplement travel time messaging. Locations of these message signs and sensors are shown in Figure 2-2. A phased approach is recommended to message sign deployment and corresponding roadside sensors. The locations were determined from stakeholder input (which routes to sign for) and to place signs before key decision points in the network. Sensor locations were determined to provide uniform coverage along each route and in coordination with the camera project in this plan (e.g., if a camera is being installed, also install a sensor at the same time, if needed). Phase 1 Route 7 o Location #1 eastbound Route 7 east of Route 9 interchange o Location #2 eastbound and westbound Route 7 between Route 28 and Loudoun County Parkway (two CMS, potentially mounted back-to-back on a median butterfly sign structure) o 19 roadside sensors Phase 2 US 50 and Route 15 o Location #3 westbound US 50 at eastern County line o Location #4 eastbound US 50 west of Gums Springs Road o Location #5 southbound Route 15 south of Whites Ferry Road o 9 roadside sensors Phase 3 Route 28 and Route 267 o Location #6 northbound Route 28 south of Route 267 (outside of Loudoun County) o Location #7 westbound Route 267 east of Route 28 (outside of Loudoun County) The CMS in Phase 3 are located in Fairfax County; however they are at key decision points for travelers about to enter and travel through Loudoun County. 13 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

119 Figure 2-2. Existing and Proposed Changeable Message Signs

120 Project Benefits Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Improved reporting of bottlenecks due to work zones Expanded communication to travelers on conditions, which will in turn increase awareness of route options, bottlenecks, incidents, and closures. Technology Options There are various options for message sign deployments ranging from small insert panels used to display a travel time in minutes within a larger static sign, pole-mounted displays on the side of the roadway, up to fullcolor, multi-line matrix displays in overhead gantries across all lanes of traffic. It is recommended that the County not seek full-color overhead displays at this time. Portable signs should be full matrix. Overhead Full-Matrix Message Sign Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

121 Pole-Mounted Full-Matrix Message Sign 6 Pole-Mounted Static Sign with Insert Panel 7 Roadside Static Signage with Insert Panels for Travel Time Comparison 8 6 Source: Kimley-Horn internal photo 7 Source: Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 16

122 Bluetooth and Wi-Fi detectors record anonymized addresses from enabled devices and corresponding timestamps to calculate travel times (and thus average speeds) between multiple points. These systems can also be used alternatively to obtain origin-destination patterns through a transportation network or understand how parallel routes are used. Bluetooth sensors have a detection range around 330 feet and Wi-Fi sensors have a detection range around 660 feet. Communication Needs Message sign deployments will require communications to receive message from a central server. Communications can be done through a variety of media, including direct connections to in-ground cabling or wiring, wireless connection to a nearby access point, cellular, or radio communications. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi sensor deployment will require communications to send data to a central server. Sensors will be located in way to leverage existing communication channels as much as possible, such as at traffic signal cabinets. In locations where landline communication is not feasible, cellular communications can be used. Units can be powered through existing power infrastructure or solar panels. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) VDOT Loudoun County Sheriff s Office Office of Emergency Management Office of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center Department of Information Technology Staffing Needs Staffing needs will be predicated upon the type of messaging desired. Travel times can be posted automatically from a central system. More detailed messaging, such as locations of incidents and lane blockages, will require active management from a TOC to manually update messaging and remove messages when they become outdated. Staffing of an operations position is considered in the County Transportation Operations Center (TOC) project. Sheriff s Office staff may desire read-only access to message sign postings or potentially the ability to update messages. 17 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

123 Maintenance Needs Maintenance needs include maintenance of displays and supports/gantries, power/communications maintenance, server maintenance, and software maintenance. Schedule A phased approach is recommended to message sign and sensor deployment (see Location section): o Phase 1: FY 2019 o Phase 2: FY 2021 o Phase 3: FY 2023 An initial limited deployment process could commence immediately but should not be conducted until decisions are made with regards to the central system for updating message sign feeds as well as the County s and VDOT s roles in managing the feeds. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi travel time system deployments should also take place as soon as possible but be coordinated with VDOT as part of their regional Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) initiative. If information regarding weather conditions such as flooding is going to be provided on message signs, the County may want to wait until infrastructure for collecting this conditions data, such as flood gauges along waterways, are deployed. This would likely occur at a few targeted locations and should not hold up other message sign deployments. Capital and O&M Costs Capital costs include displays, mounting and installation, software configuration, and a server. Operational costs include power and communications costs. Maintenance costs include the maintenance needs described above. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi travel time system costs include the costs of sensors, integration with cabinets including power, cabling, and communications, and system operation (data access). Vendors will likely include yearly software/maintenance costs. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 18

124 Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $188,000 $265,000 Construction and Development $1,254,400 $1,768,000 Integration $151,000 $212,000 Project Management $125,000 $177,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $1,718,400 $2,422,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $86,000 $121,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on 8 CMS at low and high costs of $140,000 and $200,000 per location. 19 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

125 ROAD WEATHER/FLOODING MONITORING SYSTEMS Project Description Loudoun County needs systems to monitor road conditions during weather events, such ice, snow, flooding. Flood gauges and road weather sensors that assess the impact to the pavement can be used in decision making for road treatment, closure, responding to weather related incidents, and providing the public with alerts. The Northern Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan has noted that the County has a high risk for flooding in low-lying areas, and there are multiple known travel corridors prone to flooding in the County. Currently, three environmental sensor stations (ESS) owned by VDOT are installed in northwestern Loudoun County. There are multiple known travel corridors prone to flooding in the County, but limited flood gauges along waterways (and no flood gates or fixed message sign deployments). This project will include the deployment of high water detection systems (HWDS) at targeted locations in the County to monitor flooding conditions, alert road users with flashing beacons or LED-enhanced advanced warning signs, and close the road with gates when the water is high enough. Deployments will include power and communications as well as integration with a central server and traffic operations center software package. These deployments are a near-term priority. A longer-term suggest deployment would be to add additional ESS at targeted locations in the County for collecting data on pavement conditions. Location(s) HWDS are proposed at two locations in the County prone to flooding. The Office of Emergency Management has a list of know flooding areas in Loudoun County and has identified five locations suitable for gate installation of gates (see Appendix). Two of these five locations are recommended for initial implementation in this project. Potential locations of HWDS are shown in Figure 2-3. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 20

