Colorado Department of Transportation - Region 4 ITS Architecture

DOT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Colorado Department of Transportation - Region 4 ITS Architecture FELSBURG H O L T & ULLE V I G

CDOT REGION 4 REGIONAL ITS ARCHITECTURE Prepared for: Colorado Department of Transportation - Region 4 1420 2 nd Street Greeley, CO 80631 Project Manager: Larry J. Haas, P.E. Prepared by: Felsburg Holt & Ullevig 6300 South Syracuse Way, Suite 600 Centennial, CO 80111 (303) 721-1440 Project Manager: Richard R. Follmer, P.E., PTOE In Association with: IBI Group 9055 East Mineral Circle, Suite 100 Centennial, CO 80112 (303) 713-1013 Project Manager: Greg A. MacKinnon, P.E. FHU Reference No. 03-185

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 A. Overview ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 B. Project Approach --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 C. Organization of the Report --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 II. NATIONAL ITS ARCHITECTURE INTRODUCTION---------------------------------------------- 3 A. Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 B. Physical Architecture ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 C. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Regulations-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 III. BACKGROUND INFORMATION----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 A. Description of the Study Area ----------------------------------------------------------------- 8 B. Identification of Stakeholders---------------------------------------------------------------- 10 C. Other Planning Efforts------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 E. Regional Transportation Issues------------------------------------------------------------- 23 IV. MARKET PACKAGES SELECTION----------------------------------------------------------------- 24 B. Advanced Traveler Information Systems ------------------------------------------------- 27 C. Advanced Public Transportation Systems------------------------------------------------ 27 D. Emergency Management--------------------------------------------------------------------- 29 E. Maintenance and Construction Management-------------------------------------------- 30 F. Commercial Vehicle Operations ------------------------------------------------------------ 31 G. Archived Data Management ----------------------------------------------------------------- 31 V. OPERATIONAL CONCEPT --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33 A. Operational Concept Overview-------------------------------------------------------------- 33 B. Regional Traffic Control----------------------------------------------------------------------- 36 C. Broadcast and Interactive Traveler Information ----------------------------------------- 38 D. Regional Transit Operations ----------------------------------------------------------------- 40 E. Incident Management ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42 F. Weather Data Collection and Dissemination--------------------------------------------- 44 G. Commercial Vehicle Operations ------------------------------------------------------------ 44 H. ITS Data Warehouse -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45 I. Emissions Monitoring and Management-------------------------------------------------- 45 J. Rail Operations Coordination---------------------------------------------------------------- 46 VI. AGREEMENTS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS -------------------------------------------------- 47

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page VII. SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS, INTERFACE REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION EXCHANGES ---------------------------------------------------------------- 50 VIII. IDENTIFICATION OF ITS STANDARDS----------------------------------------------------------- 53 A. Common Standards---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 54 B. The National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol Family (NTCIP) 56 C. Roadside to Vehicle Communications Protocols---------------------------------------- 59 D. Exchange of Video Images ------------------------------------------------------------------ 59 IX. ITS PROJECT PRIORITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION ---------------------------------------- 60 X. NEXT STEPS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62 APPENDIX A FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION FINAL RULE APPENDIX B ELEMENTS OF INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS APPENDIX C ITS ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAMS APPENDIX D ITS STANDARDS

LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. National Architecture Sausage Diagram-------------------------------------------------- 4 Figure 2. Regional Traffic Control------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Figure 3. Regional ITS Architecture Study Area------------------------------------------------------- 9 Figure 4. CDOT ITS Branch ITS Inventory ----------------------------------------------------------- 18 Figure 5. Fort Collins ITS Inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 Figure 6. Greeley ITS Inventory ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 Figure 7. Loveland ITS Inventory ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 Figure 8. Windsor ITS Inventory------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 Figure 9. Application of ITS Standards ---------------------------------------------------------------- 54 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. NFR RTP Transportation System Management Projects----------------------------- 13 Table 2. ITS Element Inventory------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 Table 3. Transportation Issues in Study Area------------------------------------------------------- 23 Table 4 Selected ATMS Market Packages---------------------------------------------------------- 26 Table 5. Selected ATIS Market Packages ----------------------------------------------------------- 27 Table 6. Selected APTS Market Packages ---------------------------------------------------------- 28 Table 7. Selected EM Market Packages ------------------------------------------------------------- 29 Table 8. Selected MCM Market Packages----------------------------------------------------------- 30 Table 9. Selected CVO Market Packages ----------------------------------------------------------- 31 Table 10. Selected Archived Data Market Packages ----------------------------------------------- 32 Table 11. Agency-to-Agency Relationships ----------------------------------------------------------- 34 Table 12 Information Flow Definitions ----------------------------------------------------------------- 35 Table 13. Traveler Information Relationships and Information Flows --------------------------- 40 Table 14. Regional Transit Operations Relationships and Information Flows ---------------- 41 Table 15. NTCIP Center to Field Standards ---------------------------------------------------------- 57 Table 16. TCIP Standards--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 58

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AASHTO AD APCD APTS ATIS ATMS AVI AVL AVSS C2C C2F CAD CC CCTV CDOT CDPHE CO CORBA COLT CPT CSTOC CTMC CVISN CVO DATEX DMS DSRC EM EPA ESS FC FCC FHWA FMCSA FTA HAR HLT HOT HOV HRI IGA IM IMMS ISP American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Archived Data Management Air Pollution Control Division Advanced Public Transportation System Advanced Traveler Information System Advanced Traffic Management System Automatic Vehicle Identification Automatic Vehicle Location Advanced Vehicle Safety Systems Center-to-Center Center-to-Field Computer Aided Dispatch Control Center Business Area Standard Closed Circuit Television Colorado Department of Transportation Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Carbon Monoxide Common Object Request Broker Architecture City of Loveland Transit Common Public Transportation Business Area Standard Colorado Springs Traffic Operations Center Colorado Transportation Management Center Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Network Commercial Vehicle Operations Data Exchange Between Systems Dynamic Message Signs Dedicated Short-Range Communications Emergency Management Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Sensor Station Fare Collection Business Area Standard Federal Communications Commission Federal Highway Administration Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Federal Transit Administration Highway Advisory Radio Hanging Lake Tunnels Traffic Operations Center High Occupancy Toll High Occupant Vehicle any vehicle carrying two or more passengers Highway-Rail Intersection Inter-Governmental Agreement Incident Management Business Area Standard Incident Management Message Sets Information Service Provider

ITE ITS IVR MCM MOU MPO MS/ETMCC NEMA NFR NFRT & AQPC NTCIP OB PI RMNP RTP SCH SDO SONET SOV SP RWIS TCIP TDMM TMC TPR TSM USDOT WIM XML Institute of Transportation Engineers Intelligent Transportation Systems the application of advanced (primarily electronic) technology to transportation systems to reduce congestion and vehicle emissions and to improve safety. Interactive Voice Response Maintenance and Construction Management Memorandum of Understanding Metropolitan Planning Organization Message Sets for External Traffic Management Center Communication National Electrical Manufacturers Association North Front Range North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council The National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol Onboard Business Area Standard Passenger Information Business Area Standard Rocky Mountain National Park Regional Transportation Plan Scheduling/Runcutting Business Area Standard Standards Development Organization Synchronous Optical Network Single Occupant Vehicle Spatial Representation Business Area Standard Road Weather Information System Transit Communications Interface Protocols Traffic Management Data Dictionary Traffic Management System Transportation Planning Region Transportation Systems Management United States Department of Transportation Weigh-In-Motion extensible Markup Language

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Overview On April 8, 2001, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) established a Final Rule and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) established a policy on the use of the National ITS Architecture. The purpose of this rule/policy is to foster integration between existing regional ITS deployments and to ensure that subsequent deployments will be integrated into the existing systems. The rule/policy establishes that jurisdictions intending to deploy ITS projects and that wish to seek funding from the Highway Trust Fund and the Mass Transit Account must conform to the National ITS Architecture and appropriate standards. Within the Colorado Department of Transportation s (CDOT) Region 4, federal funding has been used to deploy ITS projects both along I-25 and within the City of Fort Collins. Therefore, CDOT Region 4, together with the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council (NFRT & AQPC), have prepared this Regional ITS Architecture as well as a companion ITS Strategic Plan to guide the deployment of ITS applications over the next ten years. The regional ITS Architecture must include the following elements 1 : Description of the Region or Project Identification of Stakeholders Operational Concept Agreements System Functional Requirements Interface Requirements and Information Exchanges Identification of ITS Standards Sequence of Projects Required for Implementation Description of the Study Area The study area, as shown on Figure ES-1, is generally bounded by US 85 and US 287 to the east and west, and the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) boundary and Weld County Road (WCR) 8 to the north and south. The bulk of the study area is made up of the North Front Range MPO, the MPO responsible for transportation planning within much of the study area. The study area is also fully contained within the boundaries of CDOT Region 4. CDOT Region 4 is responsible for the traffic operations and roadway maintenance for the freeway and the state roadways in the study area. Together, these agencies are taking the responsibility of preparing both the Regional ITS Architecture and the ITS Strategic Plan for the study area. 1 January 8, 2001, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 23 CFR Part 940, FHWA Docket No. FHWA-99-5899 (http://www.its.dot.gov/aconform/archrule_final_1.htm) Page i

DOT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Regional ITS Architecture Study Area LCR63E 7 LEGEND Study Area 36 14 Larimer Estes Park LCR44H LCR43 LCR74E LCR52E 34 LCR27 287 LCR72 LCR19 Fort Collins LCR17 Loveland Berthoud LCR15 287 WCR34 WCR30 1 52 WCR8 LCR70 LCR64 LCR48 WCR1 LCR44 68 402 60 56 119 Erie 25 257 Timnath LCR30 Cross roads Blvd. WCR7 Mead WCR5 LCR3 25 Windsor 66 85 Garden City Milliken Evans 60 Johnstown LaSalle WCR13 WCR13 WCR17 Firestone WCR24 Frederick Dacono WCR6 WCR19 WCR100 WCR90 WCR82 WCR23 WCR18 WCR23 85 60 256 WCR33 WCR29 34 Platteville Ft. Lupton Weld 14 Gilcrest WCR32 WCR22 WCR4 WCR37 WCR39 WCR43 392 Greeley 263 WCR44 WCR45 WCR49 WCR49 WCR51 76 37 WCR53 WCR12 WCR74 37 WCR388 52 34 North Front Range MPO North FELSBURG H O L T & ULLE V I G Figure ES-1 CDOT Region 4 ITS Planning Services 03-185 3/8/04 Page ii

The study area includes the most populous portions of Larimer and Weld Counties, including portions of the Upper Front Range TPR (the growing communities to the south of the North Front Range MPO and Estes Park, and the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park). Within the study area are three major communities, Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland, which have already deployed some ITS elements and are expecting to expand their deployments. In addition, both CDOT Region 4 and CDOT Transportation Management Center (CTMC) operate and maintain ITS equipment within the study area. The study area is adjacent to the Denver Regional Council of Governments Transportation Planning Region (TPR), the TPR immediately south of the study area. This MPO completed and adopted a Regional ITS Architecture and ITS Strategic Plan in March 2002. Operational Concept The purpose of the Operational Concept is to describe the roles and responsibilities of the participating transportation, transit and safety agencies and other providers, and to discuss the resources that each agency will apply or contribute in the deployment of ITS. The Operational Concept establishes the roles and responsibilities between organizations including responsibilities for implementation, operation and maintenance and the level of information, status, and control sharing among the entities. The reasons for developing an Operational Concept include: Maintaining conformance with USDOT Regional ITS Architecture Guidelines. Identifying the requirements of, and laying the groundwork for, the necessary institutional agreements, such as Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGAs). Identifying outstanding issues, agreements, and relationships to be developed by the ITS Working Group. Identifying suggestions for continued regional coordination and cooperation during implementation of the Regional ITS Architecture. Several of the market packages selected for the study area require jurisdictional interaction and a definition of regional operational concepts. These market packages are: Regional Traffic Control Broadcast and Interactive Traveler Information Regional Transit Operations (taking a regional view of transit ITS deployments) Incident Management Weather Data Collection and Dissemination Commercial Vehicle Operations Page iii

