Navigator

The Newsletter for the Traffic Industry | VIII Issue 1

www.itssiemens.com

Multimodal Solutions
A look at the benefits of moving towards a holistic approach to intelligent traffic control.

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Dear Readers,
Managing traffic today is becoming more complex than ever before. With more people living in cities than rural areas for the first time in human history, cities are in for a major challenge. Today, we must look at traffic management from a much more integral aspect. Managing just signal timing or congestion alone wont be enough to make an impact on our ability to move in, around and through metro areas. We wouldnt repair a leak in the roof by applying some spackle and paint. Eventually, the leak will break through and the damage to the structure will increase. We must look to all of the underlying sources and treat them in unison. Repair the roof, replace missing or rotted shingles, replace the drywall and paint the area. Traffic is the same. We cannot simply patch the area where we visibly see the damage, we must address all of the underlying causes and repair them in unison. We need more than just band-aid approaches. Separate systems for managing different causes of traffic congestion will only temporarily ease the situation. Siemens focus is to treat the city as a whole - to address not just the symptoms of the traffic, but the underlying causes in conjunction. By getting all aspects of mobility to cooperate, we stand a better chance of improving our mobility for the long haul. In the last issue of the Navigator we discussed the impacts on congestion caused by drivers looking for a parking space. Independent research identified that drivers looking for parking spaces around a new movie theatre complex resulted in 950,000 excess miles traveled, 47,000

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gallons of gas consumed resulting in 730 tons of carbon dioxide emitted. Parking is one component of the underlying causes of congestion.

Cities have a multitude of obstacles to navigate when helping people go in, out, around and through their limits. Public transportation, light-rail, event centers and more make an impact on daily travels. It is a daunting challenge and takes expert resources to provide solutions that work.

Cities that address these challenges stand a better chance of increasing their attractiveness to businesses and residents.

In this issue of the Navigator we will explore the multimodal aspects of a city and the solutions available to address these challenges. At Siemens we are working on making our existing roads smarter, using technology to optimize the existing resources. Together, we are working to help cities use technology to do more with less - working smarter to solve the challenges of traffic questions today and tomorrow.

Cities who address these challenges successfully stand a better chance of increasing their attractiveness to businesses and residents. In order to grow, cities need to be successful in providing a place where people want to live. In the past the solution was simply to build more roads. However, urban area infrastructure cannot accomodate more roads. So how do you move more people?

Mobility impacts all of us everyday. How was your commute this morning? Yours sincerely,

Christy Peebles General Manager, Traffic Solutions

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Multimodal Transportation Solutions A look at the benefits of moving towards a holistic approach to intelligent traffic control. Freeways are Roads, Too The ITS Market Data and Forecast study, published by the ITS America in 2006, reported that $400M, roughly corresponding to one third of the money budgeted for ITS in 2006, was dedicated to Integrated Regional and Statewide ATMS Projects.

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17 Innovative Wireless Networking Solutions New wireless technologies help customers improve safety, reduce congestion and air pollution, and drive organizational efficiencies Virtual Control, Real Savings Application Service Providing Innovative ASP contracts allow municipalities and highway construction offices to profit from the advantages offered by efficient traffic control without having to invest in expensive hardware.

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19 Intelligent Transportation Systems and Communications ITS systems truly get up to speed only when theyre integrated with carefully designed broadband communications networks.

focus technology
24 Coming Soon to a City Near You TACTICS Central Advanced Transportation Management system brings together a wealth of proven options and advanced features for superior traffic control and management.

27 Integrated System Solutions for California Megaports Siemens and Sensys have formed a technology partnership bringing new focus to the power of adaptive technology.

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Multimodal Transportation Solutions

In 2007 for the first time in human history more people lived in cities than in rural areas. With growing urbanization the challenges for a sustainable transportation system will become even more accentuated. In 2015, an estimated 350 million people will dwell in megacities or in cities within cities.

Considering the economic output of these megacities, the need for a sustainable transportation system becomes even more evident: 10% of todays world population lives in the 20 biggest megacity-regions (like BostonWashington or Hongkong-Shenzhen) producing half of all economic output worldwide, two thirds of world-class scientific activity and three quarters of global innovation. These activities only work with a highly efficient transportation system for people and goods. Sustainable transportation in a modern society is hard to accomplish and still far from reality. Several questions come to mind when we discuss the trend of urbanization in the context of urban transportation: How can we make our cities attractive to businesses and to their people? How can we achieve a sustainable transportation infrastructure? How can technology support us to achieve this?

optimum is based on the existing infrastructure like road and rail networks as well as waterways and air corridors. However, this infrastructure cannot be extended endlessly. Multimodal transportation solutions and related technologies can help us today to optimize the existing infrastructure and thereby managing supply and demand within an existing framework. Lets look at traffic management and information systems. These represent solutions towards optimization of the existing infrastructure and therefore impact the supply side of transportation. As part of a collective system optimum, we also require systems to influence the demand side. Here we will have a closer look at electronic tolling solutions as one possible means. Demand management solutions put restrictions on traffic users and mobility. To regain mobility, alternative solutions like public transport services are necessary and must be provided. Within this collective system optimum, each individual user will try to find their individual optimum with regard to the associated costs and benefits which best serve the individual needs. Advanced driver solutions already support road users nowadays and in the future, cooperative systems can provide

Urbanization and the individuals desire for mobility will place a much higher demand on transportation. From the community perspective, we need to achieve a multimodal system optimum, a collective optimum. This

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additional help in both the individual and the collective ways. Let us have a closer look at some possible solutions:

Traffic Management and Information

The objective of a traffic management and information system is to optimize the existing infrastructure and thereby optimizing the multimodal flow of traffic.

Optimize the existing infrastructure

On a mono-modal level, we have traffic control systems designed to optimize the respective mode, e.g. road traffic by adaptive traffic light or motorway control. We can experience this by a higher throughput on the roads or a reduction in travel time. These kinds of control systems are mandatory and must be adhered to. Furthermore we have traffic information systems which provide pre-trip or on-trip

information to the user regarding the current traffic situation and recommendations by means of dynamic message signs, park guidance systems or travel time information systems. These systems offer recommendations which can be used to find the individual optimum. The full benefit can only be achieved through the cooperation of transport modes by traffic management systems. These systems evaluate the information from different traffic control and information systems, adding intelligence and actively influencing the transportation situation. On the one side, this takes place by providing the data to the mono-modal traffic control systems with binding instructions and on the other side by trying to influence the individual user behavior through traffic information and guidance. It goes without saying that traffic management heavily depends on accurate and up-to-date data and suitable means to influence the traffic situation.

Static and dynamic data enriched by model based reasoning provides a comprehensive overview of traffic On the data side, we distinguish between static data (which includes information on geography, road categories, and traffic infrastructure like parking lots) and dynamic data (such as the current traffic situation for all modes of transport). Since substantial investments are needed to obtain the data, supplementary or replaceable means are desirable. One possibility is to use technologies like model-based reasoning whereby intelligent models are created and, in conjunction with the static and dynamic data, issues like traffic data completion and prediction as well as situation classification and strategy choice and implementation are carried out. These models provide a cost-effective supplement and are available in many different areas like traffic prediction, environmental impact as well as safety issues. Another possibility could arise in the future, where

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There are several methods of demand management such as electronic fare collection, parking management or congestion charging/tolling.

the installed vehicle infrastructure can also be used to generate real time traffic data providing high quality input for traffic control and management. This will be discussed later under the heading of advanced driver solutions. Integrating the different subsystems for traffic control and traffic information combined with the multimodal traffic management will provide an optimization of the flow of traffic on roads in and between cities These gains in the supply side will soon be compensated for by the demand side. The improved traffic situation will attract drivers to use the new road capacity provided and will thus ultimately lead to congestion on a higher level. To ensure that the system optimum can be obtained in the long term, demand management solutions are needed too.

Demand Management, Electronic Toll Collection

Public authorities need to actively manage supply and demand as well as the multimodal usage of transportation to achieve the overall objectives of the collective system optimum and a balance of the magic triangle. There are several methods of demand management like electronic fare collection, parking management or congestion charging / tolling. We will now discuss the electronic toll collection in more detail since it appears to be an attractive model to regulate the demand and provide financial resources to reinvest in infrastructure.

What do we want to achieve shift to public transport, tax replacement, etc.? Do we want to charge all categories of vehicles and how many are these? Do we want to charge the entire road network? Do we want to charge the roads based on time, area or distance? How will the payment take place (pre-, on-, post-trip)?

Being clear on the objectives and the framework, the system concept and the technologies like manual, video based, RFID, DSRC or GNSS/GSM can be selected. The technology selection also depends on the balance of costs, implementation hurdles, flexibility and complexity. For example, high flexibility can be achieved with GNSS tolling. You can reroute the demand by e.g. introducing a charging model depending on congestion or by flexibly enlarging your tolling network if a shift to non tolling roads has

A thorough framework definition provides the groundwork for a system concept

If we talk about the framework, we need to have a look at several questions like:

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taken place. The impact on user behavior can be managed and easily be adapted since the solution is software-focused and not road infrastructure-focused. This was shown by a trial conducted in Puget Sound, Seattle, US, where the behavior of road users was evaluated. Congestion schemes like London or tax-schemes like Stockholm do use video and DSRC technology respectively, since only a very limited number of access roads are monitored and a clearly defined cordon is charged. This shows that the more complex a road network is, the more suitable GNSS based tolling is. Concern in this context is the accuracy of GPS within cities and urban canyons. Recent trials have shown that an accuracy of greater than 99% can be achieved in cities like Melbourne and Sydney in Australia.

Independent of the selected technology, the implementation of a tolling / congestion charging scheme is an appropriate means of demand management within cities and supports the establishment of a sustainable transportation environment. Congestion charging systems in cities offer support in finding a system optimum for road transportation, reducing street traffic by demand management and thus leading to less mobility as a whole. To overcome these restrictions on mobility, it is of utmost importance to provide alternative solutions to mobility. This can only be achieved through an attractive public transport system.

Public Transport Management

Considering the trend of urbanization and the growing need to provide a high level of mobility for people and goods as an important pillar for economic growth, a rapid high capacity mass transit and supplementary bus and light rail services are required. Let us now turn to some road-based solutions for buses and light rail and discuss how to improve their attractiveness. If we look at the public transport on the road we see that in recent years travelling on buses and light rail has become more and more popular. Public short-distance transportation has significantly increased in attractiveness and will continue to do so. The main success factor to achieve a modal shift

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is a significantly improved quality of service. Some areas of concern with regard to quality of service are: To give buses and light rail priority at traffic signals to support schedule adherence and transfer monitoring. To keep passengers informed with real-time data before and on the trip and to promote real-time information through different channels and during the whole trip.

Meeting the rising expectations of the passenger for on-line information

With real-time information before the trip, at the stop or even during the trip the passenger is given even more control (e.g. in vehicle display of subsequent light rail departures). In addition, this basic information service can be supplemented with marketing services thus providing an additional business model for the operator. The above discussion has shown that improvements of the existing transportation infrastructure can be achieved with solutions in areas such as public transport, traffic management and information as well as demand management. The outline also brings us to the conclusion that only a holistic and comprehensive view of the supply and demand side of urban transportation will lead to substantial sustainable improvements. In search of examples of a holistic approach to urban transportation, two major capitals come to mind: London and Stockholm. Both cities implemented on the demand side a city tolling system (in Stockholm a public referendum is still outstanding). In parallel, they provide improvements on the supply side like the London bus prioritization and information system. As mentioned above, the demand management system is a meaningful measure: to reduce unacceptable individual traffic to conurbation areas - thus increasing road transportation mobility; to shift individual transportation to public transportation (e.g. buses) - thus guaranteeing mobility as a whole (in the multimodal chain);

to generate income from city tolling systems which is partly used to invest in public transportation.

One way to provide public shortdistance transportation priority over private transportation is either via dedicated lanes for public transport or the use of modern multimodal transportation solutions in vehicles and at intersections. With the introduction of solutions such as real-time information system and automated transit priority, serviceoriented transportation authorities emphasize their belief in a new standard of quality for public transportation.

With the outline so far we have seen that a collective system optimum can be reached with the various means like traffic management, demand management and public transport. This system optimum is described by a framework within which each user will try to find their individual optimum, e.g. traffic jam avoidance based on real-time traffic information and individual route guidance through on-board navigation systems. Although some very interesting applications can be seen on the horizon, there is still some time to go till cooperative systems will find their way into vehicles and road infrastructure. Nevertheless as seen before many solutions and technologies can be applied already today to the benefit of the whole community and individuals themselves.
Robert Sykora Traffic Solutions Business Development & Innovation

Automated Transit Priority systems are key to improving quality of service.

Many technologies can be added on to existing control equipment, and can hence be installed economically. The key components of a system are: vehicle location equipment, communications, data processor (local or central), and traffic control equipment. The location of vehicles on the network can be achieved by using a number of technologies, for example: detector loops, roadside beacons, vehicle profile recognition via inductive loop detection, and Global Positioning System (GPS).

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Freeways are Roads, Too

The ITS Market Data and Forecast study, published by ITS America in 2006, reported that $400M, roughly corresponding to one third of the money budgeted for ITS in 2006, was dedicated to Integrated Regional and Statewide ATMS Projects.

A regional ATMS integrates various, often pre-existing components of the transportation infrastructure. The objective is to maximize the overall value of those components, through the collection and distribution of transportation data and information, and the generation of transportation management strategies across them in a regional area, be it a complex metropolitan area, a corridor, or any other multi-jurisdictional area. A statewide ATMS normally manages a given element of the transportation infrastructure across a state. Most often statewide systems refer to freeway or highway management systems which fall under the jurisdiction of a single State Agency, with several hubs and local districts, and which, because of the obvious seamless nature of travel, heavily interact with the

infrastructure from other local agencies, especially in corridors, urban, or metropolitan areas. Whether in a regional or statewide context, transportation management is complicated by the need for interaction among the various agencies, by the interrelation between different types of networks

Concert addresses the need for a variety of urban and metropolitan areas around the world.
and different modes, and by the coexistence of multiple subsystems for data collections, traffic monitoring and control, parking management, and traveler information provision, which go far beyond traditional signal control.

Siemens has a long tradition with the deployment of integrated transportation management systems. The SITRAFFIC Concert Integrated Advanced Transportation Management System is the solution chosen to address the needs for integrated ATMS in a variety of urban and metropolitan areas across the world. If you were lucky enough to attend the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, chances are that your travel to one of the various Olympic venues in and around the city was made shorter, cheaper, and safer by the CONCERT system, managing and integrating the infrastructure from 17 subsystems, including different types of detection systems, CCTV, signal control, freeway and incident detection, variable message signs (VMS), and a web portal.