126 Figure 2-3. Proposed High Water Detection Systems

127 Project Benefits Situational awareness for County staff and incident responders to road weather conditions or flooding, especially for the western and rural areas of the County. Potential ability to close roads prior to flooding or alert drivers to flooding conditions. Expanded communication to travelers on conditions, which will in turn increase awareness of route options and closures. Reduced staff resources required to stand-by during flooding events (typically, two individuals at each side of the flooded location) Technology Options HWDS are installed in stream beds at road and stream crossing locations with a potential or history of flooding. HWDS systems include a stand pipe or measuring device, advanced warning signs with flashers, a local computer in a nearby cabinet, communications (either wired or wireless) from the gauge to the local computer and then on the advanced warning signs, and communications to a central operations center 9. Most systems are solarpowered or battery-powered to ensure continued operations when storms disrupt power 10. Additional features can be added, such as gates to close the road. For collecting information on pavement conditions, a combination of noninvasive pavement conditions sensors and implanted temperature devices is recommended. Instrumentation for collecting weather information should include sensing devices to measure air temperature, horizontal wind information, precipitation type and rate, and visibility FHWA (2012). Best Practices for Road Weather Management, Version Michigan DOT (2013). Road Weather Information System (RWIS) Evaluation. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 22

128 Each ESS site and flood conditions monitoring site should ideally include a PTZ camera which can present usable images under low-intensity light. Other traffic monitoring devices such as traffic count sensors could be incorporated into ESS deployments as well to further evaluate conditions. Communication Needs HWDS communications from the measuring device in the stream or culvert back to a nearby cabinet can be hard-wired or wireless. Communications back to a TOC are likely to be done via radio or cellular communications unless a connection is available to nearby fiber. FHWA has noted that experience with HWDS in remote areas may require working with cellular providers to identify the best location for the equipment cabinet based on the topography and wireless coverage availability. ESS communications can be done via cellular or radio communications. If cameras are integrated into an ESS deployment, higher-bandwidth media may be required. Most ESS deployments today are done via cellular or fiber, as fiber is particular effective along highway corridors where DOTs have rights to use fiber laid in their right-of-way. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Loudoun County Sheriff s Office Fire and Rescue Department Emergency Communications Center Office of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Information Technology VDOT Staffing Needs Initially, no additional staff should be required. However, as the County assumes a more active role in active management of its transportation network, a dedicated staff member from DTCI or another agency within the County, could be tasked with monitoring camera feeds and pavement conditions during peak periods. Other agencies within the County, such as those listed above, may desire access to information on weather conditions, pavement conditions, and or/flooding. 23 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

129 Maintenance Needs Maintenance needs include maintenance of field sensors and hardware, power/communications maintenance, server maintenance, and software maintenance. Schedule Deployments of additional ESS and flood sensors do not need to occur at the same time. County stakeholder input suggested that installation of flood sensors is a much higher immediate-term priority. It is suggested that an initial deployment consist of a few HWDS at targeted locations, with possible expansions of HWDS or deployments of additional ESS in later phases. Deployments should be coordinated with decisions regarding placement of cameras and message signs as well as ownership and operations of a server and central software. Capital and O&M Costs Capital costs include field sensors, mounting and installation, software configuration, and a server. Operational costs include power and communications costs. Maintenance costs include the maintenance needs described above. Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $14,000 $32,000 Construction and Development $90,000 $210,000 Integration $11,000 $25,000 Project Management $9,000 $21,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $124,000 $288,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $19,000 $43,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on 2 HWDS at low and high costs of $45,000 and $105,000 per location. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 24

130 INTELLIGENT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS FOR BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS AT TRAIL CROSSINGS AND INTERSECTIONS Project Description Loudoun County should implement or support VDOT in implementing intelligent detection and warning systems to improve safety at intersections for all modes. This could include pedestrian crosswalk warning systems, detection, and LED enhancements to signs. The improvements would promote safe walkability for pedestrians, mobility for cyclists, and heighten driver awareness of vulnerable road users. Detection and warning technologies are readily available in the industry for multimodal applications. VDOT has begun implementing thermal pedestrian detection and rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFB) in school zones in Loudoun County 12. Loudoun County has several pedestrian and bicycle trails, most notably the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD), that are highly used and intersect with major roadways. In 2016, VDOT released specific, uniform guidance for installation of pedestrian crossing accommodations at unsignalized locations, including midblock pedestrian signals and pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs), RRFBs, and in-roadway warning lights (IRWLs, which are not recommended in comparison to RRFBs due to long-term maintenance costs) 13. The County conducted a study in Spring of 2017 to identify and assess existing conditions of all at-grade rail crossings along the W&OD Trail, including those in the Towns of Leesburg and Purcellville. This study includes a listing of potential improvements and recommendations for RRFBs at targeted high-priority crossings with documented safety concerns. The County should move forward in designing and implementing these improvements. The County should also extend their analysis of targeted locations for deployments to bicycle and _Ped_Xing_Accommodations_Unsignalized_Locs.pdf 25 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

131 pedestrian crossings beyond the W&OD Trail to identify targeted locations based on VDOT s guidance for deployment of PHBs and RRFBs. Application areas includes school zones and trail crossings, as well as new multimodal developments in Loudoun County. Location(s) Targeted locations County-wide. Initial deployments of RRFBs are recommended at the W&OD Trail crossings of Dry Mill Road near Route 9, Hirst Road, and potentially Smith Switch Road. Future deployments recommended (one per year) pending additional study Project Benefits VDOT has noted that RRFB systems have a positive effect on motorist awareness, increasing yield rates and decreasing speeds of drivers. VDOT has stated that an RRFB system can lead to a reduction in crashes, both between a vehicle and a pedestrian or bicyclist and between vehicles yielding at crossings, as trailing vehicles will be more aware of downstream vehicles slowing. VDOT has estimated an 18 percent reduction in crashes for locations where RRFBs or overhead flashing beacons are installed based on previous research. Technology Options VDOT currently provides guidance on the following technology options at multimodal roadway crossing in addition to crosswalks, regulatory and warning signs, and geometric/traffic calming improvements: Midblock pedestrian signals and pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 26

