RFP Attachment 10.pdf

Transportation Operations Laboratory Concept of Operations

Project Number: DTFH61‐06‐D‐00005

Submitted: February 6, 2012

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Document Change History

This document is the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center Transportation Operations Laboratory. The table below lists the change history for this ConOps.

Version Description Date

0 Initial concept of operations, based on the proposal as submitted to USDOT and initial interviews conducted with TFHRC staff. This version of the ConOps focuses on the physical infrastructure and the overall research vision. Future versions will address in detail the research plans and the technology infrastructure needed to support that research.

April 29, 2011

1 Revised concept of operations May 24, 2011

2 Second revised concept of operations September 16, 3 Final draft concept of operations February 6, TOL Concept of Operations Page iii

Table of Contents

1. Scope 1

1.1 Identification 1

1.2 Document Overview 1

1.3 System Overview 1

2. References 8

3. Current System or Situation 10

3.1 Background, Objectives, and Scope 10

3.2 TFHRC Operational Policies and Constraints 10

3.3 Description of the Current System 11

3.4 Modes of Operation for the Current System 13

3.5 User Classes and Other Involved Personnel 14

4. Justification for and Nature of Changes 17

4.1 Justification for Changes 17

4.2 Description of the Desired Changes 18

4.3 Priorities among Changes 20

4.4 Changes Considered but not Included 26

4.5 Assumptions and Constraints 26

5. Concepts for the Proposed System 28

5.1 Background, Objectives, and Scope 28

5.2 Operational Policies and Constraints 28

5.3 Description of the Proposed System 29

5.4 Modes of Operation 30

5.5 User Classes 30

5.6 Support Environment 33

6. Operational Scenarios 38

6.1 Conducting Research 38

6.2 Mining Outside Data Sources for Simulation 39

6.3 Conducting Test at CVHT and Sending Data to Lab Workstation 41

6.4 Conducting a Demonstration 42

6.5 Conducting a Tour of TOL Facility and Capabilities 43

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7. Summary of Impacts 45

7.1 Operational Impacts 45

7.2 Organizational Impacts 45

7.3 Impacts During Development 46

8. Analysis of the Proposed System 47

8.1 Summary of Improvements 47

8.2 Disadvantages and Limitations 47

8.3 Alternatives and Trade‐Offs Considered 47

9. Notes 49

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1. Scope

1.1 Identification

This Concept of Operations (ConOps) describes the Turner‐Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) Traffic Operations Laboratory (TOL) that is being designed, operated, and maintained, under contract to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

1.2 Document Overview

The purpose of this document is to communicate the users’ needs for the TOL, describe how the TOL will operate to fulfill those needs, and develop a consensus among stakeholders for the needs of the TOL. These user needs were developed through a series of interviews, surveys, and meetings with key stakeholders in Spring 2011. This ConOps will provide the foundation throughout the entire systems engineering process to ensure that the contractor is meeting the needs of users through the construction and build‐out of the TOL and corresponding research program.

The primary audience of this document is potential users of the TOL as well as contractor staff who will reference this document during the systems development process.

This document contains the following sub‐sections of material:

Section 1 – Scope

Section 2 – References

Section 3 – Current System or Situation

Section 4 – Justification for and Nature of Changes

Section 5 – Concepts for the Proposed System

Section 6 – Operational Scenarios

Section 7 – Summary of Impacts

Section 8 – Analysis of Proposed System

Section 9 – Notes

Please see Section 9 for a glossary of terms that are used throughout this document.

1.3 System Overview

USDOT has been pursuing a number of initiatives that have the potential to fundamentally change the way we manage transportation systems. As examples, a few of these initiatives include dynamic mobility applications (DMA) and cooperative vehicle‐highway systems that utilize vehicle‐to‐vehicle (V2V) and vehicle‐to‐infrastructure (V2I) communications systems.

Initiatives like these help to advance the state of the practice with regard to transportation operations research.