ITS Data Warehouse Emissions Monitoring and Management Rail Operations Coordination Each of these market packages require an operational concept that will involve multiple jurisdictional relationships. In several cases, multiple traffic and emergency management agencies will need to form relationships with each other to define specific roles and responsibilities for the implementation of the market package. Regional Traffic Control This market package allows for flow of information among traffic management systems and centers and allows a unified approach to highway network management. This market package enables the sharing of data, CCTV images and device control between traffic management centers (TMCs). The CDOT CTMC will serve as the concentration point for Regional Traffic Control, but provision will also be made for regional coordination directly between local TMCs and other key agencies. CDOT ITS Branch, CDOT Region 4, and cities and counties will coordinate the sharing of data and/or control of field equipment to better respond to traffic congestion. Colorado Transportation Management Center Broadcast and Interactive Traveler Information The CDOT CTMC is primarily responsible for the statewide transportation management and traveler information system. The information being collected includes roadway, traffic and construction conditions, traffic advisories, incident and weather information. The information is being disseminated through the CoTrip website, broadcast fax, media providers and other partners, and on the roadway via Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) and cell phones/pda s. CDOT is also deploying a statewide program to make traveler information available by dialing 511 (the number assigned nationally for traveler information). Within the study area, there is an interest to also deploy regional web sites, public television broadcasts and transit traveler information systems. Page iv

The CDOT ITS Branch will take the role of primary Information Service Provider (ISP) in the study area, with an information-sharing link to local or regional public and private ISPs. An information sharing relationship has been identified between CTMC and all other agencies with respect to Broadcast and Interactive Traveler Information. These agencies include traffic management, transit management, emergency management (including law enforcement) and the media. Information such as roadway network conditions and traffic conditions, transit system performance, transit automatic vehicle location (AVL) data, incident information, travel time information, roadway statistics, etc. will be collected by the CTMC from various agencies. The CTMC will condense the information and disseminate the information in near real time to other agencies and local/regional ISPs. Regional Transit Operations The three transit agencies in the region, Transfort, The Bus, and COLT, are all considering or beginning to deploy ITS technologies on their fleets, including Automatic Vehicle Location, Computer Aided Dispatch, Regional Fare Payment System and Online Trip Planning. Therefore, the Operational Concept takes the perspective of a Regional Transit Management subsystem that exchanges information with other transit agencies, an electronic fare collection system, and also provides traveler information via personal and remote devices (such as electronic Next Bus bus signs). The transit agencies will also share information with CDOT and local traffic management, as well as with emergency management agencies. Incident Management Within the study area, an incident management plan has been developed for I-25, as well as plans for several smaller areas. This ITS Architecture supports the expansion of incident management planning to also include a technology component that provides for the near real-time sharing of incident information and transportation system condition information between traffic management agencies and emergency management agencies to enable quicker detection and verification of incidents and implementation of a coordinated and efficient response for both predicted and unexpected incidents. The entities involved in sharing information will include traffic, transit, law enforcement and emergency management centers, weather service entities and event promoters to detect and verify incidents and implement response. Dynamic Message Sign on I-25 Page v

Weather Data Collection and Dissemination Currently, weather stations and/or pavement sensors have been deployed in Fort Collins, Windsor, Loveland, Greeley, and on I-25 and several state routes (weather stations and sensors are owned by CDOT Region 4). The information collected from these sensors is crucial to various transportation operations for both traveler information as well as infrastructure management. The CDOT, Greeley and Loveland sensors are interconnected and able to share information. The CDOT data is used to present roadway conditions on the CoTrip web site; more detailed information is available to certain public agencies on a protected web site. The Operational Concept defines the relationship between CTMC and other agencies as information sharing and would include road weather data. From the traffic management agencies, the weather information can then be shared with other agencies and departments, such as transit, maintenance and construction, emergency management, law enforcement, Information Service Providers, and the media. Weather Monitoring Commercial Vehicle Operations Individual jurisdictions throughout the region regulate and permit the movement of commercial vehicles on their highway network. Permits are issued by each local jurisdiction with limited coordination with other local jurisdictions or state regulatory agencies. The bulk of commercial vehicle regulatory activity occurs at the state level where responsibilities are shared among CDOT, Colorado Department of Revenue Motor Carrier Services Division and Colorado State Patrol. To add to the complexity, trucks that travel outside the state are subject to the regulations of the states in which they travel. The Regional ITS Architecture includes the provision of a link from local agencies to gain access to relevant commercial vehicle regulatory information. Local agencies could be given access to the state s CVISN system for inquiry purposes. This relationship can be defined as information sharing and would include, but not limited to permit and regulatory information. Over time, a joint electronic permitting system with local agencies could be developed. ITS Data Warehouse The need for a regional ITS Data Warehouse for the study area was identified. This project will develop a central data repository for all data collected in the region that may be of use for planning or improving general transportation and safety operations. This includes items such as traffic data, weather data, incident information, and transit operations data. This repository will include information from as many agencies in the region that can participate. The information Page vi

