WSRTTIF Update - December 9th, 2015

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UPDATE: Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

Save the date! The 11th annual Western States Rural Transportation Technology Implementers Forum will be held June 21-23, 2016, in Yreka California. The Call for Abstracts has just been released and we need your help! We are seeking both presentations and live demonstrations on rural ITS projects and applications. If you have implemented or improved a project because of participation in a past Forum, we would particularly encourage you to submit an abstract about the project for this year’s Forum. Check out the Call for Abstracts for more information about the Forum's technical program.

Participants at the 2015 Forum listen to a technical presentation.

Photo by Doug Galarus

Presentations and demonstrations at the Forum are very technical, detailed reviews of how ITS projects work or don't work. A wide variety of topics related to ITS design and engineering in rural areas can be discussed, such as:

  • Design, engineering and installation of rural ITS field applications, such as warning and safety systems
  • Design, installation, calibration and evaluation of roadside traffic detection equipment (loop or non-intrusive)
  • Applications of microwave, radio, cellular, 802.11 WiFi and/or WiMax communications
  • Custom IT application development
  • Innovative applications of commercial IT applications
  • Lessons learned with application and development of standards and specifications (e.g., NTCIP, DOT specifications)
In 2015, Oregon DOT engineers Dennis Mitchell and Doug Spencer teamed up to present the Multnomah Falls Parking Management System. Here, Dennis is discussing some of the operational impacts of the system (parking occupancy vs. gate activations). In 2015, Mark Kelly from the Wyoming DOT demonstrated the tablet reporting app they have developed for road reporting by maintenance personnel. To the right, Ian Turnbull tries out the app on a WYDOT tablet.
At the last Forum, David Wells, Caltrans Senior Transportation Electrical Engineer and Advanced VMS Project Manager, discussed the development of the Caltrans Advanced VMS specification, and the design, manufacturing, and testing of the new sign and its control software. At the 2015 Forum, Martha Styer, a Senior Transportation Electrical Engineer for Caltrans Division of Traffic Operations, and Dr. Dali Wei (pictured here), a post doc researcher at UC Davis and software developer for Trans Intelligence, presented and demonstrated the TranSync Mobile Tool.

Photos by Doug Galarus.

 

The topics presented at previous Forums have been very diverse, with speakers hailing from multiple state DOTs, universities, and other transportation related offices. Here is a brief list of previous presentations:

One of the more unique aspects of the Forum is that questions and discussion are encouraged throughout the presentation, not just at the end. The agenda also includes extended breaks and multiple opportunities for participants to network with other ITS practitioners to discuss Rural ITS technologies and how these technologies are being utilized to improve operations and safety in their own district or state.

At last year’s Forum, several people have their hands raised to ask Israel Lopez (NDOT) some questions.

Photo by Doug Galarus.

Networking is an integral part of the Forum’s agenda. In this photo, Keith Koeppen (center) explains the Safety Chain Control System components to John Carson of Caltrans District 1 (seated), Lonnie Hobbs from Caltrans District 2 (left), and Tom Moore (center left) from the Nevada DOT. (2015)

Photo by Leann Koon.

To get a feel for the depth and breadth of the technical content expected for the Western States Forum, visit the Forum website at www.westernstatesforum.org/PastForums.

If you are involved with a rural ITS project you think would be of interest to other technology practitioners, we would encourage you to consider submitting an abstract for presentation and/or demonstration at the 2016 Forum. For more information about the Forum and instructions on how to submit an abstract, please visit the Call for Abstracts page on the Forum website. The deadline for submitting an abstract is Friday, January 22, 2016.


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