To further advance these initiatives and other related efforts, FHWA is building the TOL at TFHRC for the purpose of conducting foundational research. The TOL will help promote transportation operations research that can be taken through an entire data analysis process –

TOL Concept of Operations Page 2 from a research hypothesis, through data collection and simulation, and into a real‐world test on‐site. Developers of future transportation management systems will be able to take advantage of cutting‐edge research that is conducted through the TOL.

Achieving this vision requires research on three fronts:

Cooperative vehicle‐highway systems.

Transportation data management.

Transportation models and management strategies.

Much of this research cannot be easily performed in isolation. Research on transportation models requires access to high quality data sources. One source of high quality data will be cooperative vehicle highway systems. Research on the benefits of cooperative vehicle highway systems and automation requires advanced transportation management systems to support the systems.

The TOL will combine the capabilities of three testbeds, one for each of the research areas listed above. The Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed (CVHT) will focus on cooperative vehicle research. The Data Resources Testbed (DRT) will focus on research related to transportation data management. The Concepts and Analysis Testbed (CoAT) will focus on research related to transportation models and management strategies. But, the TOL will be more than just three independent testbeds. The TOL will be an integrated whole so that the research performed at each testbed can take advantage of the synergistic capabilities of the entire TOL, as depicted in Figure 1 (next page).

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Figure 1. The TOL Concept.

The following sections provide more overview of each of the testbeds planned for the TOL.

1.3.1 Data Resources Testbed (DRT)

The Data Resources Testbed will serve as the data manager; repository; and analysis, access, and visualization resource for the TOL, making available both real‐time and archived transportation operations data for modeling, simulation, and analysis. Some goals of the DRT will be to:

Create a single location for archiving TOL data and a common approach for documenting archived data. This will help facilitate re‐use of data because similar data sets can be stored in a common format and metadata (e.g., table structures, field types) will be available.

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Support presentation of archived data as real‐time feeds. This will help in conducting research on real‐time systems.

Preserve test data sets. Significant work is often required to prepare data sets to support transportation model runs. Archived copies of prepared model run data sets can be a valuable resource to researchers wanting to test the behavior of models after changes to the models have been implemented.

Provide/Include easy‐to‐use methods for finding and obtaining data. Tools must be available to search the DRT metadata to help researchers find data appropriate to support their research needs and to efficiently transmit that data to users.

Support real‐time data feeds.

The key equipment needed for the DRT includes a high‐speed, high capacity Internet connection that will connect the DRT to data sources, large amount of disk storage and appropriate database tools for storing DRT data.

This infrastructure could support research on data integration methods, as well as providing data resources needed to support research at the CVHT and the CoAT.

1.3.2 Concepts and Analysis Testbed (CoAT)

The Concepts and Analysis Testbed (CoAT) serves as an area for TFHRC researchers to test “real‐ world” aspects of transportation operations. The CoAT should allow researchers to use transportation and traffic models to explore the impacts of transportation management strategies, including strategies related to cooperative vehicle systems and the use of modeling and simulation tools to support real‐time transportation management decision making.

In particular, cooperative vehicle technologies have the potential to significantly change driver behavior. This could mean that traffic control systems, optimized for transportation without cooperative vehicles, may need to be adjusted to take full advantage of these new capabilities.

For example, current signal control algorithms can accommodate coordination among nearby signals. With cooperative vehicle technologies, the possibility exists for coordination with vehicles. If a signal controller transmits to vehicles the time at which its green phase will end, then vehicles that cannot pass through before that green phase may begin to slow down. This could create a gap in arriving traffic that a signal controller could interpret as a lack of demand, retarding the transition to green. Traffic simulation studies can be used to identify the interactions that could occur between cooperative vehicle systems and investigate how to modify traffic control systems to accommodate and take advantage of these interactions.

The CoAT will be well positioned to conduct this type of research. Traffic simulation models have represented a core focus area for TFHRC since the 1970’s, so TFHRC staff have the experience and skills needed to perform this type of research. The CoAT will couple these researchers with the right tools, providing capabilities such as:

Access to state‐of‐the‐art transportation modeling and simulation tools.

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Access to a wealth of data (from the DRT) to support these models, including calibrated network models and test data sets.

Ability to easily change between real‐time and archived data sources.