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In 2004, the German capital Berlin commissioned the renewal of its traffic control system and its integration into a modern transportation management center, connected to 22 subsystems controlling over 2000 signalized intersections, integrating a freeway and tunnel management system, and expanding the existing VMS and CCTV management systems. Global coordination of the existing subsystems is a key requirement for a modern metropolis such as Berlin. Typical applications include the coordinated modification of area signal plans, VMS messages, and other traveler information systems, in response to the occurrence of major incidents or special events. A particular challenge of the Berlin project lied in the need to replace the central system without changing the existing subsystems. The key success factor, which enabled the new ATMS to be fully

operational before Berlin hosted the 2006 Soccer World Cup, was a step-wise integration approach which took full advantage of CONCERTs modularity and open XML interface. Today the new ATMS enables the German capital to make the best use of modern technologies without having had to replace its large installed base, thus paving the way for a step-wise modernization. A further example of CONCERTs flexibility can be observed in the Ruhr Valley, Europes largest conurbation. In 2006, Siemens installed a distributed transportation management and information system that relieves pressure on the transportation infrastructure by providing up-to-date traveler information on the capacity utilization of the urban and freeway road network, multilevel parking lots, local and regional bus transit,

and rail network in a region with over 350 miles of expressways, 53 towns and cities, over 6 million commuters, 70 train stations, and 1,200 trains per day. The system transmits information to several web portals and to a mobile phone data distribution service. Thanks to Ruhrpilot, traffic congestion is minimized, unnecessary energy consumption is avoided, and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced. An interesting application is in Dubai, where CONCERT is used to integrate the existing adaptive signal control system SCOOT with the freeway management system and functions for incident management and traveler routing and information. More than 300 Lane and Speed Control Signs provide for the automatic management of lanes and dynamic speed on the citys freeways. Traveler

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information in Arab and English is deployed through various means, including the internet, mobile telephones, information kiosks and VMS. In response to the occurrence of special traffic conditions, such as incidents, road works, or simply the opening of one of the large bridges on the harbor, CONCERTs incident management and strategic response functions support the operator by assessing the event and selecting appropriate measures for traffic control and traveler information. After successful implementations in over 15 cities in Germany, several European capitals, as well as in other cities in the Persian Gulf and in China, CONCERT has recently reached the North American shores. A network of CONCERT systems is being installed in several of South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) transportation management centers (TMC), including the State TMC in Columbia and regional TMCs located in Greenville, Myrtle

Beach, Charleston and Rock Hill. The system allows traffic managers to access traffic flow information, operational data and device status much more easily than before, which will greatly improve the traffic situation in the entire state. The software provides monitoring and control functionality for the states freeway management systems, including CCTV cameras, radar systems, VMS, fog detection systems and weather stations. For mapping and user interface, the system utilizes the states standard GIS data. Plans also call for options that allow the future expansion of the number and type of ITS devices that can be managed for the SCDOT. The project is implemented in phases. The first phase has already been implemented; phase two will focus mainly on the incident management system, and the third phase involves the delivery of maintenance and support. Starting in mid-2010, an Advanced Transportation Management Information System (ATMIS)

will help optimize traffic in the port areas of Los Angeles, North Americas largest container port, and Long Beach, the worlds tenth largest port. The project was kicked off in late 2006 and involves installation of VMS, vehicle detector stations, license plate readers for travel time measurement, CCTV cameras, as well as communication links between the field devices and central computers. It involves implementing the central software to monitor and control these devices, the real-time data exchange with other transportation information systems in the region, and disseminating travel information via signs and a public web site. Controlled by CONCERT, the VMS in the two port areas will provide motorists, in particular truck drivers, with up-to-the-minute alerts on unusual conditions ahead and where available with travel time prognoses. The systems web site and the e-mail/SMS service will keep trucking company dispatchers constantly informed

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on all incidents in the area covered. Traffic signal status information will be automatically obtained from the Los Angeles County Information Exchange Network (IEN). Interconnection with the RIITS regional data sharing computer system will allow ATMIS to automatically obtain information about traffic flows on surrounding freeways (Caltrans detector stations) and incidents documented in the California Highway Patrol computer-aided dispatch system. The examples described above highlight some of the features that make CONCERT the ideal solution to address the needs for integrated ATMS. These are a flexible Graphical User Interface (GUI), which provides a comprehensive view and easy management of the connected infrastructure and incorporates a GIS-based map visualization; a powerful strategy management engine to facilitate multimodal response to incidents

