TRANSPORTATION 

O P E R AT I O N S 

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

FHWA Conducts Field Tests to Evaluate 

Multimodal Intelligent Traffic Signal 

Systems Prototype

In support of the evaluation of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Dynamic 

Mobility Applications (DMA) program, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office 

of Operations Research and Development (R&D) oversees the prototype deployment and 

impacts assessment of the Multimodal Intelligent Traffic Signal Systems (MMITSS). MMITSS 

is a bundle of applications that seeks “to provide overarching system optimization that 

accommodates transit and freight signal priority, preemption for emergency vehicles, and 

pedestrian movements while maximizing overall arterial network performance.” 1

The MMITSS impacts assessment consists largely of a modeling effort, supported by 

preliminary output data from small-scale field tests. In early March 2015, the FHWA project 

team completed field testing in Anthem, AZ, one of two MMITSS prototype deployment sites. 

The site’s study corridor extends over 2 miles and includes six signalized intersections. 

The field tests comprised two scenarios. In the first, the team assessed the Freight Signal 

Priority (FSP) application. In the second, the team evaluated a bundled application that 

included both FSP and transit signal priority. The vehicles sent priority requests to MMITSS 

using Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC). Probe vehicles equipped with a 

global positioning system (GPS) also traveled the network to collect data. The objective of the 

tests was to evaluate the benefits of the priority requests to the freight and transit vehicles 

in comparison with any negative impacts on travel time and delay for passenger vehicles 

traveling through the network. 

In addition, the team used the MMITSS performance observation system to collect performance 

measures over the same time period as the evaluations. The performance measures will be 

compared to the GPS probe vehicle data to evaluate the accuracy of the MMITSS performance 

observation system.

The team collected data from various sources, including county infrastructure system 

detectors, GoPro cameras, DSRC in-vehicle units, GPS loggers, and over-the-air packet 

captures. This data will be analyzed as part of the impacts assessment, used for the National 

DMA Evaluation Project, and shared with the research community through the Research Data 

Exchange (RDE). 

For more information about this project, please contact Ben McKeever (ben.mckeever@dot.

gov) or Govind Vadakpat (g.vadakpat@dot.gov).

1

 U.S. DOT, “Multimodal Intelligent Traffic Safety Systems (MMITSS),” Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) Program, Available at: http://www.its.

dot.gov/dma/bundle/mmitss_plan.htm.

SPRING 2015 UPDATE

Turner-Fairbank Highway 

Research Center

Staff from Maricopa County Department of Transportation’s REACT Program at the staging area 

for the MMITSS field test. REACT staff volunteered as drivers for the field tests.
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TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

USDOT SEEKS ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION APPLICATION 

IDEAS

The mission of USDOT’s Accessible Transportation Technologies 

Research Initiative (ATTRI) is to enhance the mobility of travelers 

with disabilities through the use of intelligent transportation 

systems (ITS) and other advanced technologies. On March 3, 

2015, the ATTRI team hosted a Webinar to gather input on 

the needs of travelers with disabilities. Participants included 

people with disabilities; caregivers; advocates; transportation 

system managers; Federal, State, and local government officials; 

academia; and other individuals involved with technology and 

mobility needs for people with disabilities. 

In addition, the USDOT has issued a request for information (RFI) 

(solicitation number: DTFH6115RI00008) to obtain informed views 

on opportunities and challenges related to the development, 

deployment, operation, and use of accessible transportation 

applications and corresponding infrastructure systems related to 

ATTRI. The RFI solicitation is available at: https://www.fbo.gov/

index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=7af5c95dfe01a4292

5393b80f6aa0206&tab=core&_cview=1. To learn more about 

ATTRI, contact Mohammed Yousuf (mohammed.yousuf@dot.gov).