Access to the CVHT to provide real‐life validation and calibration of observations made from transportation models and simulations.

A summary of how these testbeds interact with one another is provided in the next section.

1.3.3 Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed (CVHT)

The Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed (CVHT) will support testing of cooperative vehicle technologies and concepts and help FHWA assess the potential of new transportation services based on these technologies. TFHRC has already begun using existing capabilities to support cooperative vehicle development, including:

An area of roadway and a functional intersection under the complete control of the researchers with no public access.

The Intelligent Intersection and a vehicle equipped with Onboard Equipment (OBE) were used to demonstrate cooperative vehicle and associated vehicle‐highway technologies to the Secretary of Transportation.

The geo‐referenced grids on the TFHRC service roads and the TFHRC vehicle were used to test the positional accuracy of the HIA devices being considered for the Safety Pilot.

The intelligent vehicle along with a digital short‐range communications (DSRC) network data sniffer were used to test whether HIA devices were transmitting well‐formed DSRC Basic Safety Messages.

The need to conduct similar validations to support cooperative vehicle projects, as well as the need to conduct more comprehensive connected vehicle research, is expected to grow. The CVHT will be designed to meet these needs.

Doing so will require a facility that includes equipment needed to conduct cooperative vehicle research, such as:

Locations equipped with Road Side Equipment (RSE) that provide infrastructure to vehicle DSRC communication, including an RSE integrated with a signal controller to transmit Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) data and backhaul communication from these RSEs to support servers.

Vehicles equipped with Onboard Equipment (OBE) that support DSRC communication with the RSE and provide the in‐vehicle infrastructure needed to support cooperative vehicle applications.

Here I Am (HIA) devices that transmit Basic Safety Messages via DSRC.

Vehicle sensors in the roadway (including recently installed Sensys sensors and gantry equipment for other sensors).

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Network links to USDOT‘s V2V and V2I Technology Testbed in Detroit.

Support equipment, such as high‐speed cameras, vehicle sensors, and devices that can monitor and record DSRC transmissions.

This basic infrastructure, combined with methods for archiving the data produced and managed by the infrastructure in the Data Resources Testbed, would make the CVHT a unique venue for

(a) exploring innovative cooperative vehicle service concepts and technologies and (b) hosting demonstrations of those concepts and technologies.

1.3.4 The TOL

The three testbeds that comprise the TOL will provide research capabilities that exceed those that could be provided by those testbeds in isolation – with the TOL, the whole of the research that can be supported will be greater than the sum of research supported by the individual testbeds. Some examples of the synergies that will result in this lab are:

Connections to data generated by cooperative vehicles (necessary for the CVHT) will facilitate research on integration of data generated by cooperative vehicles with traditional traffic monitoring data (a DRT research topic).

Information about driver responses to traffic control strategies implemented through cooperative vehicles (necessary to include such strategies in transportation models) can be investigated using the cooperative vehicle technologies of the CVHT.

Data gathered for the DRT (e.g., to investigate data integration strategies) can be used in traffic simulation models to support CoAT research.

Test data sets (developed for specific CoAT projects) can be archived in the DRT to facilitate future CoAT research.

Through the integration of these three testbeds, the TOL will:

Provide a capability to develop and test advanced concepts for improving transportation operations and system performance.

Allow the investigation of “what‐if” scenarios for proposed transportation operations improvements to support benefit/cost analyses.

Provide the space to host demonstrations and showcases of transportation operations research and solutions.

Encourage professional relationships and capacity building through the research opportunities provided at the TOL, a recruiting tool for students interested in transportation operations, and an opportunity for USDOT employees to conduct research in‐house.

1.3.5 Stakeholders/Contractors

The TOL has many stakeholders and contractors who have a vested interest in the success of the TOL. These groups are presented graphically in Error! Reference source not found..

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These groups will work together to open and successfully operate/maintain the TOL. A brief summary of each group’s role is listed below.

The contractor will provide oversight, expertise, and advice about all deliverables developed that are associated with the TOL.

FHWA will provide technical direction, expertise, and serve as partners in the successful development and operation of the TOL.