Congestion doesnt necessarily end the moment you enter the freeway or leave downtown.
existing ACTRA system for signal control. It is no secret: traffic congestion doesnt necessarily end the moment you enter the freeway to leave downtown. Managing traffic in a multi-jurisdictional context is no easy task, and technology alone is not going to reduce congestion and save lives. However, the examples described above clearly show that the right technology does make a significant difference when used in conjunction with policy and administration savvy. SITRAFFIC CONCERT was successfully introduced to the US market at the ITS America Exhibition in June 2009.
Dr. Filippo Logi is VP for North and Latin America Urban Business, at Siemens TS headquarter in Munich. Dr. Logi is responsible for introducing TS global portfolio in the US and supporting the US Sales and Marketing activities. filippo.logi@siemens.com

and special events; and its open communication interface, which enables CONCERT to easily interface with virtually any major communication protocol without loss of performance. Lastly, one of CONCERTs key success factors is its scalability, which facilitates the easy customization to every agencys needs and budget: the CONCERT software is modularly designed, so that the system complexity grows with the complexity of the desired functionalities and the system size (the number and type of connected devices). Indeed, one of the best testimonials of CONCERTs success is the large variety of its installations, which, beside the more complex applications described earlier, include smaller systems for either smaller cities or for a reduced functionality. A typical example for this is that CONCERT is being deployed in the city of Franklin, TN, to provide traffic management in the arterial network and interface with the

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Innovative Wireless Networking Solutions

New wireless technologies help customers improve safety, reduce congestion and air pollution, and drive organizational efficiencies.

Siemens Industry, Inc., an industry leader in providing intelligent transportation solutions, today announced that the business unit Siemens Intelligent Traffic Solutions (ITS) has joined Motorola, Inc.s (NYSE: MOT) award-winning channel program as a value added re-seller (VAR) in North America. Siemens will now be able to offer its customers the flexibility of using Motorolas innovative and field-proven wireless broadband solutions to help meet their connectivity needs.

been out of reach due to budget constraints, said Christy Peebles, general manager for (ITS), Siemens Industry, Inc. Motorolas wireless networking solutions, together with Siemens value added services, will allow agencies to implement the advanced communications required for peek performing traffic management systems at a fraction of traditional leased-line rates with a return on investment typically in less than 12 months. The rapid innovation in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), including advanced traffic management solutions and video security systems that help detect safety issues along roads or enable remote monitoring of critical infrastructure such as bridges, is exposing the need for connectivity

Reliable communications on a tighter budget

For many cities, the cost to implement technology that can improve the management of congestion, reduce fuel usage and improve environmental conditions has

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solutions that are flexible and reliable. The ability to connect these applications using wireless technology is making the new breakthroughs a reality in a timely and cost-effective manner. Motorolas wireless broadband solutions have been field-proven across the world, helping customers deploy ITS applications, manage traffic signals, extend their fiber networks, and replace costly leased T1 lines in a highly reliable and very cost effective manner.

Plans for the future

Siemens future development efforts will integrate the wireless communication devices directly into on-street traffic management products. Through integrated communications, agencies can save even more by reducing hardware and power consumption requirements. Motorolas worldwide network of best-in-class channel partners delivers industry-leading enterprise mobility solutions that empower customers with real-time information for better decisions and

better results, said Mark Kroh, vice president of North America Channels, Motorolas Enterprise Mobility Solutions. Our end-toend wireless broadband portfolio enhances Siemens advanced intelligent transportation technologies through solutions that provide wireless agility and enable innovative ITS applications. The facing page begins a whitepaper published by Motorola illustrating the concepts of integrating wireless communications in an ITS setting.

Virtual Control - Real Savings

Application Service Providing Innovative ASP contracts allow municipalities and highway construction offices to profit from the advantages offered by efficient traffic control without having to invest in expensive hardware. construction authorities, which in general cant raise the necessary funds for investing in expensive hardware. Via a virtual client, the customers can access the central traffic control system of SITRAFFIC Concert to control their traffic light installations just as conveniently and efficiently as with a traffic computer installed on the premises. Remote access provides access to complex functions of STIRAFFIC Concert traffic management center - from query, selection and analysis right up to downloading individual measurement data from traffic controllers and detectors. All that the customer needs is a PC with secure access to the central traffic control system. By the way, the ASP concepts offered by Siemens Traffic Solutions have already mastered their first real challenge in everyday traffic control: they are applied as part of Bavarias new traffic information agency (VIB), for instance. Plans for Berlin city-states senate call for the use of the innovative ASP concept in its traffic management center (VMZ).

In many industries, renting IT applications instead of buying them has become common practice thanks to modern communication technology. Now ASP (Application Service Providing) is offered as an intelligent alternative also in the field of traffic control, specifically for small municipalities and road

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Intelligent Transportation Systems and Communications

ITS systems truly get up to speed only when theyre integrated with carefully designed broadband communications networks
The following is a reprint of a whitepaper published by permission from Motorola

In a large midwestern state, a county road commission collects trafc data at major intersections, and then transmits the data via wireless broadband networks to enable real-time remote trafc signal control. In a major European capital, built-in roadway sensors detect trafc tie-ups due to accidents or weather, then immediately transmit the information to the centralized trafc control center via a high-speed wireless communications network. Sensors mounted on highway-bridge infrastructures communicate with Department of Transportation control facilities to identify conditions that could lead to structural failure. Through applications such as these and many, many others, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are beginning to revolutionize trafc management and control all around the world. But ITS systems cant do it alone.

