Jan 5, 2023
From 26 to 30 June 2023, the 4th International Symposium on Freeway and Tollway Operations will take place in Vienna. The discussed aspects are multifaceted and crucial to address the current challenges in traffic management.
Focussing on the future of traffic management means looking for solutions for a sustainable, safe and efficient transport system. The TRB ISFO 2023 addresses this goal in four tracks at different levels. Find out more about the various possibilities to discuss these aspects and don´t miss the chance to be part of this event!
A key element of future solutions for traffic and mobility management is to enable dynamic interaction between traffic management and vehicles, fleet operators, mobility service providers, and travellers. The biggest challenge for such interaction lies in the area of governance – so how goals and activities of different stakeholders could be aligned to create synergies with respect to desired impacts and benefits.
”Governments and policy decision makers have to focus on their new roles in terms of traffic management and climate actions. The sessions in this track will raise awareness for the hidden potential and additional possibilities in the area of governance.” Martin Russ, Chair of Track A
This new forms of interaction will allow to incorporate climate goals into operational strategies, to maximise the efficiency and effectivity of existing infrastructure, to respond to incidents and enable multimodal coordination of infrastructure capacities. Therefore, the role of governance and the creation of adequate organisational structures to address these challenges is essential to ensure enhanced safety, to reduce environmental impacts, and to secure efficiency gains.
All Sessions in Track A will provide a substantial path planning for the mission of delivering “directionality” towards common goals for all relevant stakeholders in traffic management. Also the governmental roles need to be redefined and reconsidered, to face future challenges and force the necessary solutions.
Key Words: Collaboration, Sharing Data, Integrated Mobility Management, Digitalisation, Cities, Corridors
Agencies have the opportunity to use a range of different technologies, operational strategies, and methods to actively manage traffic in support of improving safety and travel on the surface transportation system. These opportunities need innovative approaches in adopting and using new technologies, methods (e.g., operational strategies, control plans), or tools (e.g., software, traffic analysis) to actively manage and control traffic. This includes sharing and using emerging sources of data (e.g., connected and automated vehicles) and incorporating new sources of data into operational strategies and control plans as a baseline for a better understanding of the traffic situation. Also innovative methods to actively manage and control traffic (e.g., HOV, HOT, Part-time Shoulder Use, Reversible Lanes, use of pricing), and the sharing of information with other systems and service providers to incorporate mobility on demand services into traffic management and emissions mitigation activities are key.
“This track will explore innovative and emerging technologies as it relates to managing and operating freeways and toll roads. Topics including active traffic management/managed motorways, artificial intelligence, and digital twinning will be explored. We will also delve into methodologies and technologies used during emergency situations like severe weather events and pandemics. Stop by these session to learn more.”, Dan Lukasik, Chair for Track B.
This track will explore managing traffic and operating the surface transportation system during emergencies and severe weather events such as hurricanes, snowstorms, earthquakes or evacuation scenarios. Another key topic to be discussed includes Post COVID travel safety and traffic management challenges, as accidents and fatalities increase. Other topics to be addressed include the process of digital twinning of traffic management systems and data subsystems along with how artificial intelligence and machine learning could be used to improve freeway and tollway operations.
Key Words: Technologies, Weather, Safety, AI, Fleet, Digital Twin, Tools, Resilience
The next generation of an agencies TMSs and their operations centers (TMCs) offer the potential to improve safety and mobility. To achieve this goal it is important for agencies to develop a strategic direction, plan for future improvements to or prepare for a new system, build the support and obtain the needed resources, while striving to improve the capabilities and performance of their current TMSs and services they may provide. Opportunities continue to emerge for agencies to improve the capabilities and limitations of legacy systems by planning for and developing the next generation of their TMSs from: new and emerging sources of data generated from connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) and travelers using connected devices, new technologies, and advances in telecommunications.
“We want to address the key issues, challenges, and highlights in the technical sessions of this track, and show how agencies can prepare for the next generation of their TMS while improving the day-to-day management and operation of their current system.” Jon Obenberger, Chair of Track C
This track will explore the potential for the next generation of an agency´s traffic management systems and the services they may provide to share information, coordinate, and actively manage traffic within a state, regional, or national traffic management ecosystem. Aspects discussed in this track include the assessment of the capabilities and performance of traffic management systems, planning for the next generation of agency´s traffic management systems and services, managing TMS assets and resources, and using new sources of data to improve the active management and operation of traffic.
Key Words: traffic management systems and centers, improvement the capabilities and performance, C-ITS, Managing TMS and ITS Assets, Mobility on Demand
New challenges in managing transport and traffic require new and innovative approaches in financing and funding how we build, maintain and operate motorways effectively. Priced transport facilities and services introduce a value proposition with the user that generate revenue for operations and investment but may also serve as incentives towards other operational and policy goals. Various approaches to pricing and finance will be discussed to compare and assess their advantages and understand the challenges to manage priced transport assets and strive toward critical policy goals.
“Innovative approaches to financing and funding transport are important in sustaining adequate resources for investment, operations, and maintenance, but also offer effective options to address other policy objectives and outcomes. The sessions in this track will explore how financing and pricing choices may be used to address congestion, climate change, safety, public and private roles in project delivery, and declining financial contributions of motor fuel taxes with the rise of alternative fuels.” Mark Muriello, Chair of Track D
Track D will explore different approaches in project finance involving public or private partners, congestion pricing to promote reliability and efficient use of the transport system, distance-based pricing to address declining motor fuel tax revenue, safety considerations on priced roads, and how pricing and financing decisions contribute towards net zero emissions gaols to meet the global climate imperative.
Key Words: Pricing, Incentives, Climate, Congestions, Ride Sharing, Revenue, Investments