132 14 Rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs). VDOT does not recommend installation of in-roadway warning lights (IRWLs) at this time due to their long-term maintenance costs. 15 Communication Needs RRFBs require communications between the units mounted at the crossing to the warning signage upstream along the roadway. The RRFBs deployed at the W&OD Trail crossing at Belmont Ridge Road has a solar-powered network controller for wireless communications between the units. PHBs would likely be integrated into VDOT s or a Town s signal system so that signal status can be monitored Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

133 Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) VDOT (who would own and maintain any crossings of VDOT roads) Towns within Loudoun County Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority (NVRPA) Staffing Needs No additional staff should be required. VDOT, County, or Town public works staff would be needed for maintenance of devices. Maintenance Needs Maintenance of RRFBs includes maintenance of hardware (solar panel, pushbuttons, LEDs, etc.) as well as battery costs, which VDOT estimates at $100 per year per pole. VDOT estimates a total maintenance cost of approximately $2,000 over a 5-year period for a 4-pole RRFB system. Maintenance of PHBs includes maintenance of hardware as well as utility costs, which VDOT estimates to be approximately $750 per year per beacon. Schedule The County, in conjunction with VDOT, can move forward immediately with design and deployment of RRFBs at the two locations in the County identified in the 2017 trail crossing study. (FY 2019) The County, in conjunction with VDOT and the towns, should continue to assess the feasibility, practicality, and need for intelligent multimodal safety improvements at crossings outside of the W&OD trail, including those in planned mixed-use and transit-oriented developments. (one per year FY 2020 FY 2023) Capital and O&M Costs Capital costs include labor, equipment, traffic control and installation, and, where applicable, design, survey, and electrical service. VDOT estimates a capital cost for one location of approximately $72,000 for a four-pole RRFB system and $96,000 for an overhead PHB system. Operations costs should be negligible for RRFBs if solar-powered; PHBs require a utility connection for power and communications, which VDOT has built into their estimate for yearly maintenance costs. Maintenance needs for RRFBs and PHBs are described above. VDOT estimates a total maintenance cost of approximately $2,000 over a 5- year period for a 4-pole RRFB system, and $750 per year per beacon for a for a PHB system. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 28

134 Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $68,000 $90,000 Construction and Development $450,000 $600,000 Integration $54,000 $72,000 Project Management $45,000 $60,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $617,000 $822,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $93,000 $123,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on 6 locations at low and high costs of $75,000 and $100,000 per location. 29 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

135 SMART PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE Project Description Loudoun County desires to provide information to travelers on parking, including locations of availability, restrictions on parking, and pricing. In order to provide this information, underlying infrastructure such as data collection systems and communications must be deployed at targeted locations. Dynamic signage can direct travelers to specific parking areas or inform them of available parking spaces. Park and ride lot utilization and availability is a particular area of interest. The County is already moving forward with planning for parking data collection systems as part of the construction for the County-owned garages at the future Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn Metrorail stations. Beyond the Metrorail stations, however, no lots or garages in the County contain technology to track the number of spaces occupied in real-time. These systems have become more widespread elsewhere in recent years and frequently feature signage directing lot/garage users to available spaces. Many of the major lots in the County served by Loudoun County Transit are operating at or near capacity, which limits the overall capacity of transit service and could potentially be turning away less frequent transit riders who are unsure if they will be able to park when they want to take transit. Elsewhere, the County is expanding its Residential Permit Parking District (RPPD) program to include street parking near future Metrorail stations as well as residential areas with a high parking rates of non-resident. Sensors could be deployed to track street parking utilization to assist with the RPPD program or eventually be used for dynamic pricing of metered spaces. Initial deployments in this project will focus on the already-planned data collection deployments at the two Metrorail garages as well as deployments at Leesburg park-and-ride lot. The County should deploy systems which, at a minimum, count the number of vehicles entering and exiting these facilities to maintain a running occupancy total. To supplement these counts, limited space-by-space detectors can be placed in a strategic area of the lot, such as the spaces that fill up last. This information should be transmitted in real-time to a central server and ultimately be integrated with signage on roadways near the lots and through a publicly-accessible API. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 30

136 Location(s) Leesburg park-and-ride lot Future County-owned Metrorail parking garages Parking facilities, including metered street parking, in activity centers such as planned developments near future Metrorail stations Project Benefits Awareness for the County both situational awareness in real-time and awareness for planning of demand for park-and-ride facilities to aid in both real-time traveler information and planning for future expansion. Information to travelers on modal options Reduction in time spent by travelers searching for parking Intermodal access and efficiency Technology Options Sensors for tracking whether a parking space is occupied include the following: o Directional sensors, such as the ones shown below using ultrasonic sensing Source: Q-Free TCS 31 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

137 o Single-space sensors 17 Parking data collection systems at garages or lots can be deployed to suit the following levels of detail: o Facility count (FC) just the total number of vehicles currently in a facility using in/out sensors o Level count (LC) sensors on ramps between levels o Space count (SC) sensors on individual spaces The costs of these data collection systems increase according to the desired level of detail required. Electronic signage for parking management systems can be provided using the various types of message signs described in the section on message sign deployments, including static signage with insert panels (typical) up to full-color matrix displays. Parking information can also be integrated with an active traffic management system (such as VDOT s statewide ATMS, which is intended to be able to ingest parking data as part of future modules). Integration with an ATMS can be used to share information via the same message signs that are also providing information on travel times and traveler alerts. Communication Needs Sensors transfer data via wireless or wireline, depending on the vendor offering Communications to message signs outside the garage and/or on each level Parking data collection systems typically transfer data to a server within the parking facility. Ideally such a server would be integrated with the County s internal network to a central system allowing for access to realtime information on lot occupancy. A publicly-available data feed should be established using a standard format and API to allow third-party developers to access this information in real-time Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 32

