WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations Center Emergency Response Preparedness

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterEmergency Response Preparedness
Security Initiatives

• Tim Vik

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterBackground
Comprehensive Incident Management Program
Initiated (TIME)
TOC Expands from SE WI to Statewide
1990
2000
MQIC Reconstruction
Madison FTMS Deployment
SEWRPC FTMS/Metro 2020 Reports,
Begin Planning/Deployment of MONITOR
Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee ITS Deployments
WI Statutory Prohibition of Highway Improvement
Funds for Standalone ITS
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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterStatewide Expansion

• One TOC Statewide Consistency
• Centralized traffic management/traveler
  information operations
• Public would see the same product in all regions
• Duplication of efforts would be minimized
• Technical expertise and administrative support
  already exists
• One entity to coordinate statewide maintenance

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterOverview

• The mission of the STOC is to manage congestion
  and improve transportation safety, mobility, and
  efficiency on Wisconsins state highways.

• Operate traffic management and traveler
  information systems on WI highways
• 24 hr / 7 day a week / 365 days a year
• Call Center staffed by STOC Operators

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterMonitor Traffic Conditions

• System detectors are used to collect speed and
  volume data
• Data collected is used to create travel times and
  populate system congestion map
• Currently piloting two probe technologies
• Fleet-based solution
• Mobile phone-based solution

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterMonitor Traffic Conditions

• Direct link to the Milwaukee County
  Sheriffs Office computer-aided
  dispatch (CAD)
• Incident details populated into STOC database and
  displayed on congestion map
• Direct link to the State Patrol CAD planned for
  2008
• Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) Camera
  images monitored by STOC Operators
  and used to locate
  traffic incidents

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterManage Traffic Congestion

• Ramp Meters - used to regulate traffic entering
  the freeway

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterTraveler Information

• Provide travel times, congestion, incident and/or
  special event information via
• Variable Message Signs
• Portable Changeable Message Signs
• Highway Advisory Radio
• WisDOT Web Site
• 511 (planned for 2008)

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterPartnerships

• Direct contact with local media
• Video Sharing Service
• Traffic Data Stream Access
• Active Control Room Support for Traffic Reporters
• Wisconsin State Patrol Liaisons
• Communications Supervisor (Part-Time)
• Liaison Officer (Full-Time)

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterPartnerships

• Wisconsin Emergency Management Emergency
  Operations Center Response
• Wisconsin DOJ Amber Alert
• Coordination with other states
• Illinois/Wisconsin Interstate Operations
  Initiative
• Northwest Passage
• Mississippi Valley Traffic Operations Coalition

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WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations
CenterWisDOT 24/7 Response Capabilities

• If a highway dept or law enforcement agency needs
  to contact WisDOT, they can call 1-800-375-7302
• Operators working at the STOC answer the call
• STOC makes notification for WisDOT response
• Some examples include signal knockdowns, bridge
  hits, flooding, and traffic incidents
• STOC should be contacted for any incident
  anticipated to have at least one state highway
  lane/ramp blocked for greater than 30 minutes
• NOT for general public use

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Evacuation Planning - History

• August 2005 - Catastrophic hurricanes hit United
  States
• October 2005 - Wisconsin Governor requested
  review of states emergency preparedness plans
• The review identified
• A total of 13 Lessons Learned from Hurricanes
  Katrina and Rita
• Assessments and recommendations for Wisconsin
  based on each of the 13 Lessons Learned
• December 2005 - WisDOT establishes ETO-EVAC Task
  Force

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Evacuation Planning
12 Most Populated Cities
North Central

• Northwest
• Eau Claire

• Northeast
• Green Bay
• Appleton
• Oshkosh

• Southeast
• Milwaukee
• Waukesha
• Kenosha
• Racine
• West Allis

• Southwest
• Madison
• Janesville
• La Crosse

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Evacuation Planning - Completed Work

• Assisted the Milwaukee Urban Area Security
  Initiative (UASI) in development of the SE Region
  Mass Evacuation Planning Guidance Document
• Identified primary and secondary evacuation
  routes
• Developed a ramp closure plan
• Emergency Support Function 1 (ESF-1)
• Developed a Regional Evacuation Guidance Process
  Diagram/Flow Chart

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Transportation Components of Plan

• Ramp Closure Plan Purpose
• To determine appropriate ramp closure locations
  during an emergency evacuation
• To determine agency responsibility for ramp
  closures
• To determine resources required/necessary for
  ramp closures

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Emergency Support Function 1 (ESF-1)

• Purpose
• Coordinate the use of transportation resources
  (human, technical, equipment, facility, materials
  and supplies) to support the needs of local
  government, voluntary organizations and other
  agencies
• Coordinate state agency response to a local
  evacuation

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Regional Evac Guidance Process

• Purpose
• Outlines process for developing evacuation
  guidance documents
• Helped other regions begin evacuation process

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Progress in Other Regions

• NE Region
• Participated in evacuation planning efforts for
  the Fox Valley
• SW Region
• Participating in evacuation planning efforts for
  the Madison area

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Evacuation Planning - Future Work

• Developing Evacuation Standard Operating
  Guidelines (SOG) for the STOC
• Planning an exercise to test the transportation
  portion of the SE Region plan
• Continuing development of evacuation plans for 11
  remaining
  cities
• Initiating development of a plan to
  handle traffic if Chicago, IL or
  Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN were
  forced to evacuate

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Winter Troubles in Other States
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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Need Identified for Winter Event
Planning

• During the 2006-2007 season issues were
  identified relating to
• Manpower availability
• Cross-county agreements
• Communication failures
• Reasons for these issues include
• County schedules and contracts
• Notification processes and protocols
• Concern Is Wisconsin prepared for a
• Pennsylvania or Iowa type event?

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Winter Event Emergency Response
Plan

• Ensure accurate, consistent and timely
  communications between WisDOT and the counties
• Provide a communication protocol for conditions
  worse than normal operating conditions, but not a
  declared emergency
• Eliminate or minimize confusion about road status
  and provide the WisDOT Office of Public Affairs
  (OPA) up to date information
• Allow WisDOT to assist in identifying the
  resources needed by a county
• Allow the State of Wisconsin to make full use of
  the resources dedicated to ensuring the
  interstate system remains open

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Emergency Response Preparedness Security
Initiatives Winter Event Emergency Response
Plan

• Created and convened a Winter Event Emergency
  Response Work Group
• Conducted peer state scan of winter weather
  planning
• Prepared draft Winter Event Emergency Response
  Plan
• Oct/Nov - Conduct training
• Evaluate plan after 2007-2008 season

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Questions

• Tim Vik
• Traffic Engineer
• WisDOT Statewide Traffic Operations Center
• 433 W St.Paul Ave, Suite 300
• Milwaukee, WI 53203
• [phone]
• timothy.vik_at_dot.state.wi.us