Minnesota Department of Transportation

This document serves as a guide for the potential future design and deployment of an integrated Intelligent Transportation System along TH 7 from Hutchinson to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The document presents a conceptual plan including a strategy for ITS deployment as recommended by the TH 7 Technical Committee. The concept study was performed to identify opportunities to apply advanced technology to address unresolved problems and needs from proposed physical roadway improvements scheduled along TH 7 over the next several years. A key goal of this study was to identify advanced technology that could cooperatively be applied to enhance transportation management and traveler information capabilities in order to increase safety and efficiency of the transportation system along the TH 7 Corridor.

The Trilogy project was an Intelligent Transportation System (FTS) demonstration of the broadcast\ of freeway system traveler information to both commercial and commuter drivers over a 25-mile (40.3 km) radius of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. In this project, real-time freeway system operating conditions, particularly incidents and traffic congestion, were monitored at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) Traffic Management Center (TMC). This information was broadcast to a fleet of test vehicles with dashboard mounted display screens. Two different systems were used to broadcast traveler information. The first system, Dynaguide 2.0, utilized the Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) - Traffic Message Channel; and the second system, Dynaguide 3.0, utilized the Seiko High Speed Data System (HSDS) to transmit messages to in-vehicle receivers. Dynaguide 2.0 provided the user with information on incidents, planned events, and traffic congestion via icons and text messages generated by operators at the TMC. In comparison, Dynaguide 3.0 provided real-time color coded freeway link speed data and ramp metering conditions generated from the traffic management system detection sensors in addition to the information generated by the TMC operators. Both devices also had the capability to display traffic condition test messages.

This summary report is an illustrated description of a surface condition rating procedure for flexible pavements. A slide tape presentation has also been prepared on this subject. This report and the slide tape can be used together to supplement each other and the report can be used as a reference during field condition surveys. Both documents are intended to be training aids for people who are responsible for evaluating pavement conditions and selecting appropriate maintenance procedure

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of various sealers for use on concrete bridge decks. The bridge deck selected for this project carries I-35E over Jefferson Avenue in St. Paul. The bridge was built in 1974 and overlaid with low slump dense concrete in 1983. It was first opened to traffic in November 1984. Traffic volume is 6600 ADT with no heavy commercial traffic.

The purpose of this three month study has been to determine whether it is feasible to simulate an asphalt pavement section using the elastic theory. This has been done by first obtaining samples from Investigation 183, Test Section 102 and determining the stress-strain properties of the various layers using the repeated load triaxial test under various conditions. Appropriate moduli have then been put. into an elastic layered system which is used to calculate stresses and strains within the system. The Benkelman beam deflections measured in the field have been simulated in this manner and the comparison between computed and measured deflections is used to show whether the elastic theory simulates a flexible pavement. The possibility of determining equivalencies between stabilized base courses and granular base courses are explored as are the use of other parameters for design purposes.

In 1998, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) conducted a project originally named Metro Computer Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) project. It was than changed to what it is known today - Safety with Automated Intelligent Locator (SAIL). The purpose of this project was to test CAD software and AVL technology in the Twin Cites metro area. This was an operational test that ran from March 19, 1999 to February 26, 2000. Six maintenance vehicles were equipped with portable mobile data terminals (MDT) for the test. The test, at that time, was used to determine the feasibility of AVL technology for maintenance activities in the metro area. The benefits of this project were real-time information for improving decision-making, recording information for after storm playback and analysis, reducing paper work, allowing operator to respond and send messages when it is safe, and provide information for verification of route completion. The SAIL 2 project is an extension of SAIL 1 to further assess the application of AVL systems for gaining value in overall snow fighting techniques, decision support systems, and area-wide highway maintenance issues for winter and summer operations by deployment of fully functional AVL systems. AVL systems were installed on 60 snow removal/highway maintenance vehicles within several Mn/DOT districts in the State of Minnesota. The project is unique from other AVL projects because of the design and planning for integration with Mn/DOT's existing resource management systems.

The Northstar Workshop, "A Bold New Look at Minnesota's Roads and Loads," was held at the Leamington Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 13, 14, and 15, 1984. The Workshop addressed two main aspects of highway loads - the 80,000-lb. gross truck load and the springtime load limitation policies. There was an attendance of about 140, mainly from Mn/DOT, but also from the four adjacent states and Michigan, the two bordering Canadian provinces, the Minnesota State Planning Agency and Legislative Research, agencies such as AASHTO and FHWA, the Minnesota Motor Transport Association, county and city engineers, and the paving industry and truck manufacturing industry; thus, it constituted a comprehensive cross-section of persons concerned with the subjects under discussion. The format of the Workshop was one and one-half days of presentation of papers by individuals on subjects which had been assigned to them, with limited questions and discussion after each one, followed by group discussions for which the attendees were divided into six groups. Reports of these discussions were made to the full conference by group leaders and a final summary was made by Deputy Commissioner Robert McDonald. Following the Workshop, Mr. McDonald appointed a Truck Weight Action Group to compile recommendations based on the papers and discussions at the Workshop, and this group has made its report; its recommendations, in effect, represent a summary of the dominant thoughts of the Workshop. The report is included in Appendix A of the proceedings.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has collected pavement distress and ride data from the pavements in their system since 1967. In 1986, the data was analyzed to develop pavement performance prediction models that were based on the growth of pavement distresses such as cracking, rutting, and roughness. The analysis at that time was limited by the amount of data available and was considered to be an interim study. The amount and quality of data presently available has improved from that available in 1986 and new or improved models could be developed. The work involved the analysis of all of the pavement condition data collected since 1983 when improved collection procedures were implemented. A literature search was also conducted. The results of the study was the evaluation of pavement life and the development of mathematical models that describe the growth of the distresses rated and the change in roughness over time. Over 100 pavement groupings were evaluated. The groupings were selected on the bases of a variety of pavement attributes including surface type, functional class, and region (construction district). The life of the pavements were evaluated based on the number of years they remained in service and on the basis of performance indices. It was found that the number of years a pavement remains in service can not be used to infer performance potential since a number of pavements were rehabilitated for reasons other than condition; the predicted pavement condition provides a better indication of the performance life of a pavement. The prediction of future pavement performance is accomplished by using the distress growth models to predict the growth of the distresses; the future condition indices are than calculated from the predicted distress amounts.

This Executive Summary is prepared for the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) to provide an overview of the Guidestar IVHS management study final report. The work in this study was performed by Castle Rock Consultants (CRC) in association with Farradyne Systems, Inc., Edwards and Kelcey, Inc. and Media Management Corporation. The final report is presented in four volumes, as follows: - Volume I: IVHS Background Resources; - Volume II: Guidestar Strategic Plan; - Volume III: Assessment of Public/Private Partnership and Investment Opportunities; - Volume IV: Organizational Recommendations.

This report presents details of a recommended Guidestar strategic plan for the State of Minnesota. It outlines a series of projects and activities proposed for Minnesota in the field of intelligent vehicle-highway systems (IVHS). The strategic plan set out in this report covers short-term activities for the period from the present to 1995; medium-term plans up to the year 2000; and considers some possible long-term ventures into the next century. The report has been prepared by the Castle Rock Consultants (CRC) study team for Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and the Guidestar partners within the IVHS Management Study.