Communications are the lifeblood of intelligence. Without the ability to gather data and distribute information, the intelligence in a system will have virtually no impact on its surroundings. This is par ticularly true in ITS where access to and inuence over the transportation system can only be achieved with an e ective communications network. Only then, can ITS achieve its full potential. The Need for a Network An e ective communications system for ITS must be designed as a carefully planned network. If allowed to grow organically or on a piecemeal basis, it is unlikely to have the capabilities needed to meet current needs. A piecemeal strategy also severely limits the expansion capabilities of a net work that will be required to grow as ITS capabilities evolve. This suggests that the roadmap for the communications network to support ITS is worthy of the same study and planning required for all other long-range plans made in managing transportation needs. Analogous Architectures A common architecture design for complex net works is referred to as hierarchical or layered. The roadway system is itself a layered architecture running from the streets in a residential neighbor hood to the expressways and providing high volume

backbones through a region. A communications network may be designed using a similar hierarchical structure. Layered Communications Networks There are four essential layers in a roadway network: Expressways Arterial Roadways Secondary Roadways Residential Streets Similarly communications networks are also organized in a hierarchical fashion and consist primarily of four main types: Backbone Layer Backhaul Layer Distribution Layer Access Layer Each of these network layers has a primary function that drives its most important characteristics. Similar to intersections in roadways; each network layer is interconnected through Points of Presence (POP) that allow communications trafc inside and out side of that layer. The POPs also serve as the main interconnection points between layers and end use devices. Just as arterial and secondary streets may be accessed directly by businesses or residences located on main streets, it is frequently appropriate

AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM FOR ITS MUST BE DESIGNED AS A CAREFULLY PLANNED NETWORK

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to allow devices with high volume communications needs to reside directly on the analogous network layers such as the backhaul or distribution layers. A variety of both wired and wireless technologies may be integrated to provide communications in each of these layers. Wireless technologies, particularly those devices which are easily deployed and make use of unlicensed spectrum, have made network build out substantially easier and less expensive than was previously possible. Now, lets take a closer look at the layers of the communications network, their functions and rela tionship to the corresponding roadways. Expressways, or Backbone Layer The backbone layer of a communications network is analogous to the regional expressway system, moving large amounts of data between a limited number of xed points. Virtually all of the communi cations trafc that travels vast distances within a regional communications network will move through the backbone. The bandwidth required on the backbone is mea sured in hundreds of megabits or higher. Depending on the size of the region it serves, the backbone may require between three and 10 points of presence. Points of presence are frequently co-located with other large xed facilities such as trafc manage ment centers or vehicle garages. Licensed micro wave and ber are the traditional communications building blocks for communications backbones. More recently, unlicensed point-to-point microwave has become a viable alternative. -

loss in availability can be extremely disruptive to the entire network. A major technological challenge for wireless in this environment is compensating for the variations in the propagation path between the endpoints of a link. Despite the fact that these are point-to-point communications links, typically located well above surrounding terrain, propagation variations or fading often occur and the radios must compensate for this via a variety of adaptive techniques. When these devices operate in unlicensed spectrum, the lack of human management of spectrum use imposes a need for automated spectrum manage ment to deal with the variety of disparate and uncoordinated uses this spectrum supports. The overall goal of these techniques is to ensure that the backbone networks availability is not compromised. Arterials, or Backhaul Layer The next layer in the communication network is the backhaul layer. Its job is to provide high bandwidth connectivity (tens of megabits) within its domain as well as to and from the communications backhaul. This layer is comparable to the major arterial roads in an area. In aggregate, the backhaul layer may carry more trafc than the backbone layer but, since it is more localized, any segment of the backhaul layer only sees a fraction of the total system trafc. Each segment of the backhaul layer is largely autono mous, moving communications trafc between nodes within its reach as well as to and from the backbone layer. Communications technologies nor mally used for backhaul are point-to-point. Secondary Streets, or Distribution Layer The distribution layer is analogous to the secondary streets in the roadway system. This layer need not

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES HAVE MADE NETWORK BUILD OUT SUBSTANTIALLY EASIER AND LESS EXPENSIVE THAN WAS PREVIOUSLY POSSIBLE

Below: A pictorial representation of the levels of a communications network Since so much of the communications trafc on the network passes over at least a portion of the alongside those of a typical backbone, reliability is a crucial requirement. Any roadway system.

