The newly built Traffic Management Center (TMC) in the City of Santa Ana gathers information regarding freeway and arterial traffic congestion on a real-time basis. The Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) at the TMC makes this possible through three components: closed circuit television (CCTV), system detection, and incident detection. Three avenues currently available to the City to inform travelers of the congestion status are: changeable message sign (CMS), TrailBlazer Sign (TBS), and Highway Advisory Radio (HAR). However, these are only useful once the travelers have begun their journey. The Proposed Santa Ana Integrated Traveler Information Sharing (ITIS) System, to be completed by the end of 1996, will expand the City's ability to inform the public of traffic congestion or incidents while in their cars or at their homes or offices. By keeping travelers informed of roadway and traffic conditions, they can plan alternate routes or mode of travel before beginning their travel or decide not to travel at all. This paper describes how the five ITIS components -- Public Information Data Base (PIDB), information kiosks, Highway Advisory Telephone (HAT), Voice Response System (VRS) for digitized HAT/HAR, and Community Access Television (CATV) -- can accomplish the goals above and how they interface with California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 12 and ATMS. (A)
Abstract