'ITS Roadway Equipment' represents the ITS equipment that is distributed on and along the roadway that monitors and controls traffic and monitors and manages the roadway. This physical object includes traffic detectors, environmental sensors, traffic signals, highway advisory radios, dynamic message signs, CCTV cameras and video image processing systems, grade crossing warning systems, and ramp metering systems. Lane management systems and barrier systems that control access to transportation infrastructure such as roadways, bridges and tunnels are also included. This object also provides environmental monitoring including sensors that measure road conditions, surface weather, and vehicle emissions. Work zone systems including work zone surveillance, traffic control, driver warning, and work crew safety systems are also included.
'Roadway Barrier System Control' includes the field equipment that controls barrier systems used to control access to transportation facilities and infrastructure. Barrier systems include automatic or remotely controlled gates, barriers and other access control systems.
'Roadway Basic Surveillance' monitors traffic conditions using fixed equipment such as loop detectors and CCTV cameras.
'Roadway Dynamic Lane Management and Shoulder Use' includes the field equipment, physical overhead lane signs and associated control electronics that are used to manage and control specific lanes and/or the shoulders. This equipment can be centrally controlled by a Traffic Management Center or it can be autonomous and monitor traffic conditions and demand along the roadway and determine how to change the lane controls to respond to current conditions. Lane controls can be used to change the lane configuration of the roadway, reconfigure intersections and/or interchanges, allow use of shoulders as temporary travel lanes, designate lanes for use by special vehicles only, such as buses, high occupancy vehicles (HOVs), vehicles attending a special event, etc. and/or prohibit or restrict types of vehicles from using particular lanes. Guidance and information for drivers can be posted on dynamic message signs.
'Roadway Environmental Monitoring' measures environmental conditions and communicates the collected information back to a center where it can be monitored and analyzed or to other field devices to support communications to vehicles. A broad array of weather and road surface information may be collected. Weather conditions that may be measured include temperature, wind, humidity, precipitation, and visibility. Surface and sub-surface sensors can measure road surface temperature, moisture, icing, salinity, and other metrics.
'Roadway Field Device Support' monitors the operational status of field devices and detects and reports fault conditions. Consolidated operational status (device status, configuration, and fault information) are reported for resolution and repair. A local interface is provided to field personnel for local monitoring and diagnostics, supporting field maintenance, upgrade, repair, and replacement of field devices.
'Roadway Incident Detection' provides incident detection using traffic detectors and surveillance equipment. It monitors for unusual traffic conditions that may indicate an incident or processes surveillance images, watching for potential incidents. It provides potential incident information as well as traffic flow and images to the center for processing and presentation to traffic operations personnel.
'Roadway Reversible Lanes' includes field elements that monitor and control reversible lane facilities. It includes the traffic sensors, surveillance equipment, lane control signals, physical lane access controls, and other field elements that manage traffic on these facilities. It provides current reversible lane facility status information and accepts requests and control commands from the controlling center.
'Roadway Traffic Information Dissemination' includes field elements that provide information to drivers, including dynamic message signs and highway advisory radios.
'Roadway Variable Speed Limits' includes the field equipment, physical overhead lane signs and associated control electronics that are used to manage and control variable speed limits systems. This equipment monitors traffic and environmental conditions along the roadway. The system can be centrally monitored and controlled by a Traffic Management Center or it can be autonomous, calculating and setting suitable speed limits, usually by lane. This application displays the speed limits and additional information such as basic safety rules and current traffic information to drivers.
'Roadway Work Zone Traffic Control' controls traffic in areas of the roadway where maintenance and construction activities are underway, monitoring and controlling traffic using field equipment such as CCTV cameras, dynamic messages signs, and gates/barriers. Work zone speeds and delays are provided to the motorist prior to the work zones.