Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (NTOC)

 This Talking Operations Web cast on the 95 Express project in Miami, Florida, will take place on April 1, 2009, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. The 95 Express opened in Miami-Dade County on December 5, 2008.  This project converted a single High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane into 2 variably priced express lanes. The project also enhanced and expanded Bus Rapid Transit service on I-95 from I-395 in downtown Miami to Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, reducing congestion on that heavily traveled north-south artery. Tolls will vary with level of congestion, the goal being to keep traffic in the express lanes moving at a minimum speed of 45 mph.  Registered vanpools, registered carpools of 3+, registered hybrid vehicles and motorcycles can use the lanes without paying a toll. Buses of several types can also use the lanes toll-free -Miami-Dade and Broward County express and regular transit, public school and over-the-road. Trucks of three or more axles will not be allowed to use the express lanes.

An update on the various aspects of this project will be provided. The presentation will provide information on traffic and revenue, operational statistics, toll-free registrations and lessons learned. Registration will be available later this week at http://www.ntoctalks.com/web_casts.php.

 Registration Now Open for ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

http://www.itsa.org/amregistration.html

March 11, 2009 (ITS America)

 Registration for the 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is now open. The three-day conference, held June 1-3, 2009 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland (just inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area), provides the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry with a forum to learn about and share insights on the latest advancements in ITS technologies. Don’t miss this opportunity to find answers to your toughest transportation challenges, meet your legislators on Capitol Hill, see ITS solutions in action, and take home ideas for implementation, and learn from your peers. Be sure to take advantage of the early-bird registration rates which are available through March 31. Click the link above to register at the early bird rate or here for more information on the 2009 Annual Meeting.

 Register Today and Prepare for the Approaching Recovery: IBTTA’s Workshop on Managing in an Era of Changing Economic Times

http://www.ibtta.org/Events/eventdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=3613

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (IBTTA)

 Join IBTTA in San Francisco, CA on April 19-21, 2009 for power-packed educational sessions and walk away with a world of knowledge on better managing your organization today and preparing for the approaching economic recovery. Learn how global issues are affecting your organization and the toll industry, the goals and efforts of the U.S. stimulus program, how to build a cost-conscious culture and make tough decisions, how to position your agency for unique opportunities during this slowdown, solid financing strategies and more. This is one meeting you don’t want to miss! Visit IBTTA’s Web site through the link above to view the preliminary agenda, make your travel arrangements and register today!

 Position Announcements: ITS Joint Program Office

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (ITS JPO)

The following two positions within the U.S. DOT ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) are now available. The closing date is March 27, 2009. Click on the links below for more information and to apply.

Communications and Outreach Specialist, GS-301-14

Announcement No. FHWA-JPO-2009-0002: Open to current and former Federal employees with status (Qualified Government employees should apply under this announcement to ensure maximum consideration).

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753233&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Announcement No. FHWA-JPO-2009-0003: Open to all U.S. citizens

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753342&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Program Manager, GS-301-14/15

Announcement No. FHWA.JPO-2009-0004: Open to all U.S. citizens

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753887&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Announcement No. FHWA.JPO-2009-0005: Open to current and former Federal employees with status (Qualified Government employees should apply under this announcement to ensure maximum consideration).

http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=79753929&AVSDM=2009%2D03%2D06+00%3A03%3A01&Logo=0&q=federal+highway+administration&jbf574=TD04&lid=17514&FedEmp=Y&sort=rv&vw=d&ss=0&brd=3876&FedPub=Y&caller=/agency_search.asp&SUBMIT1.x=61&SUBMIT1.y=14

Obama & Biden Visit U.S. DOT to Release Recovery Funding

http://www.transportation.org/?siteid=99

Category > Breaking News: March 11, 2009 (AASHTO)

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood last week to address more than 500 U.S. Department of Transportation employees and to formally release $27.5 billion in funding for highway and bridge projects provided by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. The transportation apportionments were issued to states and other parties eight days ahead of the deadline.

“This investment in highways will create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of next year, most of them in the private sector,” Obama said at U.S. DOT headquarters in Washington. “The jobs that we’re creating are good jobs that pay more than average; jobs grinding asphalt and paving roads, filling potholes, making street signs, repairing stop lights, and replacing guardrails.”