138 Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Loudoun County Transit and Commuter Services Department of Economic Development Department of Information Technology VDOT Staffing Needs Deployment of parking data collection systems should reduce or eliminate the need for monthly manual parking counts of lots, such as those served by Loudoun County Transit. Maintenance Needs Maintenance needs include maintenance of sensors and communications, maintenance of servers, and maintenance of signage. Some of this can be done through a service agreement with the vendor, particularly for the software. Systems with a greater number of sensors will require more maintenance of sensors, but systems such as a facility count system may need to frequently be re-calibrated to ensure that the overall count is accurate. Schedule Parking management systems will be integrated with the County-owned garages at the Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn Metrorail stations, which are scheduled to open in Deployment at Loudoun County Transit lots should begin at Leesburg park-and ride and integrate with the same central system as the data from the Metrorail garages. Coordination with Loudoun County Transit will be essential for understanding how lot usage may change upon the opening of the Metrorail system. Capital and O&M Costs Capital costs associated with a facility count system, including sensors, are estimated to be approximately $20,000 per location. Capital costs for a level counting system are estimated to be approximately $40,000 per location and can increase according to the number of levels in the facility. For a single-space counting system, capital costs are in the range of $400 per space but can increase given the effort to install sensors, ease of access to communications and power, and associated signage scheme. 33 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

139 The cost estimate below is for smart parking infrastructure at Leesburg park-and-ride lot including in/out detection at multiple access points (6), space-by-space detection at a select number of spaces (30), and parking guide signs with LED insert panels to display parking availability (3). Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $13,000 $23,000 Construction and Development $89,000 $152,000 Integration $11,000 $18,000 Project Management $9,000 $15,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $122,000 $208,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $18,000 $31,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on low and high costs for in/out detector locations ($8,000 and $14,000), space-by-space detection ($250 and $400), and LED guide signs ($12,000 and $20,000). Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 34

140 MULTIMODAL INFORMATION DISPLAYS AT ACTIVITY CENTERS Project Description As the County plans for higher-density urban development, most notably in the vicinity of the future Ashburn Metrorail station, it should seek to improve traveler information with regards to multimodal options. This information includes transit arrival times as well as availability of other options for first-mile/last-mile connections from transit, such as ride-sharing or bikesharing. Traveler information displays at transit hubs and activity centers, currently popular in several urban areas including the Washington, DC, area, would provide real-time information on conditions and travel options for multiple modes. These displays would be located at park and ride lots, future Metro stations, and major developments to facilitate transportation connections. The displays can be located indoors or outdoors, and would be connected to a communications network so the information can be easily updated. Currently, displays such as the one pictured above are prevalent in Arlington County and eastern Fairfax County. Loudoun County already is planning to upgrade its transit arrival information to include a GTFS-real-time feed, which will be integrated with displays closer to the Washington urban core. However, these displays should also be deployed at targeted locations within high-density urban developments in the County to facilitate first-mile and last-mile connections to transit. These displays should be integrated with information feeds from Loudoun County Transit, Metrorail, and potentially ride-sharing or transportation network companies (TNCs), bikeshare, and roadway traffic conditions. Other information could be provided such as weather conditions, local news, or advertisements for 18 Source: Kimley-Horn internal photo Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

141 local businesses (which can be used to generate revenue to pay for the displays). Deployment of information displays can also be done by the private sector, such as by private developers as part of a locality-led transportation demand management (TDM) initiative. For example, in Arlington County, many new residential and commercial developments include these displays in conjunction with TDM regulations (for example, to offset providing additional parking). Location(s) High-density urban developments, including those in the vicinity of the future Metrorail stations, as well as other developments such as One Loudoun to facilitate connections to transit. Three Initial deployment are recommended at Leesburg park-and-ride, One Loudoun, and the future Ashburn Metrorail station. Project Benefits Increased traveler information and awareness of options for a seamless transition between home and Metro or transit parking Improved efficiency of intermodal access Improved first- and last-mile connections to transit as new land developments arise Potentially increased mode share of transit, car-sharing or ride-sharing, and bikeshare. Technology Options Several vendors produce commercial-grade information displays, which can range from hung television monitors to in-ground industrial-strength interactive displays. Communication Needs These displays are typically connected to a server containing the software integrating the various information feeds into a user-friendly interface. The servers need to have internet access to pull any publiclyavailable information feeds, such as real-time transit arrival feeds and weather feeds. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Transit and Commuter Services Department of Economic Development Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 36

142 Department of Information Technology (DIT) Staffing Needs No additional staff should be required. Displays and feeds are typically maintained by the vendor as part of device procurement. Maintenance Needs Ongoing maintenance of servers and software, typically handled by the vendor. Schedule Deployment of multimodal information displays is recommended in conjunction with the opening of Metrorail service. Installations at Leesburg park-and-ride and One Loudoun can begin before this time. Capital and O&M Costs Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $3,000 $9,000 Construction and Development $18,000 $60,000 Integration $2,000 $7,000 Project Management $2,000 $6,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $25,000 $82,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $4,000 $12,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on 3 locations at low and high costs of $6,000 and $20,000 per location. 37 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

143 COMMUNICATION NETWORK BUILD-OUT Project Description Loudoun County desires to expand broadband communications throughout the County, especially to underserved areas in western Loudoun County. Establishing a reliable communications backbone would support transportation technology deployments, such as cameras and message signs, and be expandable in the future. There currently exists a wide range of fiber optic cable within the County owned by VDOT or private companies such as Verizon and CenturyLink. DIT desires to expand the County's broadband footprint to underserved areas in western Loudoun County, including a fiber network to support public schools and libraries (currently leased from Verizon) and interconnect County buildings and facilities. DTCI should explore partnerships in building out a fiber network that supports multiple County objectives. This project contains several components. First, Loudoun County should develop a communications plan. This would involve engaging stakeholders (DIT, VDOT, towns, private communications companies, and others) to determine the best approach to buildout of a County fiber network. A preliminary map of a fiber network is provided in Figure 2-4, but the plan would solidify the fiber locations. The plan would lay out policy decisions such as leasing versus owning and resource sharing (i.e., receiving revenue by leasing excess capacity built into the system). Requirements would also be established for developers to provide mapping information on nearby fiber infrastructure and to install conduit and fiber on behalf of the County as new developments are built. This would require an update to the Loudoun County Facility Standards Manual (FSM). County-owned and maintained fiber and conduit within the VDOT right-of-way will require a maintenance agreement and a land use permit Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 38