HCM UPDATE TO INCLUDE ANALYSIS METHODOLOGIES FOR 

ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTIONS 

The FHWA Office of Operations R&D is managing the production 

of content for the 2015 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) on 

analysis methodologies for four types of alternative intersections 

and interchanges: Diverging Diamond Interchanges; Restricted 

Crossing U-Turn Intersections; Median U-Turn Intersections; and 

Displaced Left-Turn Intersections. The HCM content includes new 

analytical models to estimate the efficiency of these innovative 

facilities, measured in terms of intersection delays and travel 

times between intersections. It also includes a chapter with 

example problems and worksheets to assist software developers 

in implementing the new computational procedures. At the 

Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in January 

2015, the Highway Capacity Committee voted to make specific 

adjustments to the draft chapters submitted by FHWA’s contractor 

team in late 2014, with final versions to be submitted in the 

coming months. For more information, contact Joe Bared (joe.

bared@dot.gov).

FHWA DEVELOPS APPLICATION TO MAKE CONNECTED 

VEHICLE DATA RESEARCH-FRIENDLY

FHWA has begun work on a data processing application that 

can be used to increase the value of connected vehicle data by 

removing errors and translating it into a format that is humanreadable. Several projects have been initiated to promote data 

sharing across the research community to support USDOT’s 

Connected Vehicle program, including the RDE, the open-source 

application development portal, and the prototype called the 

Operational Data Exchange.

These portals are designed to facilitate access to shared resources 

by the research community, such as industry professionals, 

university researchers, and private contractors. Many USDOTsponsored research projects require that any generated data be 

shared through one or more of these portals; however, this data 

is not necessarily formatted for widespread use. For example, 

DSRC messages are transmitted in packet capture (.pcap) format, 

which must be cleansed and parsed into a comma-separated 

value (.csv) file before it can be used to support most applications. 

The data processing application currently in development will 

automatically cleanse and parse large batches of .pcap files, 

eliminating the need for time-consuming and repeated efforts by 

researchers who are using the same data sets. The application will 

have a simple interface that allows users to select targeted files 

and specify their destination into a new folder. It will run in the 

background to automatically process multiple files. 

Upon completion of the application, FHWA will host a Webinar 

for the stakeholder community to introduce the tool and provide 

a brief tutorial on how to download and run the open-source 

application. For more information about this project, please 

contact Gene McHale (gene.mchale@dot.gov). 

Connected vehicle data will create a “data explosion.” FHWA’s data 

processing application will help researchers use this data.

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RECENT OPERATIONS R&D PUBLICATIONS

Traffic Performance Analysis of Dynamic Merge Control 

Dr. Ximiao Jiang, a National Research Council (NRC) scholar with the FHWA Office of Operations R&D, had his research project, “Traffic 

Performance Analysis of Dynamic Merge Control using Micro-Simulation,” featured in the Autumn-Winter 2014 edition of the NRC Research 

Associateship Program Newsletter. Dynamic Merge Control (DMC) is a strategy in which traffic signs, dynamic pavement markings, and 

lane use controls direct traffic to specific general purpose lanes or ramps based on varying demand. For his research, Dr. Jiang simulated 

DMC, using Vissim, at the merge of the Dulles Toll Road Connector and Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia. Results showed that network 

travel speed was significantly increased and average delay per vehicles was reduced by approximately 98 percent. To view the full article, 

visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/pgasite/documents/webpage/pga_153210.pdf
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TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

3

WHO HAS VISITED THE SAXTON TRANSPORTATION 

OPERATIONS LABORATORY?

The following groups visited FHWA’s Saxton Transportation 

Operations Laboratory at Turner-Fairbank Highway Research 

Center during winter 2015.

• International Road Federation of the National Committee 

on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

• New Jersey Institute of Technology Graduate Students

• National Policy Agency of Japan

To arrange a visit of the Saxton Laboratory, contact Randy 

VanGorder (randall.vangorder@dot.gov). 

FHWA HOSTS BOTTLENECK IDENTIFICATION AND SOLUTIONS 

WORKSHOPS

In April 2015, the FHWA Office of Operations R&D is hosting three 

“Bottleneck Identification and Solutions” workshops to discuss 

recent FHWA research on precise bottleneck measurement, 

ranking of bottleneck locations by severity, cost-effective 

bottleneck mitigation strategies, and modernized “causes 

of congestion” pie charts. The workshops are taking place in 

Hanover, MD; Oakland, CA; and Sacramento, CA. A second set 

of workshops will take place in summer 2015. In addition to the 

content from the first three workshops, the summer workshops 

will incorporate new research on innovative bottleneck mitigation 

strategies that do not require connected or autonomous vehicles. 