The contractor will develop the operational concept, lead the build‐out, and operate/maintain the TOL.

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2. References This section lists the documents referenced in the ConOps and other documents identified as important for the TOL design.

Table 1 provides references to the blueprints of the Saxton Lab space that were used in preliminary review of the existing system at TFHRC.

Table 1: Blueprint References

Reference Number

Document Title Document Name Date Published

1 First Floor Power and Signal Plan OceTDS1443.pdf May 16, 1980

2 First Floor Lighting Plan OceTDS1444.pdf May 16, 1980

3 First Floor Plan OceTDS1445.pdf May 16, 1980

4 First Floor Admin and Small Labs Plan OceTDS1446.pdf May 16, 1980

References to all existing strategic plans, budget estimates, and comments received with regard to each of the three existing testbeds within HRDO are listed here in Table 2.

Table 2: Existing Testbed Strategic Plans, Budget Estimates, and Comments References

Reference Number

Document Title Document Name Date Published

5 Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed Plan Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed Plan_070110.doc

July 1, 2010

6 Operations Simulation Testbed Plan1 Operations Simulation Testbed Plan_033110.doc

March 31, 2010

7 Operations Simulation Testbed Budget Estimate1

Operations Simulation Testbed_033110.xls

July 1, 2010

8 Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed Budget Estimate

Cooperative Vehicle‐Highway Testbed_070110.xlsx

March 31, 2010

9 Comments from Brian Gardner on Operations Simulation Testbed Plan1

Gardner Comments on Operations Simulation Testbed Plan_032610.htm

March 26, 2010

10 Traffic Research Laboratory – Strategic Plan

TReLStrategicPlan_021605.pdf February 16, 11 TFHRC Lab Assessment Review Panel Action Item Matrix – TreL

TReL Review Panel Action Item Matrix_120205.pdf

December 1, 12 Traffic Research Laboratory Review Panel Report

TReL Laboratory Assessment Report_0504.pdf

June 2004

13 TFHRC Office of Operations Research and Development Team Webpage http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/ tfhrc/offices/operations/

February 17, 14 HRDO TOL Webpage http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/ tfhrc/labs/operations/

February 17, 15 Request for Information Information to Assist in the Establishment of the Transportation Operations

TOL_RFI_ResponseSummary.docx June 3, 2011

1 Referred to in this report as the Concepts and Analysis Testbed

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Laboratory (TOL) and Identification of Potential Research Partners

Lastly, any documents that have been developed by the contractor that are applicable to this Concept of Operations are listed in Table 3.

Table 3: ConOps Development Reference Materials

Reference Number

Document Title Document Name Date Published

16 TOL ConOps Interview Guide TOL ConOps Questions.docx April 21, 2011

17 TOL ConOps Interview Results Summary Interview Summary ‐ Turner TOL ‐ 26apr11_KAB.docx

April 26, 2011

18 TOL Operations and Maintenance Manual In Progress ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

19 TOL Baseline Analysis In Progress ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

20 TOL Research Plan Interview Summary TOL Research Program Interview Summary 02jun11.docx

June 2, 2011

21 TOL ConOps Survey Summary Report Turner TOL Survey Summary Report 1jun2011.docx

June 2, 2011

22 TOL Demonstration Scenario Write‐Ups TOLDemoScenarios.docx June 2011

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3. Current System or Situation The TOL, as a specified, stand‐alone system, does not exist currently. However, there are many individual activities that the TFHRC Office of Operations Research and Development (R&D) staff lead that are closely related to the proposed TOL system.

3.1 Background, Objectives, and Scope

Currently, the Office of Operations R&D (HRDO) program at TFHRC has the following mission:

“The Office of Operations R&D continually improves operations‐related technology through research, development, and testing.”2

This office supports a few major groups within FHWA/USDOT, including the FHWA Office of Operations, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), Intelligent Transportation System Joint Program Office (ITS JPO), and other FHWA programs (e.g., FHWA Office of Safety). The funding for this office’s programs primarily stems from the ITS JPO, Exploratory Advanced Research Program (EARP), Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), and the Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Study Program.

