Missouri DOT Traffic Field Equipment - ITS Roadway Equipment Functionality

Subsystem Description

'ITS Roadway Equipment' represents the ITS equipment that is distributed on and along the roadway that monitors and controls traffic and monitors and manages the roadway itself. This physical object includes traffic detectors, environmental sensors, traffic signals, highway advisory radios, dynamic message signs, CCTV cameras and video image processing systems, grade crossing warning systems, and ramp metering systems. Lane management systems and barrier systems that control access to transportation infrastructure such as roadways, bridges and tunnels are also included. This object also provides environmental monitoring including sensors that measure road conditions, surface weather, and vehicle emissions. Work zone systems including work zone surveillance, traffic control, driver warning, and work crew safety systems are also included.

Functional Object: Roadway Basic Surveillance

'Roadway Basic Surveillance' monitors traffic conditions using fixed equipment such as loop detectors and CCTV cameras.

Functional Object: Roadway Data Collection

'Roadway Data Collection' collects traffic, road, and environmental conditions information for use in transportation planning, research, and other off–line applications where data quality and completeness take precedence over real–time performance. It includes the sensors, supporting roadside infrastructure, and communications equipment that collects and transfers information to a center for archival.

Functional Object: Roadway Incident Detection

'Roadway Incident Detection' provides incident detection using traffic detectors and surveillance equipment. It monitors for unusual traffic conditions that may indicate an incident or processes surveillance images, watching for potential incidents. It provides potential incident information as well as traffic flow and images to the center for processing and presentation to traffic operations personnel.

Functional Object: Roadway Infrastructure Monitoring

'Roadway Infrastructure Monitoring' monitors the condition of pavement, bridges, tunnels, associated hardware, and other transportation–related infrastructure (e.g., culverts). It includes sensors that monitor the infrastructure and the communications necessary to report this data to a center or vehicle–based maintenance system.

Functional Object: Roadway Reversible Lanes

'Roadway Reversible Lanes' includes field elements that monitor and control reversible lane facilities. It includes the traffic sensors, surveillance equipment, lane control signals, physical lane access controls, and other field elements that manage traffic on these facilities. It provides current reversible lane facility status information and accepts requests and control commands from the controlling center.

Functional Object: Roadway Speed Monitoring and Warning

'Roadway Speed Monitoring and Warning' includes the field elements that monitor vehicle speeds. If the speed is determined to be excessive, an advisory or warning is displayed. Current environmental conditions and other factors that may reduce safe operating speeds may also be taken into account. The operational status (state of the device, configuration, and fault data) is provided to the center. This application can also provide an enforcement function, reporting speed violations to an enforcement agency.

Functional Object: Roadway Traffic Information Dissemination

'Roadway Traffic Information Dissemination' includes field elements that provide information to drivers, including dynamic message signs and highway advisory radios.

Functional Object: Roadway Traffic Metering

'Roadway Traffic Metering' includes the field equipment used to meter traffic on ramps, through interchanges, and on the mainline roadway. The equipment includes dynamic messages signs to provide guidance and information to drivers at and approaching a meter, including information for any special bypass lanes.

Functional Object: Roadway Warning

'Roadway Warning' includes the field equipment used to warn drivers approaching hazards on a roadway. Warnings may be generated in response to roadway weather conditions, road surface conditions, traffic conditions including queues, obstacles or animals in the roadway, and any other transient events that can be sensed. The equipment monitors traffic and roadway conditions and may send data to a Traffic Management Center for processing or may process it to determine when a warning should be issued. When it is determined that a warning should be issued, the equipment is used to alert approaching drivers via dynamic warning signs, flashing lights, in–vehicle messages, etc.