The specialized transportation industry is discovering powerful, new partners for the harmonization of interstate permitted moves, particularly through the largest corridors. Hear about current efforts and how your company can help improve efficient movement of oversize cargo throughout the U.S. – from the Northwest Passage connecting Wisconsin to Washington, to the Spirit of US 54 from Texas to Wichita, to the I-95 connecting the entire Eastern seaboard.
Speakers:
Mark Berndt, Freight Program Leader, Olsson Associates
Marygrace Parker, Project Coordinator, I-95 Corridor Coalition
Moderator:
Ray Morgan, Vice President, Perkins STC
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Today’s Presentation
• I-95 Corridor Coalition:
– Who we are
– What we do
• Challenges facing multi-state/corridor
coordination that impact OS/OW movements
• Opportunities for improvements
– Coalition activities that may be leveraged to help
states improve OS/OW movements
– Industry Role
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www.i95coalition.org
Who We Are:
Multi-Jurisdictional
• 16 States, the District of Columbia
• $4.7 trillion economy (41% of US GDP)
• 21% of nation’s road miles; 35% of
nation’s VMT
• 5.3 billion tons of freight
shipments annually
• 2 Canadian Provinces (Quebec, New
Brunswick)
• I-95 Corridor Coalition Established
in 1993 to facilitate inter-agency
cooperation and coordination
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www.i95coalition.org
Who We Are:
Select Roles
• Coordinating and advancing multi-state/modal management and operations
• Training & best practices sharing
• Providing knowledge, planning tools and data to support agency initiatives, investment
decisions and work force development
• Enhancing peer-to-peer activities and information exchange
• Serving as a test bed
• Integrating information systems
• Providing long distance travel information
• Monitoring and reporting on related State & Federal programs and legislation
• Assisting agencies in developing and deploying operational decision-making tools that
facilitate response
5. I-95 Corridor Coalition
Current Focus Areas
• Intermodal Passenger & Freight Initiatives
• Significant Event Coordination
• Coordinated Operations & Sharing Best Practices
• (Longer Distance) Traveler Information
• System Performance Measurement
• Transportation Financing
• Training
• Climate Change and Adaptation
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www.i95coalition.org
Challenges facing multi-
agency/multi-state OS/OW corridor
movements
• Geography – perhaps less so in some corridors,
however, in the I-95 Corridor:
• So many agencies – many in close proximity
• Stronger likelihood of traveling thru many more
states/jurisdictions in a single trip
• Disparate programs, policies, requirements create
impacts
• Time of day/week travel, varying allowances for weight
and dimensions, escort requirements, etc.
• Disparate and multiple agency information systems
• i.e. Permit systems, Traffic Management, “511”
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www.i95coalition.org
Challenges facing multi-
agency/multi-state OS/OW corridor
movements
• Multiple agencies/jurisdictional issuing authorities mean
there is not a single information source or portal regarding
elements that might support a more “seamless” OS/OW
trip movement
• Information elements that impact movements may include
• Real-time road conditions
• Congestion, weather, incidents
• Construction/work zones may create “short term” dimensional
limitations not otherwise noted by/between agencies
• Restrictions or closures due to incidents/emergencies
• Emergency declarations
• When commenced, restrictions/allowances, when rescinded
9. Challenges facing OS/OW corridor
movements
• Automated permit systems:
– Some Coalition states are fully automated, some
partial, several are not automated.
– Underlying legacy systems may not be connected or
may be fragmented due to different software
• Bridge and pavement management systems
• Construction/work zone and incident closure status
• Vendor or in-house built systems vary across states/agencies
• Data may be:
– Unavailable, fragmented some assembly required
– limited ability to communicate thru firewalls
– Limited/non-existent “real-time” information sharing 9
11. Yes, if we continue to work
together to address them
• To identify the
different pieces we
need to put
together...