144 Following the plan, implementation should begin on an initial phase of the network that would connect major county facilities and initial deployments of transportation technology systems. It would be expanded in later years. Location(s) County-wide, with an emphasis on: o Deployments in and around the new Metrorail stations and at traffic signals o Deployments in the areas west of Leesburg and the US 15 corridor o Deployments associated with new developments or road projects A planning-level map of an initial backbone is provided in Figure 2-4. This network would connect to most transportation technology systems proposed in this plan and County facilities on Sycolin Road, and is approximately 60 miles long. Project Benefits Support for other transportation technology deployments, such as cameras and message signs, leading to increased situational awareness and information disseminated to travelers Expansion of broadband communications to underserved areas of the County, enhancing economic development opportunities Technology Options Deploying and expanding a fiber optic network entails a series of decisions with regards to the network architecture: o Ownership will the fiber be leased as it currently is, or owned by the County? If it is owned by the County, which department owns the network, or are there different cables for different departments? Should unused fiber or conduit be leased out as a potential revenue stream? o Network topology 22 a network s topology is a representation of the physical and/or logical layout of the communications between devices and how they are connected. The most common topologies are bus, star, ring, and mesh, although more often than not networks use a combination of these. Each topology strikes a balance between resiliency in the event of the network being severed or damaged and cost. o Number of strands within a fiber optic cable are a series of thin strands on which light travels for communication; the more strands within a fiber optic cable, the more bandwidth available. 22 District Department of Transportation ITS and Communications Master Plan (2013). 39 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

145 Communication Needs See Technology Options. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Department of Information Technology Department of Economic Development Loudoun County Public Schools VDOT Staffing Needs Staff will be needed for design review and oversight of maintenance, although this staff will almost certainly not be dedicated to oversight of the fiber network. For example, Arlington County utilizes a team of approximately eight ITS engineers and 10 maintenance staff to manage the entire ITS and signal system; the maintenance staff deal with signal maintenance/rebuilds, streetlights, and other capital projects, while engineering staff do design review and traffic analysis. Maintenance Needs Maintenance of fiber, repairs to damaged conduit, etc., would be handled through maintenance contract that is priced according to response time and number of splices performed. Fiber maintained by the County within VDOT right-of-way will require a maintenance agreement with VDOT. DIT will play a critical role in the maintenance of the hardware through remote access Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 40

146 Figure 2-4. Proposed Fiber Network (Initial Buildout)

147 Schedule The County should first move forward with a communications plan The County should move forward with updating policies with regards to mapping of existing fiber in the ground and requiring developers to dedicate conduit and fiber as part of any new roadway construction projects. This would be accomplished by updating the Loudoun County Facility Standards Manual to revise the roadway typical section to include conduit for applicable road types. Given the County s (and VDOT s) abundant existing utilization of leased fiber, a full-scale build-out of a County-owned fiber network is not essential in order to deploy the already-mentioned needed field devices such as cameras, message signs, weather sensors, and information displays, however County-owned fiber network should be phased in to connect to these devices. Phase 1 (Communications Plan and Preliminary Engineering): FY 2019 Phase 2 (Initial Buildout): FY 2020 FY 2022 Capital and O&M Costs Fiber deployment costs include the cable itself, which is significantly less expensive than the cost of conduit in which the fiber is laid (and the trenching or drilling to install the conduit). Typical ranges for the fiber cable itself are $2 to $4 per linear foot depending on the number of strands. Installation of the fiber itself can range from $15 to $25 per linear foot if a conduit is existing or easily trenched to as high as $45 per linear foot if the conduit must be directionally drilled. Additional costs include integration with traffic signals, junction boxes, equipment within buildings, switches and routes. Soft costs include mobilization of a construction team, temporary traffic control, and documentation. Total costs per linear foot are estimated to be in the range of $30 to $50; depending on how much directional drilling is required. Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 42

148 Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $756,000 $1,260,000 Construction and Development $9,450,000 $15,750,000 Integration $1,134,000 $1,890,000 Project Management $473,000 $788,000 Total Estimated Deployment Cost $11,813,000 $19,688,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $591,000 $984,000 Notes: Construction and development costs based on 60 miles at low and high costs of $30 and $50 per linear foot. 43 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

149 ENHANCED FREEWAY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT 23 Project Description Loudoun County currently does not have any safety service patrols (SSP) along its limited-access roadways (Route 28 and Route 7), as VDOT currently provides SSP only along its Interstate corridors in the region (I-66, I-495, I-95, etc.). These patrols detect incidents, minimize incident duration, clear roadway obstructions, and provide temporary traffic control. Some of the duties of an SSP are currently handled by the Sheriff s Office and Virginia State Police, but SSP has been used for detecting incidents quickly by being stationed along these limited-access facilities. SSP help move vehicles to the side of the roadway and clear incidents and provide secondary assistance to motorists such as jump-starting vehicles and changing tires 24. VTRC has studied the benefit of SSP extensively 25 and noted that this service is associated with a significant return on investment attributable to reductions in motorist delay, fuel consumption, and emissions. This project recommends that the County fund a VDOT (or separate-from-vdot) SSP service along Route 28, Route 7, and US 50 (which is not a limited-access facility but carries some of the highest traffic volumes in the County). Location(s) SSP should be implemented in Loudoun County in four routes/assignment areas: o Route #1: Route 7 (eastern Loudoun County line to Leesburg) o Route #2: Route 7 (western Loudoun County line to Leesburg to Leesburg) o Route #3: Route 28 (eastern Loudoun County Line to Route 7) o Route #4: US 50 (eastern Loudoun County line to Route 15) cument&query=bmeasure 25 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 44