COMMUNICATIONS

Bandwidth

ROADWAYS

Backbone

Expressway

Backhaul

Arterial

Distribution

Secondary

Access Points of Presence

3 W H I T E PA P E R - Intelligent Transportation Systems and Communications

Residential

handle large volumes of trafc on individual seg ments. Its main purpose is to multiply the points of presence of the network to a high enough number that will achieve the necessary accessibility. Band width required is relatively low, compared to the backbone or backhaul layers, usually less than 10 megabits. In this layer, point-to-multipoint capability can provide sufcient bandwidth while permitting a much more cost-e ective implementation than pure point-to-point. Although an additional, lower layerthe access layermay be appropriate in some instances, it is likely that most ITS needs will be met at the distribu tion layer. The bandwidth needs of applications like video surveillance and the density of points of pres ence when intersection trafc signals are connected to the network tend to match the characteristics of this layer. Residential Streets, or Access Layer The access layer provides the nal spreading to the network POPs, making the network accessible to a large number of end users. In this way, it is similar to the residential streets in the roadway system, including the grids and cul-de-sacs of modern sub urban housing developments or the back alleys of older inner city neighborhoods. Average bandwidth needs at the access layer are typically modestun der one megabit per user. Of course, since there may be a fairly large number of users supported by each access point, bandwidth needs may jump up quickly. In the ITS environment, many profession als do not believe an access layer will be needed until direct communications with individual vehicles becomes a system requirement. Wireless technologies needed in the access layer are all point-to-multipoint because of the high spreading factor that is needed, such as many end users per access point. Suitable technologies include both WiFi and WiMAX, each of which will have slightly di er ent use case scenarios.

Mesh Networks Mesh networks are another wireless topology that orders the relationship between the nodes of the network and the way they interact. Mesh topologies are often employed in situations where extremely high reliability is required, such as in the backbone layer of a network using either microwave or ber links. More recently, mesh techniques have been applied to the distribution and access layers of networks and can, if used appropriately, improve reli ability and reduce network costs if used carefully. The best analogy to meshing in the roadway net work may be the trafc circle, or round-about. It can dramatically improve trafc ows and access to roadways but imposes certain restrictions on trafc behavior and loading levels. Roadmap to ITS The many structural similarities between communi cations networks and roadway networks can serve as a virtual roadmap to successful ITS networks. Because of these similarities, designers and opera tors are able to plan and manage their communi cations networks in ways that are similar to the planning and management of the roads themselves. Every jurisdiction should have a specic networking plan or roadmap, guiding its unique network deploy ment decisions. The communications needs and complexity of ITS networks will increase over time, as more locations are added and as more equipment is deployed at existing locations. Because of complex system inter actions and unintended consequences, ITS commu nications planners must balance immediate needs and existing budgets with the long-term needs and future savings made possible by planning ahead. The process is analogous to that of planning the road system, and in both cases, high-speed wireless communications networks and equipment play a crucial supporting and enabling role. The bottom line is, any ITS network is only as e ective and as advantageous as its supporting communications network.

ANY ITS NETWORK IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AND AS ADVANTAGEOUS AS ITS SUPPORTING COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Motorola, Inc.

1301 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, Illinois 60196 U.S.A.

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MOTOROLA and the stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Ofce. All other products or service names are the property of their registered owners. Motorola, Inc. 2008

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Somewhere in America...

Good morning. How was your commute?

Siemens provides total integrated solutions for a quicker and safer commute, everyday
That means less congestion, more commerce and a better quality of life. How? By managing the sources of traffic cooperatively. Siemens SITRAFFIC Concert system connects a city, region or even a state together. Working in unison Concert gives agencies the power to detect incidents faster, respond more efficiently, interface with transit systems and communicate up-to-date travel information, light-rail and bus schedules to the pulic. Concert can even help guide you to your parking spot. Connecting life with mobility. For more information on how Siemens solutions can help your city visit www.itssiemens.com/connectinglife.

Answers for industry.

Siemens 2009. All rights reserved.

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Coming soon to a city near you...

TACTICS Central Advanced Transportation Management System brings together a wealth of proven options and advanced features for superior traffic control and management
The wait is finally over. Siemens is set to release TACTICS Advanced Transportation Management System at the end of January, 2010. TACTICS brings together a wealth of proven options and advanced features for superior traffic control and management providing superior traffic management above any other system available on the market today. TACTICS is a modular, full-featured traffic control system that complies with industry standards delivering a reliable, powerful, yet, easy-to-use traffic management system. TACTICS is designed to grow with you, scalable to your needs. Designed around making traffic management and control better than every before, TACTICS combines the features you demand with an attractive, customizable user interface to offer unparalleled traffic management capabilities.

Features
Some of the key features

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for TACTICS are: easier to use enhanced graphics, customized reporting, advanced engineering tools, enhanced once-per-second communications, faster start-up and operation, expanded NTCIP operations, Transit Priority for light rail, and multilingual support. TACTICS offers all the modes of traffic control you have come to expect from central systems, and more: time-of-day, timebased, manual, flash, preemptive/ priority, and traffic responsive. TACTICS continues the Siemens practice of setting the standard in traffic responsive algorithms.

More control, more options

In addition to standard features you have grown to rely on, TACTICS expands its feature base by offering new advanced control options. Expanded status features, map recording and playback, parameter history and rollback, favorites lists and the ability to compare controller databases are just a few of the new features available in the upcoming TACTICS release.

TACTICS grows as you grow

Growth is inevitable, and necessary. With TACTICS you can build the system to fit your needs today and still have the ability to grow as needed. With several different option packages to choose from you can choose the control that you need without sacrificing the ability to expand as needs change. For more information regarding TACTICS or to request a demo please contact us at +1.877.420.2070.