For more information, contact Joe Bared (joe.bared@dot.gov). 

FHWA TO ATTEND AUTOMATED VEHICLE SYMPOSIUM 2015

Mark your calendars for the Automated Vehicles Symposium, 

scheduled to take place July 21–23, 2015 in Ann Arbor, MI. 

This event, which is jointly sponsored by the Association for 

Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and TRB, will be 

a multidisciplinary forum designed to advance the deployment 

of automated vehicles. It will feature high-level presentations by 

innovators in the field as well as interactive breakout sessions. The 

FHWA Office of Operations R&D will be leading a 2-day breakout 

session on early deployment opportunities for connected 

automated vehicles. To learn more, visit the symposium Web 

site at http://www.automatedvehiclessymposium.org/home or 

contact Bob Ferlis (robert.ferlis@dot.gov). 

FHWA OFFICE OF OPERATIONS R&D LEADS THREE 

WEBINARS 

The FHWA Office of Operations R&D recently led three of seven 

Webinars that comprised the DMA Program Webinar Series 

hosted by the ITS Joint Program Office. Held February 9–26, 

2015, the Webinars aimed to inform stakeholders about the 

research efforts, progress, and impacts of DMA research projects. 

Each Webinar presented an overview of the project; described 

the products (e.g., prototypes, algorithms, and software), tools, 

and other resources available from these projects; summarized 

the testing and impacts assessment results; and included a 

stakeholder question and answer session. 

Approximately half of the 1,000 stakeholders who participated 

in the series attended the three Webinars, which were offered by 

the Office of Operations R&D team: 

• Research Data Exchange (RDE) and Open Source Application 

Development Portal (OSADP) Webinar on February 12, 

2015 (Presentation Materials | Webinar Recording). 

• Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System (MMITSS) 

Bundle Webinar on February 23, 2015 (Presentation 

Materials | Webinar Recording).

• Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Bundle 

Webinar on February 24, 2015 (Presentation Materials | 

Webinar Recording).

Other Webinar topics in the series included Freight Advanced 

Traveler Information Systems (FRATIS) on February 9; Integrated 

Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) Bundle on February 17; 

Response, Emergency Staging and Communications, Uniform 

Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.) Bundle on February 

18; and DMA-Active Transportation and Demand Management 

(ATDM) Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (AMS) Testbed Project 

on February 26. All presentations and recordings from the series 

are available at http://www.its.dot.gov/dma/. 

FHWA HOSTS TRAINING SESSION ON VISSIM

On January 27, 2015, FHWA’s Cory Krause delivered a training 

session on Vissim, a traffic simulation model, at the Eastern 

Federal Lands Highway Division’s (EFLHD) Annual Winter 

Training. The 1-hour session taught new users how to run the 

software for the first time. Mr. Krause gave a short tutorial on how 

to create a basic intersection, including signal timing, and run the 

simulation. He also explained more complex designs, with advice 

for moving forward with more advanced geometries. Over 100 

members attended from EFLHD and other USDOT divisions. For 

more information or a copy of the training PowerPoint slides, 

contact Cory Krause (cory.krause@dot.gov). 

Dynamic Reversible Left-Lane Control Of Signalized Diamond Interchanges 

FHWA’s Cory Krause recently published the paper, “Operational Advantages of Dynamic Reversible Left-Lane Control of Existing 

Signalized Diamond Interchanges” in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Journal of Transportation Engineering. The paper, 

which was co-authored by FHWA’s Joe Bared, Nopadon Kronpraset, and Wei Zhang, studies the advantages of using dynamic reversible 

lanes for left-turn (DRLT) movements at signalized diamond interchanges. As part of this research project, the optimized traditional 

diamond interchange performance was compared, in simulation, to the proposed DRLT case. While results showed that the DRLT design 

was not advantageous for all conditions, it could increase throughput by 28 percent and reduce delays by 60 percent at higher volumes 

with specific lane configurations. To view the paper, visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)TE.1943-5436.0000745.
TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

FHWA OPERATIONS RESEARCH SHOWCASED AT THE TRB 

ANNUAL MEETING

The FHWA Office of Operations R&D had a strong presence at 

this year’s TRB Annual Meeting, held January 11–15, 2015 in 

Washington, DC. A vehicle from the office’s research fleet was 

displayed in the exhibit hall, and the office hosted a booth 

where attendees could learn more about ongoing research 

activities. The booth also featured a video on FHWA’s cooperative 

adaptive cruise control (CACC) project, which can be viewed 

on FHWA’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=D_2DPm9v-Lw. 