150 Project Benefits Reductions in motorist delay, fuel consumption, emissions, and secondary crashes due to more rapid response to roadway incidents. Potential ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Technology Options VDOT s SSP units are typically equipped heavy-duty pickup trucks which include an arrow display panel mounted to the back, cones, push bumpers, and a tow package with the ability to pull semi-trucks out of the roadway. Other SSP programs, such as Maryland s CHART program, employ larger-bodied trucks which can carry more equipment, supplies, and signage. 26 Patrollers usually operate on beats along a pre-defined stretch of highway (e.g. Route 28 between the Dulles Toll Road and Route 7 ) but can also be dispatched on demand. These units can confirm that an incident has occurred (via handheld radios) and advise a traffic operations center of its nature and response needed. Communication Needs Patroller communication equipment used by SSP units includes two-way radios, CB radios, and cellular phones. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) VDOT Staffing Needs The contracted service would dedicate staff for each beat and potentially for being dispatched on demand. VDOT has noted that the hours of operation of its SSP units vary with locality, although most only operate during peak hours on weekdays. VDOT s SSP units along Interstates in Northern Virginia provide 24/7 coverage. VTRC has a cost-benefit Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

151 methodology in place to determine the effectiveness of coverage for weekday periods versus expanding coverage to weekends. Maintenance Needs Maintenance of vehicles and equipment (handled by contractor) Schedule The SSP service can begin immediately after coordinating with VDOT and establishing the contracting mechanism Capital and O&M Costs Hourly costs for SSP include operational costs for trucks, patroller salaries, and overhead. Cost estimates use a total hourly rate of $54 for the four routes to cover the AM and PM weekday peak periods Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $432,000 $860,000 Notes: Low cost is based on two four hour shifts for each route and high cost is based on two eight hour shifts for each route Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 46

152 BIG DATA USAGE FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND OPERATIONS 27 Project Description Technological advancements in traffic operations and planning have provided a wealth of new data sources for understanding real-time and historic conditions of the transportation network. Loudoun County should take advantage of a wide range of these novel and innovative transportation data sources to gain a more accurate understanding of transportation conditions, travel patterns, and trends. Over the past few years, several "big data" vendors, including INRIX, StreetLight, AirSage, and others, have emerged providing detailed travel time and origindestination data based on probe samples of devices (cell phones, GPS units, etc.). This data can be broken down into various time periods or user groups (for example, "personal" versus "commercial" trips). On top of this, the CATT Lab at the University of Maryland has produced a suite of backend visualization tools for this data known as the Regional Integrated Transportation Information System (RITIS). RITIS allows users to access a variety of real-time and historical data feeds, including INRIX travel time and speed data and incident data. Data obtained from vendors can supplement the data gathered from roadside sensors (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) as part of the Message Sign Deployments project, and be used for additional applications aside of travel time messaging. These data sources can be used for planning and operational analyses and can provide Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

153 substantial insights on travel patterns and reliability. These data sources should continue to improve rapidly over the next several years. This project calls for the County to do the following: Obtain RITIS logins for transportation planning staff to begin using in planning and ultimately for real-time operations Work with VDOT to understand VDOT s contract with StreetLight Data and what data the County has free access to. Where the County cannot ride the VDOT contract, planning staff should explore options for purchasing the data or including probe origin-destination data as part of outsourced traffic studies. Support the use of big data for transportation planning and operations through staff support, potentially via contracted training or staff augmentation. Location(s) County-wide Project Benefits Increased situational awareness of traffic conditions and travel patterns for County planning staff, both in real-time and for planning purposes. Improved understanding and reporting of bottlenecks due to work zones or incidents. Cost savings through reduced efforts for field data collection and reduced efforts both internally and externally to conduct studies. Technology Options Providers such as INRIX, HERE, TomTom, and others offer raw, anonymized real-time and historical travel time data for sale. AirSage offers aggregated, anonymized data from cell phone tower pings to understand high-level origin-destination flows. It is not recommended that the County purchase raw data from one of these vendors at this time but rather utilize tools which aggregate these data sources and allow for click and drag visualizations and analyses. RITIS offers free accounts to users with state and local government addresses, which provides access to both their real-time data feeds and historic probe data ( Vehicle Probe Project or VPP ) suite. RITIS has a series of built-in visualization tools for mapping congestion patterns over time, ranking bottlenecks, and viewing time-of-day or yearly trends. StreetLight Data offers an interface in which users can create their own origin and destination zones on a map, set up queries to filter data for certain time periods or trip types, and obtain origin-destination matrices Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 48

154 rooted in probe data such as INRIX. VDOT currently has a contract with StreetLight which allows information to be queried for VDOT-owned roadways. Communication Needs N/A Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) VDOT Town of Leesburg Staffing Needs These sources should ultimately allow DTCI staff to more quickly analyze and identify trends in the transportation network. Initially, this project suggests an additional planning or engineering staff position to assist in scoping and studies. Training may be needed for use of these systems and software packages. Maintenance Needs Ongoing software and server maintenance, typically provided by vendors. Schedule County planning staff should immediately begin utilizing sources such as RITIS and StreetLight where applicable. Capital and O&M Costs RITIS is free to users with local or state government addresses. StreetLight Data is free for queries along VDOT roadways, but County staff will need to request a login from VDOT. The County may incur a yearly operating cost in the form of additional staff resources or staff augmentation. Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $60,000 $100,000 Notes: Annual operations and maintenance cost assumes typical planning/engineering consultant labor rates. 49 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

155 ACTIVE ARTERIAL CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PILOT 28 Project Description Loudoun County would pilot active management of a highly congested corridor using a private contractor. This would involve real-time operations of the corridor and management of recurrent and non-recurrent congestion. The provider would monitor conditions and dynamically adjust traffic signals to manage delays and queues. The contractor would have performance targets to maintain to ensure the corridor operates as efficiently as possible. The contractor would utilize automated traffic signal performance measures (ATSPMs) to obtain real-time analytics of corridor operations and advanced historical assessments of operations 29. The pilot would run for a limited duration before the County decides to continue this strategy or expand to other corridors. Location(s) A specific arterial corridor in the County, such as Loudoun County Parkway or Waxpool Road Project Benefits Increased situational awareness and detailed performance measures on corridor operations Ultimately, proper active management of an arterial corridor should lead to increased throughput, reductions in delay and queueing, reductions in crashes, and improved reliability in travel times Technology Options A server to collect and report performance measures would be needed. All other functions would use existing technology. 28 Sources: Kimley-Horn internal photos 29 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 50