• There are efforts out
there to leverage and
advance…some of
which may be outside
the “box” we typically
look to in this area
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12. Opportunities to address challenges
• Multiple efforts underway at national, regional
and corridor level including:
– AASHTO SCOHT Harmonization Initiatives Phase I & II
– NASTO, SASHTO Harmonization work
– National Pilot Car Certification Effort
– I-95 Corridor Coalition working collaboratively
• With member agencies, AASHTO and industry as needed in
harmonization efforts
• To support agencies in sharing best practices/lessons learned
– Conducted NASTO AAR and shared findings
– Bridge and Highway Closure Report
• To advance multi-state coordinated operations and regional
travel information particularly for significant events
• Advancing tools to provide agencies with data to support
planning and operations individually and collectively 12
13. NASTO/I-95 Corridor Coalition
Hurricane Sandy After Action Review
Examined issues in state by state
oversize/overweight permit process and
impact on response/recovery/restoration
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14. NASTO AAR - Key Take-Aways
• Permit Office-Related
– Standardize Legal Language
– Examine Emergency Permit Types - “Harmonize” processes across
states and with Federal agencies
• Emergency Operations-Related
– Consider key industries with permit requirements and route
limitations
• Cranes, Power, Emergency Housing, Fuel, Water/Food, Debris
– Include permit office in planning and day-of-event execution
– Provide enhanced information to the heavy-haul industry
• Communication
– Coalition Created a “list-serv” for permit offices to exchange
information, communicate events, survey each other
• Project findings led FHWA to amend guidance on “debris”
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15. Traveler Information
• Enhance traveler information in the corridor for
passenger and commercial vehicle drivers
– Facilitate development and deployment of real time,
reliable, travel information by assisting states thru
• Information exchange and best practices sharing
• Ability for states to obtain and share reliable and cost-
effective data on speed/travel time
– Coalition Vehicle Probe Data Project
• Develop “portals” that link public to individual agency’s travel
information along the I-95 Corridor
• Work with states to enhance access to their data for agency
to agency sharing and to make data available to travel
information developers ( third party entrepreneurs”)
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16. Commercial Vehicle Operations Information Portal
• Critical to take a “One Stop Shop” look from
a commercial vehicle operations perspective
• I-95CC CVO Online Portal provides direct
links to Member States’ Commercial Vehicle
sites for registration, credentialing,
permitting, regulations, and related trucking
information
• Working with states to share best practices
on “trucker-friendly” agency web-sites and
to encourage access to pertinent data for
developers (i.e. bridge height/weight info)
• See portal at:
http://i95coalition.org/i95/CommercialVehi
cleOperationsPortal/tabid/127/Default.aspx 16
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18. Significant Events Coordination
• Work with states to improve coordination,
communication, cooperation…and consistency
• Assist states in pre-planning for events that have
regional/corridor impact
– Planned events - i.e. inauguration, political
conventions, sporting events etc.
• Assist states post-events, in conducting after
action reviews to identify what worked, what
didn’t work, opportunities for improvement
• Develop, enhance tools to assist states in
responding to and managing events
s
19. Enhancing Agency Information and
Data Sharing
• A variety of information exists within agencies,
that, if accessed and shared, could improve
coordination and decision making by public
agencies
– Providing more timely and reliable assessments of
conditions within and beyond their jurisdiction
– Improving coordination and timing of decisions
• Issuance of travel restrictions, status of roads (open, closing,
closes) emergency declaration
– Providing the ability to see, share or review data that
may assist in making policy and operational decisions
• i.e. time of day, weekend/holiday restrictions
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I-95CC Collaborative Decision Tool
– Currently under development, the Decision Tool will:
• be internet accessible to all Coalition Member States to assist in regional
multi-state communications supporting operational decision-making.
• enable state and local agencies to better coordinate their response to
significant events by using the tool to collaborate with one another, share
regional status, poll agencies on recommended actions, and document
action items to then distribute to other agencies or managers as needed.
– Could serve as a resource for agency OS/OW permit staff coordination during
events
• share a real-time view of traffic data, weather data (predictions and real-
time radar), evacuation documents, incident, event, and road closure
data, etc.
• be able to be used on a region-specific basis at the regional, state, or sub-
state level, or a broader basis for numerous states along the Corridor
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Industry Role in addressing
challenges and opportunities.
• Continue to work to advance harmonization where
possible
• Recognize how robust information systems can improve
transportation agencies’ abilities to meet user needs,
including SC&R members
• Many agencies are operating with older, or in some cases,
non-existent, information/data systems; many face severe
challenges to update or replace aging or standalone systems
• Assist in drawing attention and support for these agency
needs with legislators, budget officials, etc.
• Continue to give industry input to agencies &
organizations, like I-95CC, on what is needed, what is/isn’t
working