More than 100 transportation contracts funded by recovery dollars have already been awarded, with another 200 to be awarded in upcoming weeks. These projects vary greatly from state to state.

More information about the recovery legislation and states moving quickly to begin projects is available on AASHTO’s recovery Web site through the link above. Tables showing the apportionments to both state and local transportation agencies are available from the Federal Highway Administration at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/notices/n4510705t1.htm.

ATRI Releases Analysis of 30 National Freight Bottlenecks

http://atri-online.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=96

Category > Now Available: March 11, 2009 (ATRI)

 The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released the findings of its Freight Performance Measures Analysis of 30 Freight Bottlenecks. The research, which assesses the severity of 30 freight bottlenecks within the U.S. Interstate system, uses unique analysis methods and data to produce a severity ranking for each location. This research dovetails with the ongoing Freight Performance Measures initiative, which is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and managed by ATRI.

“ATRI’s report provides the first real-world analysis of the congestion that motor carriers experience every day,” said Tim Lynch, legislative affairs senior vice president for the American Trucking Associations. “ATRI’s ranking of freight bottlenecks fills a critical void in our arsenal of tools for identifying, prioritizing and addressing freight system deficiencies for the next surface transportation reauthorization.”

The ATRI analysis of 30 national bottlenecks prioritizes chokepoints on the highway system previously identified by the research community. ATRI researchers used GIS/GPS technology and truck-specific information, as well as sophisticated analysis techniques, to determine what time of day freight was affected by traffic congestion and where the results of such congestion were the most severe. A copy of the full report can be ordered from ATRI through the link above.

 2009 National Work Zone Awareness Week

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/outreach/wz_awareness.htm

Category > Breaking News: March 11, 2009 (FHWA)

The tenth annual National Work Zone Awareness week will be held April 6-10, 2009. The theme for this year is “Drive to Survive – Our Future is Riding On It!” The national kickoff for this event will be held April 7 at a location near the Boundary Channel Humpback Bridge Replacement Project between Washington, DC and Virginia. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

NADO Launches New Rural Transportation Newsletter

http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/nadort/issues/2007-02-28/

Category > Now Available: March 11, 2009 (NADO)

Click on the link above to view the inaugural issue of the National Association of Development Organizations’ (NADO) new Rural Transportation Newsletter.

Upcoming ITE Webinars

Category > Opportunity: March 11, 2009 (ITE)

The Institute of Transportation Engineers is offering the following upcoming Webinars:

Operational and Safety Effects of Geometric Design Web Seminar

http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_FTE.asp#OSEGD

Background: The purpose of this module is to provide the audience with an overview of the primary geometric design principles necessary to develop safe and efficient roadway and intersection designs. At the conclusion of the module, participants should be able to:

1) Define functional classification of roadway systems.

2) Understand the relationship between geometric design controls and criteria and the safety and operation efficiency of the facility.

3) Understand the key elements of geometric design.

4) Describe traditional and non-traditional intersection designs and intersection layout techniques.

5) Recognize the safety impacts and tradeoffs of alternative geometric designs.

Date: Tuesday, March 17

Credit: 1.5 PDH/.2 IACET CEU

Time: 3:00-4:30 p.m. Eastern

Intended Audience: Traffic engineers, transportation engineers, consultants, recent graduates, and professionals new to the field or professionals looking for a refresher course

Traffic Operations Analysis Web Seminar

http://www.ite.org/education/webinars_FTE.asp#TOE

Background: The purpose of this module is to provide the audience with an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of traffic operations analysis to provide for safe and efficient movement of people and goods.At the conclusion of the module, participants should be able to:

1) Understand traffic flow theory concepts and the relationships between speed, flow and density in uninterrupted flow.

2) Understand and be able to apply concepts of highway capacity analysis and level of service analysis for freeways and signalized intersections.

3) Understand basic principles of traffic signal phasing and timing and their effect on traffic safety and efficiency at intersections and in street networks.

4) Calculate appropriate timing of traffic signal phase change intervals and pedestrian intervals.

5) Understand concepts of speed zoning and be able to apply traffic engineering principles to determination of appropriate speed limits.

Date: Wednesday, March 18

Credit: 1.5 PDH/.2 IACET CEU

Time: 3:00-4:30 p.m. Eastern

Intended Audience: Traffic engineers, transportation engineers, consultants, recent graduates, and professionals new to the field or professionals looking for a refresher course.