Intelligent system for state-wide traffic control

South Carolina In the future, an integrated software package will manage the individual components of the intelligent traffic management system in the Palmetto State. The software will provide monitoring and control functionality for the states traffic management systems, including CCTV cameras, radar systems, message signs, fog detection systems and weather stations. For mapping and user interface, the system will utilize the states standard GIS data. Plans also call for options that allow the future expansion of the number and type of ITS devices that can be managed for the South Caolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT). The software will be installed in the SCDOTs state transportation management center as well as in the regional transportation management centers located in Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Rock Hill.

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Area-wide monitoring: Traffic authorities in Baltimore City always have a complete overview of the traffic situation at more than 1,000 intersections

Fresh breeze: A traffic technology modernization project will get things moving in Charlotte

Traffic Optimization in two US metropolitan areas

Charlotte/Baltimore Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) are currently being implemented in Charlotte and Baltimore, the largest cities of North Carolina and Maryland respectively. In Charlotte, a total of 175 Siemens 2070 NextPhase and 149 Econolite ASC/2 traffic signal controllers are being integrated in the powerful i2 system. Efforts are under way to replace an additional 400 to 500 TMP390 controllers with model 2070 NextPhase advanced traffic controllers. In Baltimore City, a new traffic signal system is being deployed at more than 1,000 intersections, which uses the central software i2 to manage traffic signal controllers from multiple manufacturers using the NTCIP communications standard. Network monitoring will provide traffic managers with a complete overview, while variable message signs will ensure that drivers are given clear, concise and reliable travel information. The first phase of this multi-million dollar project will take place through 2010, while a further US$1 million will be provided to carry out expansion work.

Keep San Antonio Moving

Siemens Industry, Inc., Mobility Division, Traffic Solutions recently was awarded a hardware maintenance service contract for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT). This contract covers the maintenance of all of the ITS devices along the state highways in the San Antonio TxDoT district and surrounding districts, including most of South Texas from Austin to the Mexican border. The project includes the major, minor and emergency repair, as well as preventative maintenance of the CCTV cameras, Dynamic Message Signs, Lane Control Signals, Microwave/Radar detectors, and associated wired and wireless

Siemens services keeps San Antonio traffic in good repair

communications. These devices are centrally monitored and controlled from the TransGuide Traffic Management Center located at IH 10 and Loop 410 in San Antonio. This maintenance project is a major victory for the Siemens TS Services department as Siemens expands it services to cover response and preventative maintenance of on-street traffic signal and ITS devices throughout the United States. Siemens TS will open an office in San Antonio to support this endeavor. This is the fourth major win for the Siemens TS Services department in FY09 for onstreet maintenance. Other successes include Utah Statewide ITS Preventative Maintenance, City of Raleigh ATMS Systems Integration and City of Tyler Fiber Optic Network Testing. The San Antonio project is set to run two years with a renewal option for 24 months. Includes approximately 170 CCTV cameras Consists of approximately 230 Dynamic Message Signs Covers more than 240 Lane Control Signals

This project is intended to improve the mobility of traffic in and around the San Antonio area by improving the operation of ITS devices and bringing them back online.

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Navigator 1/2010 focus technology Los Angeles/ Long Beach Starting in mid-2010, an Advanced Transportation Management Information System (ATMIS) will help optimize traffic in the port areas of Los Angeles, North Americas largest container port, and Long Beach, the worlds tenth largest port. The project was kicked off in late 2006 and involves installation of variable message signs, vehicle detector stations, license plate readers for travel time measurement, CCTV cameras in the field as well as communication links between the field devices and central computers. The implementation of central software which controls and monitors these devices, real-time data exchange with other transportation information systems in the region, and dissemination of travel information via signs and a public web site. Controller by ATMIS, the variable message signs in the two port areas will provide motorists, in particular truck drivers, with upto-the-minute alerts on unusual conditions ahead and, where available, with travel time prognoses. The ATMIS web site and the e-mail/ SMS service will keep trucking company dispatchers constantly informed on all incidents in the area covered. Traffic signal status information will be automatically obtained from the Los Angeles County Information Exchange Network (IEN). Interconnection with the RIITS regional data sharing computer system will allow ATMIS to automatically obtain information about traffic flows on surrounding freeways (Caltrans detector stations) and incidents documented in the California Highway Patrol computer-aided dispatch system.

San Antonio now has more reasons to Fiesta with Siemens maintenance services

Keeping commerce flowing: Port of Long Beach ATMIS system will keep drivers in the know

www.itssiemens.com

Siemens provides leading edge traffic technology for the fast-paced world of Intelligent Transportation Systems. Whether providing local controllers, video detectors, controller firmware, central systems, system analysis, design, integration, or consulting services, Siemens brings innovative and reliable solutions to customers. Siemens has a long standing history of quality and innovation in transportation control and management.

Siemens 2010 Siemens Industry, Inc. Mobility Division Traffic Solutions 8004 Cameron Road Austin, TX 78754 Tel. +1.512.837.8310 Fax +1.512.837.0196 www.itssiemens.com