Freeway and Corridor Management

NOVA's Freeway Management System became operational in 1985 and is located in the Smart Traffic Center (STC). NOVA STC is a nerve center of an integrated system of advanced technologies including computer software, traffic cameras, lane control strategies, ramp meters, reversible control gates, and HOV lane restrictions. From the STC, VDOT monitors and manages traffic, recognizes and responds to incidents, and instantly delivers traveler information to motorists. STC operates and controls field devices that are typically located along the roadside in aiding the traffic monitoring and traffic management. In addition, STC operators constantly communicate with the Safety Service Patrollers (SSP) in clearing and managing incidents. STC and SSP share incident data in real-time via same database, STC will soon be able to view SSP locations in order to dispatch patrollers to incident scenes more efficiently, and SSP is equipped to take a snap shot of incidents in using their cell phones when needed and share with the STC operators and view any of CCTV cameras that STC operates in their vehicles. The STC also coordinates with other agencies for responding to incidents and emergencies and participates in a regional incident management plan. STC is currently leading the contract for sharing CCTV images with public safety and other transportation management centers in the Washington DC region. It is a statewide plan to make the existing STCs (including NOVA STC) into regional traffic management centers with capability to monitor and control systems beyond the VDOT District boundaries. Research is currently underway to study the boundaries and the roles and responsibilities of the STCs. It is likely that NOVA STC's roles and responsibilities will change when the regional concept is in effect. Other functions of the STC include the support of the Department of Environmental Quality in roadside emission testing, share traffic data with those agencies that promote ride sharing and parking management, support testing and evaluation of new systems and concepts for improved operations and management in conjunction with the Smart Travel Lab, integrate with existing and planned regional systems (e.g. MD, VA, WMATA, etc.) and coordinate with other VDOT Districts (Fredricksburg, Culpepper, Richmond, and Staunton) and statewide operation center (TEOC). The STC and signal operations will be housed in the local-State co-located Public Safety & Transportation Operation Center (PSTOC) in November, 2007 with Fairfax County and Virginia State Police. As aforementioned, STC operates numerous field devices for managing traffic, the field and control devices that aid operators in performing their functions are: CCTV cameras, variable message signs (VMS), HOV gate control, ramp meters, vehicle detection, lane control signals, call boxes, and truck rollover systems.

• Propose and facilitate the appropriate dissemination of incident related information to travelers and potential travelers
• Provide the communications and roadside equipment to support ramp control, lane controls, and interchange control for freeways
• Manage and monitor traffic on freeway mainlines and on-off ramps using field equipment including cameras, inductive loops, and non-intrusive equipment
• Utilize current technology to optimize the flow of traffic on access controlled highways
• Share traffic information with other traffic agencies like DDOT ITMS or CHART
• Collect and process automated traffic data from traffic speed monitoring sites
• Monitor weather conditions along freeways
• Manage HOV lanes by coordinating freeway ramp gates and connector signals with HOV lane usage signs
• Provide the roadside elements of traffic information dissemination including DMS and HAR

• Provide value-added traffic image data from VDOT CCTV cameras in an accessible format (on a website, WAP cellphones, PDAs)
• Share traffic image data with non-VDOT agencies including law enforcement and emergency management

• Coordinate with STC for incident reponse and management
• Respond to incidents on VDOT interstates