will be available to all agencies and regional transportation organizations. It is anticipated that the repository may be maintained by the North Front Range MPO and would likely provide a web-based interface to allow access to the data. The impact of the ITS Data Warehouse on the Operational Concept is that it allows an unlimited number of agencies access to data (depending on rules of use and access) collected by other agencies, that may be used to improve operating efficiency and decision-making. Emissions Monitoring and Management The cities of Greeley and Fort Collins are currently in "maintenance" status for CO emissions, and Weld and Larimer County s are being considered for designation as non-attainment areas. 2 As a result, the North Front Range MPO is considering a potential deployment of distributed sensors as part of a program to monitor individual vehicle emissions and contribute to the general air quality monitoring in the area. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment s (CDPHE) Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) is responsible for the existing air quality monitoring stations within the region. Establishing a link in the regional architecture between traffic management centers and APCD will provide additional mechanisms for dissemination of air quality advisories in the region. This relationship can be defined as information sharing and would include air quality data. The traveling public could also use the information to voluntarily reduce driving and/or use transit or carpool for travel within the region. Rail Operations Coordination Railroad coordination supports alleviating arterial congestion by improving safety and operation at highway/rail intersections. Several major roadways in the study area cross rail lines at-grade, or run parallel to the rail lines such that side streets cross at-grade. When a train is in the crossing, traffic and emergency vehicles are delayed. The Rail Operations Coordination market package provides a level of strategic coordination between rail operations and traffic management centers. Rail operation centers provide train schedules, maintenance schedules, and any other forecast events that will result in highway-rail intersection (HRI) closures. This information is used to develop forecast HRI closure times and durations, which may be used in advanced traffic control strategies, and/or to enhance the quality of traveler information. 2 The official decision will be made on April 15, 2004. Page vii

Next Steps In order to maintain the regional ITS Architecture for the study area, the North Front Range MPO will form an ITS Committee as a regional forum for discussion of regional ITS issues and deployment progress. The ITS Committee will meet at least every six months to discuss current and anticipated ITS issues. Some initial agenda items for the ITS Committee could include: Definition of a separate funding pool and project category for ITS projects within the RTP. Definition of an interim amendment process in order to maintain the plan outside of the regular schedule. Development of agreements to coordinate regional ITS planning between the neighboring TPRs (North Front Range, Upper Front Range and DRCOG) and CDOT. Page viii

I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW A. Overview On April 8, 2001, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) established a Final Rule and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) established a policy on the use of the National ITS Architecture. The purpose of this rule/policy is to foster integration between existing regional ITS deployments and to ensure that subsequent deployments will be integrated into the existing systems. The rule/policy establishes that jurisdictions intending to deploy ITS projects and that wish to seek funding from the Highway Trust Fund and the Mass Transit Account must conform to the National ITS Architecture and appropriate standards. Within the Colorado Department of Transportation s (CDOT) Region 4, federal funding has been used to deploy ITS projects both along I-25 and within the City of Fort Collins. Therefore, CDOT Region 4, together with the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council (NFRT & AQPC), have prepared this Regional ITS Architecture as well as a companion ITS Strategic Plan for the study area, to guide the deployment of ITS applications over the next ten years. B. Project Approach The development of the ITS Architecture for the study area followed the process described below: Assemble ITS Working Group An ITS working group was established as the body that provided feedback and oversaw development of the Regional ITS Architecture. Members of the working group are the management and technical staff from numerous agencies that expressed interest in ITS implementation. Document Transportation Issues and ITS Inventory Through a review of current planning documents and extensive interviews with members of the ITS Working Group and the study area stakeholders, the current transportation issues that can be addressed by ITS were documented and summarized. In addition, the existing and immediately pending ITS implementations were documented. Select Market Packages In consultation with the ITS Working Group, a review of the National ITS Architecture market packages was undertaken, and a list of market packages applicable to the study area was developed as a starting point for addressing the identified transportation issues. Develop Operational Concept An operational concept was developed to relate the roles of the transportation and safety agencies in the study area with regard to their roles and responsibilities with the planned ITS deployments. Page 1

Inter-Agency Agreements This involves the identification of the agreements necessary to support the operational concepts. As an example, inter-agency agreements will be required to define the roles and responsibilities of the participating agencies in order to share the use and operation of the infrastructure deployed in ITS projects. Functional Requirements and Interface Requirements ITS Architecture diagrams were developed to represent the functions and interfaces expressed in the operational concepts. ITS Standards The ITS standards applicable to the defined interfaces and market packages were identified. Definition of Project Implementation Sequence The final step in the development of the ITS Architecture for the study area was a definition of the key relationships for project implementation. C. Organization of the Report Following this introduction, this report is divided into nine sections as follows: Section II National ITS Architecture Introduction: This section provides information on the context of ITS Architecture development and a background overview of the primary elements in the National ITS Architecture. Section III Background Information: This section provides a description of the study area; an identification of the stakeholders; a summary of other planning efforts; a summary of transportation issues; and a summary of existing and immediately pending ITS implementations within the study area. Section IV Market Package Selection: This section provides a summary of the market packages identified as applicable to the study area. Section V Operational Concept: The operational concept presents the relationships between transportation, transit, safety agencies and other providers in the study area. Section VI Agreements Between Organizations: Existing and proposed interagency cooperative agreements, plus considerations for developing these agreements. Section VII - System Functional Requirements, Interface Requirements, and Information Exchanges: Introduction to the approach of developing physical ITS architecture diagrams for the study area. Section VIII - Identification of ITS Standards: Introduction to the standards development effort and identification of standards based on the selected market packages. Section IX - Sequence of Projects Required for Implementation: Identifies any projects that must have precedence over others in order to implement the overall ITS vision for the study area. Page 2

II. NATIONAL ITS ARCHITECTURE INTRODUCTION A. Introduction This section provides background information on the National ITS Architecture and the final FHWA rulemaking regarding the development of regional ITS Architectures. The National ITS Architecture provides a common framework for planning, defining, and integrating intelligent transportation systems. It is a mature product that reflects the contributions of a broad cross-section of the ITS community (transportation practitioners, systems engineers, system developers, technology specialists, etc.). The architecture defines: The functions (e.g., gather traffic information or request a route) that are required for ITS. The physical entities or subsystems where these functions reside (e.g., the roadside or the vehicle). The information flows that connect these functions and physical subsystems together into an integrated system. 3 Although the architecture is not technology-specific, it is function-specific. The architecture is employed to structure the planning and design process along with the general functions of ITS systems. The architecture further defines these functions into two categories: physical and logical. B. Physical Architecture The physical architecture provides a framework for the physical elements of ITS systems. These elements include cars, people, computers, buses, trucks, etc. Figure 1, National Architecture Sausage Diagram, provides an illustration of the physical architecture. The physical elements are broken into large groups called subsystem categories. These are functional categories that describe what their member physical entities (subsystems) do. The four major subsystem categories are: 1. Traveler Subsystems: Systems or applications that provide information to travelers (e.g., traffic conditions). 2. Center Subsystems: Systems or applications that process and use information to control the transportation network (e.g., signal timing). 3. Vehicle Subsystems: Systems or applications that provide driver information and safety on vehicle platforms (e.g., in-vehicle signing). 3 US DOT, National ITS Architecture, Version 5.0 Page 3