156 Communication Needs Fiber connections to signal cabinets along the corridor to ensure highbandwidth communications and transference of data several times per second for performance measurement. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) VDOT Department of Information Technology Staffing Needs Dedicated DTCI or contractor staff located at the Loudoun County TOC to actively monitor each corridor, at the very least during weekday AM and PM peak hours. Maintenance Needs Ongoing maintenance of communications and field devices at signals Software maintenance Schedule An active arterial corridor management pilot should not take place until the County establishes a TOC. VDOT will be an active stakeholder, as they currently own and operate the signals within the County. The pilot program should last at least one year. Capital and O&M Costs Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $100,000 $220,000 Notes: Estimates based on a cost of $10,000 per signal. 51 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

157 AUTONOMOUS CIRCULATOR SHUTTLE PILOT Project Description Loudoun County should partner with a private-sector provider to pilot an autonomous circulator shuttle in the vicinity of transit-oriented development (most likely the future Ashburn Metrorail station). Currently, shuttle services within and between developments do no currently exist in the County. Loudoun County Transit Metro Connections provides service between park-and-ride lots and Metrorail stations. Some future developments are proffered to have a shuttle service, such as Moorefield Station. The technology required to provide a selfdriving autonomous shuttle currently exists and is being used in several U.S. cities and worldwide, including several cities in Europe and plans for deployment in Tampa 32. Currently, the Commonwealth of Virginia intentionally does not restrict autonomous vehicle use on the roadway network. An autonomous shuttle service would serve multiple purposes. This innovative technology would increase personal mobility with first- and last-mile connections and be attractive to businesses and visitors. The service would first be implemented in a relatively controlled environment (low-traffic area or separate path). The County will have several existing and future developments that are appropriate for an autonomous shuttle, especially in the vicinity of future Metrorail stations. Location(s) High-density urban developments and transit-oriented developments, serving trips within an approximately one-mile radius of a Metrorail station or major activity center. Project Benefits Increase mobility with first- and last-mile connections to transit and activity centers, reducing automobile dependency and single-occupancy vehicle trips Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 52

158 Access to multimodal choices Potential for economic development due to the novelty of such a service as well as an increase in the number of trips to an activity center. Technology Options The technology required to provide such a service currently exists and is being used in several U.S. cities and worldwide. Vehicles typically hold 10 to 15 passengers and travel at low speeds during testing. These vehicles are typically electric-powered. Autonomous vehicles typically rely on sensors and detectors such as LIDAR laser detection, radar, and high-precision cameras. Communication Needs N/A Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) Transit and Commuter Services Department of Economic Development General Services Staffing Needs Operations of the shuttle service would likely be handled via a private contractor. DTCI and/or public works staff would likely be needed to ensure that the roadway facilities used by the shuttle service maintain a proper state of repair, especially with striping and signage. Upfront effort by County legal and procurement to support such a service Maintenance Needs Maintenance of the shuttle service would likely be handled via a private contractor. Schedule Trial autonomous shuttle services are currently being conducted or planned in several cities. The County should continue to follow the results of these projects. The future Ashburn and Loudoun Gateway Metrorail stations are scheduled to open in 2020, with several nearby high-density developments under construction. The County could time such a shuttle pilot to coincide with the opening of the Metrorail stations. 53 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

159 A pilot shuttle program would likely last several months to over a year. Capital and O&M Costs A pilot shuttle program would likely last several months to over a year, with capital and operating costs potentially packaged together. For comparison, Florida DOT is paying $500,000 per year for two years for an autonomous circulator shuttle service in Tampa, while a pilot deployment in Paris is estimated to cost $215,000 per vehicle. An autonomous shuttle bus in Las Vegas costs about $120,000 per year to operate for the vehicle and its services. Cost Estimate (2017 $) Task Low High Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $120,000 $500,000 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 54

160 COUNTY TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS CENTER (TOC) 33 Project Description Loudoun County needs a TOC to facilitate the use of technology to efficiently operate the transportation network. The TOC could take many forms and should be implemented in phases. In general, a TOC houses tools and people who work to quickly identify and respond to incidents and disseminate information to the public. Currently, the Sheriff s Office performs some of the duties of a TOC, including dispatching resources, disseminating traffic information, and coordinating with VDOT. VDOT has its own TOC (the PSTOC in Fairfax County), but it is primarily focused on interstate operations. As VDOT monitors traffic signals across Fairfax, Prince William, and Loudoun Counties from the PSTOC, there is not a dedicated focus on Loudoun County. The Town of Leesburg also mains a virtual TOC for incident response, conditions monitoring, and real-time adjustments to signals within Leesburg and coordinate with VDOT to handle issues on the Town/County border. Other jurisdictions in Northern Virginia maintain and operate their own TOCs as well (Arlington County and the City of Alexandria). As the County moves forward with deployment of technology to fill in existing gaps in conditions monitoring on its transportation network, including devices such as cameras and sensors, it also needs the ability to utilize these devices to the fullest extent possible. The TOC would first be in the form of a virtual environment where an operator could view and manage field equipment (e.g., 33 Source: Kimley-Horn internal photo 55 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

