# Presentation: 852876

## Congestion Initiative

**Jeffrey F. Paniati   **
- Associate Administrator for Operations
- Federal Highway Administration
- US Department of Transportation

***Congestion Initiative***
*Update*

* ***ITS America’s Annual Meeting & Exposition**
**Palm Springs Convention Center**
**Palm Springs, Carolina**

***US DOT Executive Session***
***June 5, 2007***

## Relieve urban congestion.
Unleash private sector investment resources.
Promote operational and technological improvements.
Establish a “Corridors of the Future” competition.
Target major freight bottlenecks and expand freight policy outreach.
Accelerate major aviation capacity projects and provide a future funding framework.

- Relieve urban congestion.
- Unleash private sector investment resources.
- Promote operational and technological improvements.
- Establish a “Corridors of the Future” competition.
- Target major freight bottlenecks and expand freight policy outreach.
- Accelerate major aviation capacity projects and provide a future funding framework.

**A Six-Point Plan**

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion

- Create urban partnerships to pursue congestion pricing.
- Promote HOV to HOT conversion.
- Reduce impacts of bottlenecks.
- Create meaningful congestion management process.

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion

- Establish a variable _tolling_ or congestion pricing demonstration.
- Utilize cost-effective _transit_ options (such as BRT).
- Expand _telecommuting_ and flexible work schedules.
- Utilize cutting-edge _technology_ and operational approaches.

_*Create Urban Partnerships*_

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion 

**Potential Resources**
- ITS Congestion Mitigation Operational Tests (RITA) – up to $100 million.
**Value **Pricing Program (FHWA) – up to $30 million.
- Other FHWA Discretionary (e.g., Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program) - up to $260 million.
- FTA Discretionary (e.g., New Starts/Small Starts, Bus and Bus Facility) - up to $715 million.
- Additional $150 million in President’s FY08 budget proposal.

- _Create Urban Partnerships_

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion 

**Due Date - April 30, 2007.**
**Over 25 Proposals - Some with Aggressive Strategies.**
**Generated Public Discussion.**
**New York’s Mayor announced intention to implement cordon pricing around Manhattan**
**Washington, DC Council Member and the Mayor say London-style congestion pricing is a good idea ad warrants a closer look**
**San Francisco, CA Supervisor indicates that it’s inevitable that there will be some kind of congestion charging in San Francisco**
**And, others**
**Expect UPA selections to be announced in next few months.**

- _Create Urban Partnerships_

**Notes:**
In addition  to NY, WA and CA are exploring broad congestion pricing strategies. 

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion

- Develop criteria for HOV to HOT Conversions.
- Engage HOV States and solicit input for inventory of HOV facilities.
- Provide focused technical assistance to States with facilities at tipping point.

**1.  Relieve Urban Congestion**

_*Promote HOV to HOT Conversions*_

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion 

- Establish and learn from
-   lead States (March 2007).
- Distribute primer (June 2007); update throughout year with good ideas.
- Initiate dialogue with
-   States to pursue innovative,
-   low-cost solutions (early May).

- _Reduce impacts of bottlenecks_

## 1.  Relieve Urban Congestion

- Provide guidance, training, peer exchange (April).
- Provide workshops for TMAs with certification reviews (May/June) (Focus State Activity).

**1.  Relieve Urban Congestion**

_*Create Outcome Oriented *_
_*Congestion Management Process*_

## Unleash Private Sector InvestmentResources 

- Model legislation distributed January 2007.
- PPP tool kit to be posted April 2007 (look for demo today).
- Provide comprehensive technical assistance from the Resource Center’s Innovative Finance Team.

_*Public Private Partnerships*_

## 3.  Technology and Operations

- Reduce incident delay.
- Reduce work zone delay.
- Improve traffic signal timing.

**3.  Technology and Operations**

## 3.  Technology and Operations

- Advance move-it laws.
- Establish quick clearance policy agreements.
- Promote full function service patrols.
-    -  Guidance memo on use of service
-        patrols issued 12/22/06
- Data integration.
- Performance Measures.

_*Reduce Incident Delay*_

## Slide 13

## 3.  Technology and Operations

- Actively support implementation of the Work Zone Safety and Mobility Final Rule (10/07).
-   -  Guidance documents.
-   -   Workshops.
-   -   Peer-to-Peer.
-   -   Focused technical
-       assistance.

_*Reduce Work Zone Delay*_

## Slide 15

## 3.  Technology and Operations

- Implement 511.
- Implement travel time on DMS.
- Establish Real-time Traveler Information Program (SAFTEA-LU, section 1201).
-    -  Request for Information - May 2006
-    -   Notice of Proposed Rulemaking  -
-        Summer 2007

**3.  Technology and Operations**

_*Improve Traveler Information*_

## 511 Deployment Status

**511 Deployment Status**

- = 511 Operational (“Live”)

- as of March 30, 2007

- D.C.

***Accessible by 37.5% of Population***

- = Expected “Live” in 2007

**Notes:**
Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati
Nebraska
Utah
I-81 Virginia
Arizona
Minnesota
South Florida (Miami)
Orlando / I-4
South Dakota
Iowa
Kentucky
San Francisco Bay area, California
Montana
North Dakota
Alaska
Maine
New Hampshire
Washington [State]
Vermont
Oregon
Kansas
North Carolina
Sacramento, CA
Tampa, FL

## 3.  Technology and Operations

- Traffic Signal Operation Self- Assessments (due January 2007; over 450 responses).
- National Report Card (Summer 2007).
- Release ACS-lite (February 2007).
- -  Lessons learned from test sites.
- -  Technical assistance, training,
-    outreach.
- Champion regular traffic signal retiming programs.

_*Improve Traffic Signal Timing*_

## 4.  Establish a ‘Corridors of the Future’ Competition 

**Phase 1 complete**** **
- 38 “Expressions of Interest” received (State, multiple States, private sector entity) .
- 8 corridors (14 proposals) selected [I-95, I-80, I-15, Northern Tier (I-80, 90,94), I-5-I-70, I-69, I-10].
- Some are multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional.
**Phase 2 initiated** (Feb 1, 2007 FRN)**  **
- Up to 5 Corridors of the Future to be selected.
- Applications due May 25, 2007.
**Final Phase**
- Actively advance finalists – level of effort/expertise depends on scope/type of projects selected.

## 4.  Establish a ‘Corridors of the Future’ Competition

**4.  Establish a ‘Corridors of the Future’ Competition**

**Notes:**
I’ve got a copy of the Federal Register Notice that announced the competition and one that announced the Phase II projects.

The next step is for Phase II proposals to be submitted by May 25th.  

Jim Ray, FHWA’s Chief Counsel, is the lead for this effort.  He is supported in the project review and selection phase by the analytic capacity of the Freight Office.

## DOT Congestion Initiative advancing aggressively.
Major announcements on Urban Partners and Corridors of Future this summer.
Many opportunities to reduce congestion through aggressive operations and technology.
ITS provides key underpinning.

- DOT Congestion Initiative advancing aggressively.
- Major announcements on Urban Partners and Corridors of Future this summer.
- Many opportunities to reduce congestion through aggressive operations and technology.
- ITS provides key underpinning.

**Summary**