4. Field Subsystems: Systems or applications deployed in the field that collect transportation data and are ideally controlled from a center (e.g., traffic signals). Figure 1. National Architecture Sausage Diagram The bubbles (or sausages ) between the subsystem categories represent the communications medium. For example, the Roadway subsystem (within the Field subsystem category) could potentially be communicating with the Vehicle, the Transit Vehicle, the Commercial Vehicle, the Maintenance Vehicle, and the Emergency Vehicle subsystems (within the Vehicle subsystem category) via short-range wireless links. Terminators Terminators are generally defined as people, systems and general environment that are outside the boundary of ITS but still impact ITS systems. Interfaces between subsystems and terminators need to be defined, but there are no ITS-related functional requirements associated with terminators. Since regional architectures are usually developed from a specific agency(s) perspective, a subsystem that is out of the control of the entity s perspective is called a terminator. This is done to illustrate ownership or control of the proposed services. Page 4

Architecture Flows An architecture flow is simply the information that is exchanged between subsystems and terminators in the Physical Architecture. These architecture flows and their communication requirements define the interfaces which form the basis for much of the ongoing standards work in the National ITS Architecture program. The current US DOT guidelines require that the regional ITS Architecture be developed at a sufficient level of detail to show subsystems and architecture flows. Market Packages While the physical architecture components, such as subsystems and architecture flows, provide a good tool for organizing the ITS design process, they are difficult to discuss with anyone who is not familiar with the National ITS Architecture. The Market Packages provide an accessible, deployment-oriented perspective to the National Architecture. They are tailored to fit separately or in combination real world transportation problems and needs. The Market Packages also help in the design process by categorizing improvements and can serve as another check to make sure areas are not over or under covered. Market Packages utilize one or more Equipment Packages that must work together to deliver a given transportation service and the architecture flows that connect them and other important external systems. In other words, they identify the pieces of the Physical Architecture that are required to implement a particular transportation service. Equipment Packages group like processes of a particular subsystem together into an implementable package. For example, the Market Package Regional Traffic Control is made up of the subsystems Traffic Management and Roadway, as well as the terminator Other Traffic Management and Traffic Operations Personnel (see Figure 2). The service to be provided is regional traffic control. In order to do this, the entity must have control or access to physical equipment and processes under the traffic management and roadway subsystems. The specific equipment package needed is TMC Regional Traffic Control. This equipment package provides capabilities for analyzing, controlling, and optimizing area-wide traffic flow. These capabilities provide for integrating control of a network signal system with control of the freeway, considering current demand as well as expected demand. The goal is to provide the capability for real-time traffic adaptive control while balancing inter-jurisdictional control issues to achieve regional solutions. The terminator Other Traffic Management shows that the information collected must be accessible by other traffic management centers. The architecture flow indicates that traffic information coordination and traffic control coordination will be exchanged between the Traffic Management subsystem and Other Traffic Management terminator. The Traffic Operations Personnel and the corresponding architecture flow illustrate their role in the system. Page 5

Figure 2. Regional Traffic Control Architecture flows represent the information flows between subsystems and terminators. These flows can be broken down further into data-flows and process specifications. This breakdown defines more and more detailed information exchanges between the subsystems and terminators. This level of detail becomes more useful in the project design and implementation stages. C. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Regulations FHWA has issued a final rulemaking that requires ITS projects funded through the Highway Trust Fund to conform to the National ITS Architecture and applicable standards. The FTA has established a parallel policy to the same effect for the Mass Transit Account. Conformance with the National ITS Architecture is defined as development of a Regional 4 ITS Architecture and the subsequent adherence of ITS projects to the Regional ITS Architecture. The Regional ITS Architecture is based on the National ITS Architecture and consists of several parts including the system functional requirements and information exchanges with planned and existing systems and subsystems along with identification of applicable standards. The Regional ITS 4 The size of the region should reflect the breadth of the integrations effort and is left to the discretion of the cooperating organizations. Thus, a region may be a city, county, state or other defined geographical region where ITS is cooperatively deployed. Page 6

Architecture would be tailored to address the local situation and ITS investment needs. 5 The rule/policy became effective on April 8, 2001. The purpose of the regional ITS Architecture is to serve as a guide for the development of ITS projects and programs and be consistent with ITS strategies and projects contained in applicable transportation plans. Having developed a regional ITS Architecture means that a regional framework for ensuring institutional agreement and technical integration for the implementation of ITS projects or groups of projects is in place. The regional ITS Architecture must include the following elements: 6 Description of the Region or Project Identification of Stakeholders Operational Concept Agreements System Functional Requirements Interface Requirements and Information Exchanges Identification of ITS Standards Sequence of Projects Required for Implementation Each of these areas is covered in subsequent sections of this report. 5 6 January 8, 2001, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 23 CFR Part 940, FHWA Docket No. FHWA-99-5899 (http://www.its.dot.gov/aconform/archrule_final_1.htm) IBID Page 7

III. BACKGROUND INFORMATION A. Description of the Study Area The study area, as shown on Figure 3, is generally bounded by US 85 and US 287 to the east and west, and the North Front Range MPO boundary and Weld County Road (WCR) 8 to the north and south. The bulk of the study area is made up of the North Front Range MPO, the MPO responsible for transportation planning within much of the study area. The study area is also fully contained within the boundaries of CDOT Region 4. CDOT Region 4 is responsible for the traffic operations and roadway maintenance for the freeway and the state roadways in the study area. Together, these agencies are taking the responsibility of preparing both the Regional ITS Architecture and the ITS Strategic Plan for the study area. The study area includes the most populous portions of Larimer and Weld Counties, including portions of the Upper Front Range TPR (the growing communities to the south of the North Front Range MPO and Estes Park, and the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park). Within the study area are three major communities, Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland, which have already deployed some ITS elements and are expecting to expand their deployments. In addition, both CDOT Region 4 and CDOT Transportation Management Center (CTMC) operate and maintain ITS equipment within the study area. The study area is adjacent to the Denver Regional Council of Governments Transportation Planning Region (TPR), the TPR immediately to the south of the study area. This MPO completed and adopted a Regional ITS Architecture and ITS Strategic Plan in March 2002. Page 8

DOT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Regional ITS Architecture Study Area LCR63E 7 LEGEND Study Area 36 14 Larimer Estes Park LCR44H LCR43 LCR74E LCR52E 34 LCR27 287 LCR72 LCR19 Fort Collins LCR17 Loveland Berthoud LCR15 287 WCR34 WCR30 1 52 WCR8 LCR70 LCR64 LCR48 WCR1 LCR44 68 402 60 56 119 Erie 25 257 Timnath LCR30 Cross roads Blvd. WCR7 Mead WCR5 LCR3 25 Windsor 66 85 Garden City Milliken Evans 60 Johnstown LaSalle WCR13 WCR13 WCR17 Firestone WCR24 Frederick Dacono WCR6 WCR19 WCR100 WCR90 WCR82 WCR23 WCR18 WCR23 85 60 256 WCR33 WCR29 34 Platteville Ft. Lupton Weld 14 Gilcrest WCR32 WCR22 WCR4 WCR37 WCR39 WCR43 392 Greeley 263 WCR44 WCR45 WCR49 WCR49 WCR51 76 37 WCR53 WCR12 WCR74 37 WCR388 52 34 North Front Range MPO North FELSBURG H O L T & ULLE V I G Figure 3 CDOT Region 4 ITS Planning Services 03-185 3/8/04 Page 9

B. Identification of Stakeholders An ITS working group was established as the body that provided feedback and oversaw development of the Regional ITS Architecture. Members of the working group are the management and technical staff from numerous agencies that expressed interest in ITS implementation. The following member agencies were invited to participate: CDOT Region 4 Town of Gilcrest CDOT ITS Branch City of Greeley FHWA Town of Johnstown North Front Range Transportation & Air Town of La Salle Quality Planning Council (NFRT & AQPC) Upper Front Range Transportation City of Loveland Planning Region Town of Berthoud Town of Mead Town of Dacono Town of Milliken Town of Erie Town of Platteville Town of Estes Park Town of Timnath Town of Evans Town of Windsor Town of Firestone Larimer County Town of Frederick Weld County City of Fort Collins Transfort City of Fort Lupton The Bus Town of Garden City City of Loveland Transit (COLT) The members of the working group provided assistance in the identification of transportation issues that could be addressed by ITS applications. Additionally, each provided an inventory of existing and immediately pending ITS elements under their jurisdiction. Each member participated with the understanding that ITS planning integrates regional, local, modal and organizational requirements. Page 10

C. Other Planning Efforts A number of other related planning studies that cover the study area were reviewed to assist in the summary of both transportation issues and ITS inventory. The following is a brief summary of the nine documents reviewed for this study. The 2020 Statewide Transportation Plan, Investing In Colorado s Future This document presents broad transportation planning issues and concepts for the entire state. The 2030 Transportation Plan is currently in development. This document lists the following as major statewide issues that have transportation impacts: Traffic Congestion population growth is increasing congestion statewide; Transportation Safety the transportation infrastructure must promote safe travel; Transportation System Management and Operation an efficient use of the existing infrastructure is required; Personal Mobility Colorado s citizens must have personal mobility; Goods Movement efficient and effective goods movement will promote economic well being; and Funding transportation funding is scarce. The document recognizes that ITS helps maximize the potential of existing transportation infrastructure, which directly responds to several of the issues above. In 1998, the state developed an ITS Strategic Plan and ITS Business Plan that define a $67 million plan to fund the annual operation of the Colorado Traffic Operations Center, ITS device maintenance (including the telecommunications network) and CDOT Region ITS activities. The document recognizes the need to complete ITS corridor studies in order to plan and expand ITS technology deployment statewide. Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan, CDOT 2002 CDOT ITS Branch prepared a statewide strategic plan to provide guidance and direction for current and future ITS investment and implementation across the state. This document also identifies as a key element the need to institutionalize the ITS Core Services into CDOT s current business areas and functions. The primary goal of the CDOT ITS Branch is to provide an overall traveler information and traffic management system that effectively utilizes the existing system and seamlessly grows to incorporate future system elements, and one in which information is managed as an asset of value to transportation system users and transportation providers of all types. Page 11

The elements of the vision adopted to achieve this goal include: Improve mobility through maximization of productivity of existing transportation system. Improve mobility through travel choice and travel efficiency. Increase traveler safety. Increase intermodal connectivity and inter-jurisdictional coordination. In order to provide an integrated statewide traveler information traffic management system, the strategic investment described in the plan focuses on two areas: 1) preventative maintenance and replacement of the existing infrastructure, and 2) statewide expansion of the enabling infrastructure. The expansion of the enabling infrastructure includes: Completion and update of 4 traffic management centers (~$28.4 million) 7. Completion of a statewide fiber optic network (~$58.5 million). Implementations expanding the number of traveler information system related field devices (~$77.5 million). The deployment timeframe is tied to the availability of funding. The highest priority elements are the traffic management centers and the deployment of the long haul high speed communication system elements. North Front Range 2025 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) This document establishes strategies and a plan for the deployment of transportation improvements in the North Front Range TPR, which respond to significant projected growth. By 2025, it is projected that households in the region will grow from 129,000 to 269,000 and that employment will increase from 144,000 to 327,000 jobs. This corresponding growth relates to a no-build projection of an average increase of 129% in vehicle-miles traveled over the region. The RTP is currently being updated. The document identifies two key strategies to guide the development of transportation improvements: Employ Transportation Demand Management to effect a modal shift from single occupant vehicles (SOV) to other modes in the region. Focus regional planning and multi-modal mobility along the Regionally Significant Corridors in the region. Of the seven project categories defined in the North Front Range RTP, Transportation Systems Management has been identified almost exclusively for the definition of the ITS projects within the region. The financial plan programs several ITS projects as shown in Table 1. 7 The Transportation Commission is currently programming $21 million for traffic management centers. Page 12