HRDO staff members currently serve primarily as technical task and project managers for initiatives pursued by the office. Most staff are not involved in conducting research on a day‐to‐ day basis but provide technical direction and leadership for efforts they are responsible for.

Currently, Federal staff typically, and primarily, contract with consultants to perform work and provide services that are essential to HRDO and the larger USDOT. Thus, as a familiar approach to conducting business, this approach has been used at THFRC for transportation operations research.

3.2 TFHRC Operational Policies and Constraints

3.2.1 Policies

Within HRDO, there are several governing factors that affect how research is currently completed. Many of these factors are management decisions for how activities should be conducted within HRDO that were made many years prior to the decision to build the TOL.

One such management decision/direction is that research will be funded and conducted through a contract vehicle. A related procedure is that HRDO staff will serve as task managers for ensuring contracts are completed within the scope requirements set forth by FHWA.

A policy that overarches TFHRC is the FHWA IT policy. In the current system, this policy dictates that all computers that are not for research purposes should be on the common operating environment (COE) platform. This means that HRDO staff computers are managed, upgraded, and maintained by FHWA IT staff and that the software that is allowed for loading onto those machines is dictated by FHWA IT policy. TFHRC facility management staff can request that computers that are strictly used for research purposes be off the COE platform, and if the

2 See reference number 13.

TOL Concept of Operations Page 11 request is approved, computers can be purchased that are configured for specific research purposes.

Another policy that affects the current system for conducting research within TFHRC in concert with HRDO is the FHWA badging process. All persons who wish to access the USDOT network and have access to TFHRC without being a visitor must be badged and have a space (cubicle) allotted for their use. Visitors accessing TFHRC must be escorted at all times throughout the facility and have a valid drivers’ license prior to admittance onto the property.

Lastly, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and/or TFHRC Facility Management dictates when staff are not required to come into the office due to inclement weather and/or TFHRC facility issues.

3.2.2 Potential Constraints

A potential constraint in the current system is the FHWA IT Policy. It limits what can be done with FWHA computers and the traffic that is allowed on the FHWA network. With COE, computer software downloads/installations are limited.

To gain access to the FHWA network and resources, staff must have a USDOT badge, which, due to the duration of the badging process, often limits the number of people with access to the FHWA network.

Another constraint that impacts HRDO activities is staff obligations and availability. Staff are currently quite busy managing contracts and ensuring work completed by contractors is of sufficient quality and in‐line with the scope of work (SOWs) issued that oftentimes they are not doing any research and development activities on their own in their daily jobs. There are times where staff do not have time to attend trainings and professional development activities due to current workloads and therefore are often not trained on recent advances in software that can be used to support HRDO research activities.

A logistical constraint is the hours of operation for TFHRC. The building’s official hours of operation are 6 AM to 6 PM EST, though staff with a badge can access the facility at all times.

Visitors must be escorted by a badged staff member at all times while they are inside the facility and must register at the security desk upon arriving at TFHRC. Prior to a visitor’s arrival, the TFHRC contact must add their name to the visitors’ list so that they can enter at the security gate and be directed to the visitor parking area.

3.3 Description of the Current System

The HRDO team is currently housed in office‐space in the Turner Building at TFHRC, and also has space in the Operations R&D Trailer (formerly known as the TReL) on‐site that has been used previously to house interns who conducted transportation operations research, but is currently used mostly as storage for equipment.

At TFHRC in HRDO, research is currently conducted under the umbrella of three teams:

Transportation Operations Concepts and Analysis Team, Transportation Operations Applications Team, and

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Transportation Enabling Technologies Team.

These three teams are responsible for managing research related to their specific areas of expertise, but often overlap and coordinate, as some projects can be impacted by ongoing activities among all three teams. The teams have some existing capabilities that are on‐site at TFHRC (such as software, ITS technologies, the Intelligent Intersection, and other transportation research‐related equipment) that staff can use for demonstrations and testing hypotheses, but these capabilities are under‐utilized and many are out‐of‐date.

