The 95 Express: managing mobility through ITS

Our series of profiles on winning projects from the 2010 Global Road Achievement Awards (GRAA) continues with the traffic management and intelligent transport systems (ITS) category, won by AECOM for its work on Florida's first managed lanes project During January 2010, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) completed Phase 1 of the 95 Express, the state's first managed lanes project. The 95 Express is unique in its approach to Transportation Management Centre (TMC) operations, incident manageme
April 12, 2012 Read time: 3 mins

Our series of profiles on winning projects from the 2010 Global Road Achievement Awards (GRAA) continues with the traffic management and intelligent transport systems (ITS) category, won by AECOM for its work on Florida's first managed lanes project


During January 2010, the 2697 Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) completed Phase 1 of the 95 Express, the state's first managed lanes project. The 95 Express is unique in its approach to Transportation Management Centre (TMC) operations, incident management and dynamic pricing.

TMC operations

Prior to the 95 Express, the TMC's primary duties included incident management, service patrol dispatching and travel information dissemination. With the addition of the 95 Express, active traffic management became an important aspect of overall TMC operations. To adequately support the 95 Express operations, a new TMC position was created: the Express Lanes Operator.

Unlike regular TMC operators, this new role requires an understanding of basic traffic flow theory and how it impacts the tolling algorithm as well as the impacts that incidents and system malfunctions have on the project.

A significant challenge that the TMC had to overcome was determining a way to calculate toll rates based on real-time traffic conditions along the express lanes in order to maintain free-flow conditions in these lanes. The TMC accordingly developed a software application called Express Lanes Manager, which assists in the calculation of toll rates based on real-time traffic conditions. In addition, Express Lanes Manager provides a way for Express Lanes Operators to graphically observe real-time traffic parameters per lane (speed, volumes, and occupancy) along the corridor.

Incident management

The 95 Express Incident Management Plan contains a series of strategies that integrate resources, procedures and protocols. These resources include two additional service patrols, one additional Florida Highway Patrol trooper, one incident response vehicle and one flat-bed tow truck.

Special training was developed and delivered to bring these resources together and educate the responders on the new procedures and maintenance of traffic plans. These incident management strategies have shown improvements in incident clearance times: a reduction in travel lane blocking duration from 27 minutes to less than 12 minutes.

Dynamic pricing

The dynamic pricing algorithm relates toll rate boundaries to facility level of service - and adjusts the toll rate according to how quickly traffic speeds deteriorate or improve.

The software's pricing sub-system has a normal operating mode that automatically implements a predefined toll rate every 15 minutes.

The Express Lanes Operator uses the software interface to monitor toll rate changes in order to maintain travel speeds above 45mph (72km/hour) in the express lanes.

"Winning this prestigious award provides 1397 AECOM with international recognition for the innovations developed by our staff on this next generation application of managed lanes," said Dr. Robert Edelstein, PE, PTOE, Vice President and ITS practice area lead for AECOM.

When asked why the company submitted this particular project, Edelstein replied: "2462 IRF's awards programme provides an opportunity for the transportation industry to share best practices worldwide."
Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Performance-based contracts are the way forward World Bank expert tells PPRS Paris 2015
    February 27, 2015
    There “will never be sufficient funds for all planned road activities” says Ben Gericke, transport specialist at The World Bank. The road maintenance industry is going to have to use the best possible contract strategy to win the investment it needs. Speaking at the PPRS Paris 2015 pavement preservation and recycling summit, Gericke said that the best way for the global highway construction and road maintenance sector was to get its fair share of any national spending plan was to turn to performance-based c
    Read More
  • The father of asset management speaks on the development of the concept
    May 24, 2016
    World Highways caught up with man who developed the concept of asset management for roads in the 1960s. Dr Ralph Haas is still researching in his native Canada, and commenting on potholes. The e-mail was brief. “You won't believe this, but I think I'm the last person on the planet without a cell phone.” That was quite an admission from Ralph Haas, distinguished Canadian professor emeritus. He was one of several civil engineers in the 1960s who developed the concept of managing roads as an integrated
    Read More
  • Challenges and investment opportunities in East Africa transport infrastructure Sector
    November 21, 2014
    East Africa offers considerable potential for transport infrastructure expansion and investment - Shem Oirere reports Infrastructure, infrastructure and more infrastructure is what is needed to make East Africa the favoured destination and Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda have unveiled grand plans to enhance the infrastructure both nationally and regionally.” This is how market analyst Deloitte introduced its 2014/15 budget analysis for the four countries in July.
    Read More
  • BarrierGuard 800 keeps key U.S. bridge open
    April 11, 2013
    BarrierGuard 800 from Highway Care is said to be preventing the closure of a vital highway bridge in the United States. As a critical part of the US national infrastructure, the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge services the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The link allows the transporting of spent nuclear fuel and heavy freight bound to and from the naval shipyard, with an average of 15,000 vehicles per day crossing this structurally deficient bridge. The railing along the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge had begun to deterio
    Read More

Highlighted Content