Table 1. NFR RTP Transportation System Management Projects Rank Project # 1 TSM-2 Submitting Agency North Front Range MPO Project Region-wide Intelligent Transportation System Project (i.e. deployment of dynamic message signs, highway advisory radio, data collection devices, and an incident response system) Cost Est. $6,500,000 2 TSM-13 Loveland Loveland ITS Project $850,000 3 TSM-11 Fort Collins Advanced Traffic Management System in Fort Collins $5,000,000 4 TSM-3 Greeley 5 TSM-4 Greeley 6 TSM-5 Greeley 7 TSM-12 Fort Collins Greeley Traffic Operations Center Variable Message Signs in Greeley Closed Circuit Video Monitoring Station in Greeley Fort Collins Traffic Operations Facility $1,745,000 ($55,000 annually over 24 years) $300,000 $75,000 $4,000,000 Upper Front Range 2020 Regional Transportation Plan This document does not reference any specific ITS projects, but does account for ITS within six Project Categories defined in the report Transportation Systems Support. The Upper Front Range RTP is currently being updated. CDOT Region 4 I-25 Incident Management Plan The purpose of this document is to maintain a successful and effective Incident Response Program along I-25 from SH 52 to the Wyoming Border. This includes the definition of the roles and responsibilities of participating agencies and the policies for incident response along the freeway. This report is currently being finalized, but a draft of the report does illustrate the utilization of Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) to effect the appropriate detours. The draft report considers only existing and available equipment and does not identify specific needs for ITS deployment. US 34 Corridor Optimization Plan In May 2003, CDOT Region 4 prepared an optimization plan covering the length of US 34 from Estes Park to I-25. The purpose of the document was to provide recommendations for transportation improvements for specific operational issues along the corridor. Page 13

It was recognized that certain ITS elements would be beneficial to this corridor; however, specific ITS planning was not considered in anticipation of the development of a regional ITS Strategic Plan. Estes Valley Transportation Alternatives Study In April 2003, CDOT Region 4 prepared this study to address transportation problems within Estes Park and surrounding area. To address traffic and parking issues due to seasonal and tourist traffic passing through Estes Park to and from Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), several ITS deployments were recommended. Specifically, it was recommended that a parking management system be developed that includes DMS, Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), and electronic information kiosks in order to provide information on parking availability; real-time bus arrival and departure times; and local weather and traffic conditions. Northern Colorado Truck Mobility/SH 14 Relocation Study In December 2001, the City of Fort Collins prepared this study to determine the feasibility of relocating the truck route outside the city. One of the findings of the report is that there is a perception that SH 14, the current truck route, is negatively impacted by weather and other incidents on US 287, I-25 and/or I-80. One of the recommendations of the report is to conduct an incident management study focused northward from Fort Collins to better understand the impacts of these conditions on SH 14. Greeley Comprehensive Transportation Plan In June 2002, the City of Greeley prepared a Transportation Plan that identified several ITS deployments within the City of Greeley. The following are the recommended ITS goals: Implement video detection at signalized intersections; Install closed circuit television cameras at key intersections and major activity centers and congested arterials; Install fiber optic cable in roadway right-of-way; Develop traveler information systems; Establish a Traffic Operations Center that would be the control center for these elements; Develop means of coordination with other modes via ITS; and Develop a regional ITS plan that includes: - Access to data from Fort Collins, Loveland, Denver, and CDOT Region 4, and - Connections to CDOT Variable Message Signs in the Greeley area. Page 14

D. Existing ITS Inventory Within the study area, there exist a number of technology deployments. The bulk of the equipment within the study areas was deployed by, and is operated and maintained by the CDOT Colorado Transportation Management Center (CTMC). CDOT CTMC monitors and operates DMS, HAR, and Road Weather Information System (RWIS) statewide including within the study area. CDOT CTMC will continue as the main operator for similar ITS deployments along the freeway, but is currently working on the Advanced Traffic Management System/Advanced Traveler Information System (ATMS/ATIS) Integration Project, which proposes to allow increased bi-directional information sharing for traffic, incidents, weather and camera images, as well as providing bi-directional control of local devices. CDOT Region 4, Loveland, Greeley and Fort Collins all operate and maintain separate traffic systems. Fort Collins has incorporated this function into a traffic operations center that serves as the control point for all ITS elements in the City including CCTV cameras and weather stations. The collective inventory of the type and location of existing ITS deployments in the study area is listed in Table 2. The summary is organized by device type and responsible agency. Figures 4 to Figure 8 provide illustrations of the inventory. Table 2. ITS Element Inventory Device Type Agency Location Notes I-25, MM 237, North of SH 52 Southbound I-25, MM 239, South of SH 119-Del Camino Northbound I-25, MM 244, North of SH 66- Platteville Southbound Dynamic I-25, MM 251, North of SH 56- Message Signs CDOT Berthoud Northbound (DMS) I-25, MM 253, North of SH 60 Northbound I-25, MM 255, North of SH 402 Southbound I-25, MM 256, North of SH 402 Northbound I-25, MM 263, North of Windsor Northbound I-25, MM 264, South of Harmony Road-Fort Collins Southbound I-25, MM 247, Between SH 66 and East side Highway CDOT SH 56 of I-25 Advisory Radio Loveland Just north of US 34 on Lincoln Ave. (HAR) Fort Collins At CSU No City Involvement Weigh-In-Motion CDOT I-25, MM 269, North of Prospect Road Northbound I-25, MM 270, North of Prospect Road Southbound Page 15