161 cameras, message signs, sensors) via a dashboard from any workstation or laptop. In the long-term (beyond FY 2023), Loudoun County would establish and operate a physical TOC. Alternative levels for management of a TOC are detailed in the Concept of Operations. The recommended long-term project is to set up an appropriately scaled physical TOC in Loudoun County staffed and operated by DTCI with strong coordination with the Sheriff s Office and VDOT. The TOC would be operated during AM and PM peak hours, and the Sheriff s Office would have access to it during off-peak hours as necessary. The TOC would also always be sharing information with VDOT PSTOC. Locations An initial TOC deployment would take a virtual form and coincide with deployments of field devices such as cameras and message signs. This virtual TOC would include software associated with these devices accessible via laptop or desktop computers at DTCI, the Sheriff s Office, and the Emergency Operations Center. In the long-term, a physical TOC would be established within the County in a defined space, likely in or near existing County government facilities in Leesburg such as Blue Seal or the Sheriff s Office. Project Benefits Ability to quickly alert local and pass-through commuters of a hazard or emergency situation Increased situational awareness for Leesburg and western Loudoun County Ability to more effectively manage and coordinate special events and emergency operations Increased amount of information provided to PSTOC from Loudoun County Monitoring of real-time traffic conditions for effective service delivery Technology Options A virtual TOC will require laptops, desktops, or tablets to have software installed associated with various field devices. There are a variety of software platforms available for advanced traffic management systems (ATMS), allowing for access to camera feeds, viewing of sensor or detector data, and other feeds all in one location. ATMS platforms typically have a variety of dashboards and maps for viewing information. An ATMS is not recommended or required for a system of this scale; instead, operators would use the software associated with the subsystems (cameras, message signs, etc.). Many TOCs have several Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 56

162 software platforms for viewing information from several different types of devices, such as a dedicated platform for viewing camera feeds. A physical TOC will require workstations, ideally with several monitors for viewing conditions, and potentially a video wall for having even more views and feeds. For example, following figure shows several feeds from Arlington County s TOCs. Communication Needs A virtual TOC would require communications with the central server(s) for the camera, message sign, sensor, and other technology systems. Lead Agency and Stakeholders Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (Lead) VDOT Loudoun County Sheriff s Office Office of Emergency Management Department of Information Technology Staffing Needs Contractor support will be needed to establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) and coordinate the initial setup of the virtual TOC. It is recommended that the County have a dedicated operator for the virtual TOC in the AM (7-9 AM) and PM (3-7 PM) peak periods. Both internal staff and outsourced professional services could be considered for this position. As operations is a new role for the County, it may be beneficial to utilize professional support in the near-term then hire a County position after operations are established and underway. 57 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

163 Operations of a physical TOC will require additional staffing, with potentially dedicated staff. Arlington County does not have staff dedicated to actively operating its TOC but rather has a team of ITS engineers and maintenance staff who also perform a variety of other duties within the County, such as design review, traffic analysis, signal maintenance, etc. VDOT, on the other hand, has dedicated staff for monitoring traffic signals (in its signal operations center at the PSTOC) and other dedicated staff for monitoring freeway conditions. Many of the TOC operators are contracted positions from a private-sector operator. Maintenance Needs Ongoing maintenance of servers, software, and TOC equipment Training for new operators and with new software/deployments Schedule A phased approach is recommended: Phase 1 (FY 2019 FY 2021) would be a virtual TOC, integrated with baseline technology such as Waze, camera systems (both Countyowned and VDOT-owned), message sign systems, and weather sensor systems. The virtual TOC would also include access to additional transportation data sources such as the Regional Integrated Transportation Information System (RITIS), the County s GeoHub, and other VDOT transportation data sources. Phase 2 (FY 2022 FY 2023) would add supplemental data sources to the virtual TOC, such as parking infrastructure and Loudoun County Transit s AVL feeds. Phase 3 (beyond FY 2023) would be a physical TOC located in Loudoun County operated by DTCI during peak hours. As the County takes an increasing role in operations, the TOC could be used for real-time traffic signal operations, dispatching County safety service patrols, and managing incidents. Capital and O&M Costs Capital costs for a virtual TOC would include initial setup such as developing SOPs and coordinating with stakeholders. Ongoing operations and maintenance costs include staffing an operator. Capital costs for a long-term physical TOC would include furnishing a space within an already-owned facility with equipment such as workstations and a video wall. Capital costs will be highly dependent upon the size and type of space required. Ongoing operations and maintenance costs include personnel, equipment and supplies, building Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 58

164 utilities and maintenance, software licenses, and training. Personnel costs are often the predominant cost factor in TOC operations 34. Task Cost Estimate (2017 $) Low High Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering $100,000 $120,000 Construction and Development - - Integration - - Project Management - - Total Estimated Deployment Cost $100,000 $120,000 Annual Operations and Maintenance Cost $40,000 $180,000 Notes: Feasibility, Outreach, and Preliminary Engineering includes contractor support costs for developing SOPs, establishing partnerships with stakeholders, and initial setup of the virtual TOC. Low O&M costs assume a full-time staff hourly position at approximately $20/hour. High O&M costs assumes professional consultant staff for six hours per day at a rate of $115/hour ocument&query=home 59 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

165 LONG-TERM PROJECTS The following are long-term projects that an envisioned for years beyond FY Most are expansion of the baseline systems of technology implemented in the first five years of the program. Continued expansion of camera coverage (see Error! Reference source not found.) Implementation of Phase 3 of the Message Sign Deployments project (see Figure 2-2) Implementation of ESS at targeted locations in the County for collecting data on pavement conditions Implementation of intelligent safety improvements at additional pedestrian and bicycle crossings Implementation of smart parking infrastructure at additional County lots Implementation of multimodal information displays at additional locations Continued expansion of a County-owned fiber network Implementation of a physical TOC in Loudoun County to support active management of the transportation system, operated and staffed by DTCI with strong coordination with the Sheriff s Office Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan 60

166 3. FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM A five-year program (FY 2019 through FY 2023) for the projects included in this Implementation Plan is shown in Figure 3-1. The program summarizes all the projects, phasing, and capital and O&M costs. The phasing allows for projects to be implemented gradually to spread costs out throughout the planning horizon. It also allows for the County to build on successes of initial implementations and then expand to additional devices and capabilities. The sequencing was based on project durations, costs, and the relationships between projects. Projects related to the opening of Metrorail were also sequenced appropriately. The schedule is meant to be flexible as priorities within the County and funding availability change. 61 Transportation Technology Plan Implementation Plan

167 Figure 3-1. FY 2019 FY 2023 Program