In addition, FHWA Office of Operations R&D team members 

participated in numerous committee and subcommittee 

meetings and presented at the following sessions and workshops: 

Communication Trends: The Shift to Mobile (Session 148); 

Freeway Operations (Session 243); Assessing the Transportation 

Needs of Seniors, Veterans, and People with Disabilities (Session 

330); Current Projects and New Developments in VehicleHighway Automation Showcase (Session 470); Operational and 

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FHWA Rotational Assignment Looks at Planning 

Needs for Vehicle Automation

Jeremy Raw, a Community Planner from the 

FHWA Office of Planning, is on rotational 

assignment at the FHWA Office of Operations 

R&D from January to March 2015. Mr. Raw 

manages research projects that aim to deploy 

improved models and analytic techniques and 

provide technical assistance related to modeling 

and data analysis for other FHWA offices, State 

transportation agencies, and metropolitan 

planning organizations. As part of his rotational 

assignment, Mr. Raw will help to develop a research plan to direct 

FHWA in developing guidance for planning agencies to effectively 

consider the mobility and energy impacts of near-term vehicle 

automation deployments.

FHWA’s Taylor Lochrane at the Office of Operations R&D exhibit hall 

display at the TRB Annual Meeting, which showcased one of FHWA’s 

connected automation test vehicles. 

Safety Effects of Geometric Designs (Session 472); Traffic Flow 

Theory: Part 2 (Session 539); Designing Better Turn Lanes (Session 

619); Traffic Signal Control in a Connected Vehicle Environment 

(Session 773); Doctoral Student Research in Transportation 

Operations and Traffic Control (Workshop 131); and Ignite! 

Emerging Technologies in Traffic Signal Systems. State of the Art 

and Predicting the Future (Workshop 175). 

Presentations and posters from these sessions will be available 

on the TRB Annual Meeting Online Web site: http://amonline.trb.

org. 

NEXT GENERATION TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS WORKSHOP 

HELD AT TFHRC

On February 3–4, 2015, FHWA’s Office of Operations R&D and 

the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program sponsored 

a Next Generation Traffic Control Systems Workshop at TurnerFairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). The workshop 

brought together approximately 40 researchers and technology 

developers from industry, academia, and public agencies to 

discuss the direction of technological advances in traffic control 

systems and sensors. 

On the first day of the workshop, participants aimed to identify 

research gaps, barriers, and needs to address in order to 

improve the utility of infrastructure-based and mobile sensor 

technology for traffic management, particularly to enable the 

next generation of adaptive signal control. On the second day, 

participants discussed how to accelerate the development of 

tools for future signal control research, such as new traffic signal 

control algorithms and complex simulation infrastructure. 

Participants described the most important takeaways of the 

workshop as those that dealt with building off of current practices, 

collecting new kinds of data, using existing data more effectively, 

and engaging with practitioners. For additional information, 

please contact Gene McHale (gene.mchale@dot.gov) or David 

Kuehn (david.kuehn@dot.gov). 

FHWA’s Mohammed Yousuf Appointed to FCC’s 

Disability Advisory Committee 

FHWA’s Mohammed Yousuf was appointed 

to serve as an ex officio member of the 

Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 

Disability Advisory Committee (DAC). The 

DAC was established to provide a means for 

stakeholders with interests in accessibility issues 

to exchange ideas, facilitate the participation 

of consumers with disabilities in proceedings 

before the FCC, and assist the FCC in educating 

the greater disability community and covered 

entities in disability-related matters. As a member, Mr. Yousuf will 

represent the viewpoints of FHWA on disability issues and develop 

recommendations for the full DAC’s consideration.

STAFF UPDATES

Publication No. FHWA-HRT-15-045

HRDO-1/04-15 (Web)E