The TSMO Conference came to Kansas City

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MoDOT and KDOT personnel attended the Transportation Systems Operation (CTSO)’s Annual Meeting for the AASHTO Committee, which was held on Wednesday, August 28 through Friday, August 30 in Kansas City, Missouri. Those from the KC Scout team included Randy Johnson, Shari Hillard, Michael Flory and Kelly Alvarez. Randy Johnson co-presented with MoDOT’s Ray Shank, Alex Wassman, Ploisongsaeng Intaratip, and Owen Hasson on MoDOT’s TSMO Activities. Topics touched on MoDOT’s I-270 Project, Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Program, I-70 TSMO updates, and MoDOT’s newest Emergency Traffic Control guidance.

The conference focuses on transportation system operations and associated intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and emerging technologies with a goal of improving safety, system reliability, and highway system performance.

KC Scout effectively promotes TMSO by monitoring real-time traffic, managing incidents, coordinating with agencies, providing traveler information, and integrating advanced technologies into our operations such as the rural queue warning system, digital alerting systems, the JAWS (Julie’s Automated Waste Removal System) program, and the Pothole CPR program. In doing so, KC Scout enhances the efficiency, safety and reliability of the transportation systems in our region.

The agenda was jam-packed with interesting, relevant topics that ranged from Artificial Intelligence, Automated Driving Systems, Drones for Transportation Operations and Digital Infrastructure among others. “I would say my favorite part of the meeting was the State DOT Roundtable,” according to KC Scout Traffic Systems Supervisor Kelly Alvarez.

 

The Roundtable was a two-hour window in which all present state DOTs provided their updates on TSMO activities. This portion of the meeting was insightful to see what other states are doing to advance their transportation systems operations and associated intelligent transportation systems.

 Some highlights include:

·       Indiana DOT is piloting automated enforcements in their work zones.

·       Michigan DOT just rolled out the nation’s first public inductive charging roadway.

·       Wisconsin DOT is initiating a study for statewide TMC space needs.

·       Delaware DOT has integrated AI into their ATMS.

·       New Jersey DOT deployed its first ATMS.

·       Florida DOT installed wrong way vehicle detection and warning systems on 25% of its off-ramps.

·       South Dakota DOT is working to deploy truck parking information for commercial vehicle operations in 2025.





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