Projects

Lane Closure System Phase 2

Description:

The scope of Work Order 4.01 covers Phase II development of the Wisconsin Lane Closure System (WisLCS).  The WisLCS provides a centralized acceptance and reporting system for WisDOT lane closures and restrictions statewide.  It was developed by the Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison through sponsorship by Wisconsin DOT Bureau of Highway Operations to address several emerging needs with respect to work zone operations and data reporting.  The WisLCS has been operational since April 1, 2008.

The original WisLCS development project was broken into two phases: Phase I covered development and deployment of the initial system.  The scope of Phase II covers features that could not be included in the Phase I timeline, as well as several new enhancements.  In addition, Phase II covers work related to integrating with 511 which is scheduled for roll-out at the end of 2008. 

The Phase II project targets two roll-out periods for WisLCS enhancements based on the 2009 and 2010 Construction seasons.  Specifically:

• 2009 Construction Season tasks include development of the WisLCS Capacity Module, integration with the planned 511 Traveler Information system, and development of formal maintenance procedures for STN, LET Contracts, and TRADAS source data based on an existing BITS IT Project.

• 2010 Construction Season tasks include development of GIS / map-based components in WisLCS, enhancements to support off-system (e.g., county highway) closure information, and development of a WisLCS Planning Module.

Details for 2009 and 2010 objectives are provided in Tasks 2 and 3 below. 

The WisLCS project is scheduled for 18-months up to the start of the 2010 construction season.  It is anticipated that a separate contract will cover WisLCS operations and maintenance starting in 2010.

1. Statement of Work

Task 1.  Project Management

The TOPS Laboratory IT Project Manager will provide technical management for the project.  This includes:

• Coordination of the TOPS development team including hiring staff support, as needed.
• Coordination with WisDOT stakeholders and IT groups.
• Technical oversight of the design and implementation process.
• Preparation of project specific planning documents and schedules.
• Preparation of project specific meeting agendas and summaries.
• Preparation of monthly invoices and progress reports.

It is anticipated the WisLCS development team will consist of the core TOPS and STOC staff from Phase I.  In addition, TOPS will meet with stakeholder groups from Phase I (the WisLCS Oversight group, OSOW, and WisDOT data stewards) to gather feedback and discuss potential changes to the system.

The TOPS project manager will report to the WisDOT WisLCS Project Manager (STOC), the TOPS Management Team, and the Statewide Software TAG (SASSI) on project progress.

Deliverables:

• Phase II Project Planning Documents.
• Project Related Meeting Agendas and Summaries.
• Invoices and Progress Reports.

Task 2.  2009 Construction Season Development

This task relates to WisLCS enhancements for the 2009 Construction Season:

• Complete development of the WisLCS XML to integrate closure and restriction data with the planned 511 Traveler Information system. Initial development started in Phase I, but was put on hold to coordinate with scheduled enhancements at the State Traffic Operations Center MONITOR system.  Note this subtask is dependent on the October 2008 deployment schedule for 511, which comes before the start of the 2009 construction season.

• Complete development of the WisLCS Capacity Module which integrates historical V-SPOC and TRADAS traffic flow data and capacity information to calculate available closure thresholds.  A prototype of this module was developed in Phase I.

• Develop formal maintenance procedures for the STN, LET Contracts, and TRADAS data inputs to the WisLCS.  TOPS is working with WisDOT BITS through the IT Project Request process to address this requirement.   The IT Project also provides for coordination between 511, InterCAD, and STOC MONITOR to establish data consistency between these other systems.

• Address specific enhancements identified through user feedback that do not fall within the scope of the existing maintenance contract.  These additional enhancements are subject to project timeline and final scoping once the Phase II project is underway.

Deliverables:

• WisLCS XML schema and live feed for 511 integration.
• WisLCS Capacity Module (TRADAS and VSPOC data).
• Automated procedures and documentation to maintain WisLCS source data (STN, LET contracts, TRADAS).
• Additional WisLCS enhancements, as determined.
• Documentation and source code.

Task 3.  2010 Construction Season Development

This task relates to WisLCS enhancements for the 2010 Construction Season:

• Develop map-based interface components in the WisLCS.  The WisLCS was developed using the WisDOT State Trunk Network (STN) GIS.  All WisLCS location attributes relate back to a fixed statewide linear referencing system.  STN location information is currently used to populate pull-down menu selections and enforce location integrity.  Phase II will focus on integrating map-based components into WisLCS.  The critical requirement for this subtask is to develop components that work inside a web browser, i.e., that integrate with the existing web-based WisLCS.  TOPS anticipates using ESRI ArcGIS Server for this subtask.  Google Maps API is an alternative if ArcGIS does not meet performance requirements. 

• Improve support for off-system closures.  WisLCS is currently oriented towards state trunk highway closures with limited support for local road information.  However WisDOT is responsible for maintenance and Local Program construction on a significant number of off-system facilities statewide.  Off system closures and restrictions, especially along the County Trunk Highway, also impact available detour route information.

• Develop a WisLCS Planning Module to allow users to enter basic closure information in advance of the actual acceptance period.  This module will be used to estimate corridor wide impact and to generate an overall system wide picture for long-range or seasonal work zone planning.

• Several other long-term enhancements have been identified for Phase II, including: integration with the next version of MONITOR IMS which will support a full TMDD Event Model, improved automation of the BHO Inconvenience Map, enhanced support for OSOW and other potential outcomes of the IT Project request.  These additional enhancements are subject to project timeline and final scoping once the Phase II project is underway.

Deliverables:

• WisLCS GIS interface components.
• WisLCS Planning Module.
• WisLCS components for local road support.
• Additional enhancements, as determined.
• Documentation and source code.

Documents: