southwestern ontario border wait time project update mike barnet, p.eng intelligent transportation...

Southwestern Ontario Border Wait Time Project Update

Mike Barnet, P.EngIntelligent Transportation Systems Program

Ministry of Transportation of Ontario

April 8, 2014

Intelligent Transportation Systems ProgramIntelligent Transportation Systems Program2

Background

Part of a province-wide initiative, supported by Transport Canada to provide border-wait time information on the approaches to all border crossings

Goal To promote safe, secure, and efficient border crossing operations that

support economic and social prosperity of the province and mitigate the impact of international trade on local communities

Strategy To provide border wait-time information on dedicated roadside signs on

the Ministry freeways destined for the US/Canada border To improve upon the detail and accuracy of border wait-time information

provided on the Ministry web site Approach described today is really for border crossing scenarios

whereby there can be dynamic changes in queuing that warrants advance notification via roadside signs

i.e. High volume border crossings


Priority Deployments

New ATMS Border Advisory System design to be implemented for: Windsor and Sarnia Gateway Niagara Falls Thousand Islands

Ambassador Bridge

Windsor-Detroit Tunnel

Blue Water Bridge


Hybrid Approach(Bluetooth and Vehicle Detectors)

Use of Bluetooth Readers & Vehicle Detectors Vehicle Detectors

Service flow rate Volume of cars in the queue

Bluetooth Detector Historical travel time information

Vehicle detectors installed at border

crossing in BC, Canada

Bluetooth reader installed off highway

shoulder, Ontario


Hybrid Approach

Prim

ary

Insp

ectio

n La

nes

Closed System

(NOTE: Could be a tunnel or bridge approach)

Bluetooth Reader ‘B’Direction of Travel

Cars EnteringCars Exiting

Vehicle Detectors ‘A’ Vehicle Detectors ‘B’

• Bluetooth and Vehicle Detectors co-located (in principle)

• Vehicle Detectors A gives real-time service flow rate

• Vehicle Detectors B gives number of cars in the queue

• Bluetooth reader provides historical travel times


Blue Water Bridge Crossing


Challenges

Large, multi-jurisdictional team MTO, MDOT Bluewater Bridge CAN / USA City of Windsor 2 Consulting teams

Design of Hybrid Approach requires equipment on both sides of crossing

Development of signing / messaging strategy Size of sign Roadside Vs. Overhead Bilingual Requirements

Privacy Concerns raised by media Uncertainty related to construction of DRIC


Border Delay Information


Next Steps

Blue Water Bridge: Installation of Loop Detectors / Bluetooth equipment will be completed

by Spring 2014 Testing and fine tuning algorithm expected to be completed by

Summer 2014 System to be operational by late Summer / Fall 2014, in time for ITS

World Congress in Detroit Windsor – Detroit Crossings:

Operating Agreement with City of Windsor under development Field Equipment expected to be in place by late 2014 / early 2015 System to be operational by Summer 2015

Border Advisory Signs Expected to be in place by Summer 2015


QUESTIONS?

Mike Barnet

Intelligent Transportation Systems Program

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

[email protected]

416-235-5110

southwestern ontario border wait time project update mike barnet, p.eng intelligent transportation...

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