Details:

Creators:
Magno, Carlos ; Doyle, Terrence
Magno, Carlos ; Doyle, Terrence Less -
Corporate Creators:
United States. Federal Highway Administration ; Mid-Region Council of Governments (N.M.)
United States. Federal Highway Administration ; Mid-Region Council of Governments (N.M.) Less -
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Highway Traffic ITS Program Technologies Traffic Data Traffic Flow Traffic Incidents Traffic Measurement
Publication/ Report Number:
FHWA-JPO-09-064
Resource Type:
Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:
New Mexico
Corporate Publisher:
United States. Federal Highway Administration
NTL Classification:
NTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Construction and Maintenance;NTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION;NTL-INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS-INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS;NTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS;NTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-Congestion;NTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-Traffic Flow;
Abstract:
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) rebuilt the Big I interchange

in Albuquerque to make it safer and more efficient and to provide better access. The Big

I is where the Coronado Interstate (I-40) and the Pan American Freeway (I-25) intersect

in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The original Big I was designed to support an average

daily traffic (ADT) of 40,000 vehicles and was severely over capacity, experiencing an

average of 1.7 crashes per day that were estimated to cost about $12 million annually

(data from 1999). ADT in the interchange was approximately 300,000 vehicles prior to

its redesign; the redesigned Big I has a design capacity of 400,000 ADT. The two-year

project began on June 30, 2000 and involved 111 lane-miles of construction and 45 new

and 10 rehabilitated bridges.

For the Big I project, NMDOT

employed ITS in the form of a mobile

traffic monitoring and management

system to help move the large number

of vehicles through the extensive

construction area. Mobile traffic

monitoring and management systems

use electronics and communications

equipment to monitor traffic flow and

provide delay and routing information to

drivers and agency personnel. The ITS application deployed at the Big I in 2000 was

used for the duration of the work zone (two years). The ITS components were deployed

just prior to construction, with plans to incorporate portions of the system as part of a

permanent ITS application for freeway management once construction was completed.

NMDOT used ITS for this major construction project for several reasons, including:

changes in traffic patterns, nighttime closures, and pre-determined alternate routes

required that travelers be provided with high quality real-time information on travel route

availability. The high volume of traffic moving through the Big I created great potential

for congestion. NMDOT estimated that normal traffic volume had to be reduced by at

least 20 percent to keep traffic moving through the Big I area. Incidents would create

further congestion and require rapid response to avoid additional delays. A system was

needed to provide accurate information, support quick identification of incidents, and

help manage traffic through the area.

The main goals of the ITS portion of the Big-I reconstruction were:

· To provide traffic management capabilities and traffic information on traffic

routing, detours, and significant incidents;

· To minimize capacity restrictions due to incidents by more quickly identifying

incidents and determining an appropriate and effective response to clear the

roadway; and

4

· To enhance traffic safety.

The total cost of the Big I ITS infrastructure project was $1.5 million. NMDOT assumed

ownership of all the ITS components at the end of the construction project.


Format:
PDF
Collection(s):
Federal Highway Administration ITSJPO Digital Library
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:c74391639089c26f71bde3dd622eb269def569546ec8c583d3ca634f5d14cddc
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/3307/dot_3307_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• No Additional Files

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