Device Type Agency Location Notes I-25, MM 241, North of SH 119-Del Camino West side of I-25 CDOT West side I-25 MM 251, North of SH 56 of I-25 I-25, MM 259, North of Crossroads Blvd. East side of I-25 10 th Street at Includes Pavement 35 th Avenue Sensor Greeley 3 rd Street at 12 th Snow Emergency Center Avenue Weather Station Taft Avenue/1 st Includes Pavement Street Intersection Loveland Sensor US 34/Redwood Ave. Intersection Pavement Sensor Elizabeth Street at Taft Hill Road Shields Street at Harmony Road Prospect Road at Timberline Road Timberline Road at Carpenter Road Fort Collins (LCR 32) College Avenue at the Poudre River Mountain Vista Drive at Busch Drive Timberline Road at Poudre River Includes Automatic De-Icing Equipment Windsor Off Parkwood Drive Rainfall Gauge #1-COMM to Fort Collins via Radio At Windsor Reservoir Rainfall Gauge #2- COMM to Fort Collins via Radio Stream Monitoring Station Greeley US 85 at 8 th Street Poudre River Emergency Dispatch Automatic Traffic Recorder Weld County Loveland Estes Park Larimer County CDOT 1950 O Street in Greeley Police/Fire 810 E. 10 th Street Emergency Operations 410 E. 5 th Street 170 McGregor Avenue 2501 Midpoint Drive Fort Collins I-25, South of US 34 I-25, North of Fort Collins US 34, 1 Mile East of SH 257 SH 257, North of US 34 Business SH 14, West of I-25 US 34, East of Estes Park US 36, East of Estes Park Lemay Avenue at Stuart Street College Avenue at Laurel Street College Avenue at Horsetooth Road College Avenue at Columbia Road Sheriff Department Communication Center Page 16

Device Type Agency Location Notes Fort Collins Horsetooth Road at Meadowlark Avenue Drake Road at Constitution Avenue Shields Street at Rolland Moore Park Drake Road at Research Boulevard CDOT 1420 2 nd Street, Greeley Traffic Fort Collins 626 Linden Street Operations Greeley 1300 A Street, Building E Center Loveland 105 W. 5 th Street Transit Fort Collins 6570 Portner Road Operations Greeley 1200 A Street Center Loveland 318 N. Garfield Transit Fort Collins Trapeze Software Scheduling Greeley ParaMatch Software Software Loveland Trapeze Software Paratransit Transfort Fleet Device AVL Loveland Fleet Device Transit Security Transfort Fleet Device Loveland Fleet Device Fort Collins City-Wide Connection of Numerous Traffic Signals Circular Ring Greeley City-Wide Around City Fiber-Optic Mostly Owned by Platte Network Loveland City-Wide River Power Authority Connects Town Hall, Windsor City-Wide Library, Public Works Shop and Six Schools Greeley 10 th Street at 35 th Avenue US 34 Bypass at 23 rd Avenue Loveland Taft Avenue/1 st Street Intersection College Avenue at Prospect Road College Avenue at Drake Road Video Surveillance College Avenue at Foothills Parkway Fort Collins College Avenue at Horsetooth Road College Avenue at Harmony Road Harmony Road at Lemay Avenue Harmony Road at Timberline Road Harmony Road at Ziegler Road Page 17

ATR 4 ATR LCR17 LCR19 7 Larimer 5 1/2 LCR44 ATR 7 ATR Weld WCR82 257 Timnath 9 68 14 85 WCR74 DMS 8 WCR49 LCR48 Fort Collins 6 25 WCR51 34 WCR43 Estes Park 1 287 43 WCR33 LCR WCR23 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CDOT ITS Branch ITS Inventory - January 2004 WCR13 DOT DMS Windsor NB 392 3 LCR30 Cross roads Cross roadsblvd. Blvd. 6/7 DMS 60 1 Mead DMS WCR30 Automatic Traffic Recorder 1. I-25, South of US 34 2. US 34, 1 Mile E. of SH 257 3. SH257, N. of US 34 Business 4. SH 14, W. of I-25 5. I-25, North of Fort Collins 6. US34, E. of Estes Park 7. US 36, E. of Estes Park 119 2 1 WCR24 DMS DMS Erie 25 CDOT Region 4 ITS Planning Services 03-185 3/30/04 WCR22 Firestone WCR18 1 Frederick Dacono WCR6 CDOT Traffic Operations 1. 1420 2nd St., Greeley FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G Gilcrest WCR32 66 52 WCR8 WCR44 Platteville 3 WCR23 WCR1 Weigh-In-Motion Station 1. MM269, I-25 Northbound 2. MM270, I-25 Southbound 256 WCR19 WCR34 Weather Station 1. MM241, I-25 West Side 2. MM251, I-25 West Side 3. MM259, I-25 East Side ATR 4 WCR7 Southbound Northbound Southbound Northbound Northbound Southbound Northbound Northbound Southbound WCR5 I-25 I-25 I-25 I-25 I-25 I-25 I-25 I-25 I-25 DMS 56 WCR49 2 Berthoud Highway Advisory Radio 1. MM297, E. Side of I-25 DMS Sign 1. MM237, 2. MM239, 3. MM244, 4. MM251, 5. MM253, 6. MM255, 7. MM256, 8. MM263, 9. MM264, DMS 2 Garden City Evans 5 Milliken 60 LaSalle Johnstown 1 Ft. Lupton 85 WCR4 WCR12 76 WCR45 60 North Front Range MPO DMS ATR WCR39 Study Area 263 WCR29 402 WCR17 Loveland Greeley 34 ATR WCR13 LEGEND ATR WCR37 34 1 3 LCR3 287 NOTE: CTMC in Lakewood Figure 4 Page 18 North