However, most commonly, the following process is used to complete research under the HRDO umbrella. Transportation operations research that is of interest to TFHRC staff is currently completed using a process similar to the one described here. The funding for each contract and project can vary, being funded through a number of USDOT initiatives. However, as a first step to any project, the TFHRC staff‐person typically develops a hypothesis or question for which they would like to use research to determine a result via experimentation.

Once this initial hypothesis is developed, a scope of work (SOW) is typically developed so that the contract can be put out to bid. Because of time constraints, sometimes TFHRC procures a contractor who helps put together the SOW for these research efforts with oversight and guidance from the TFHRC staff member who proposed the work.

Then, the SOW goes through FHWA Contracts and Procurement for review, identification of funding, and approval before being sent to contracting firms as a request‐for‐proposal (RFP).

Contracts are procured in a few different ways: either through an indefinite‐delivery, indefinite‐ quantity (IDIQ); a sole‐source; or a stand‐alone contract.. There are several different contracts within these three umbrellas of contract types that HRDO can use to procure services. With an IDIQ contract, the RFP is sent to a pre‐selected number of contractors (generally 5‐10 firms) who have the opportunity to bid on each task order released under the RFP.

After firms submit proposals in response to the SOW/RFP developed by FHWA, the technical leadership from FHWA in HRDO review proposals and provide their evaluation recommendations to the contracting officer who then selects the contractor.

The selected contractor then begins to prepare to perform the work awarded under the task order. Usually, an initial kick‐off meeting is held to review the project’s scope, schedule, and cost, and adjust based on the feedback given during this meeting. The contractor then begins performing the work according to the agreed upon work plan and schedule. This work is performed primarily off‐site at the contractor’s offices unless a specific capability available at TFHRC is needed or a specific technology or piece of equipment is being installed at TFHRC under the contracted effort.

Typically at various points throughout the project the contractor provides status updates, demonstrations, and interim deliverables to the HRDO task manager related to the research being performed. At the end of the project, the final deliverables, either in the form of a presentation, report, publication, software package, or other product/service, are provided to FHWA, as they sponsored the project. After the period of performance (POP) ends for the work, the contractor is oftentimes relinquished of responsibility for knowledge transfer to the

TOL Concept of Operations Page 13 government customer. Because of this, institutional knowledge associated with projects completed for FHWA is frequently lost, as it is outside the organization.

In addition to providing technical oversight and direction on efforts currently led by HRDO, staff also serve as technical experts for other efforts explored by FHWA and the larger USDOT. A fair amount of the technical expert work involves presenting at conferences, writing papers/articles, reviewing other products and deliverables developed, and addressing technical questions either via email or phone. A fair amount of current staffs’ time is spent addressing emails and phone calls related to HRDO activities.

3.4 Modes of Operation for the Current System

3.4.1 Regular Operations

Currently, HRDO operates as an organization that facilitates the conducting of research that is funded through various contract vehicles. HRDO staff are typically in the office during standard office hours, and most staff participate in RDO, meaning that they work 9, 8‐hour days, and have one day off every two weeks. Also, staff are encouraged to telecommute one day a week and be available to address issues as they arise. Sometimes staff are off‐site from TFHRC participating in activities elsewhere across the country as a part of their job requirements, but often are available via email or phone if problems arise.

3.4.2 Power Outages

If any issues arise regarding power, network connectivity, or computer support, these issues are handled through TFHRC facility management and/or the TFHRC help desk. These staff help ensure that the building is operational during business hours and resolve concerns/problems. If the power is disconnected from the facility for an extended period of time, staff are typically directed to go home for the day or telecommute. A power outage effectively stops ongoing research activities due to the lack of functioning equipment, network connectivity, etc.

3.4.3 Inclement Weather

If inclement weather arises, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) dictates whether staff are required to come into the office or not. Announcements are typically made prior to the day of business in question so that staff can plan accordingly and these messages are typically communicated via email, posted on OPM’s website, and available via a phone message that staff are directed to call for updates. Inclement weather may have an impact on research if the program requires activities at the Intelligent Intersection or requires driving the Connected Vehicle.

3.4.4 Demonstrations

Outside of normal daily working activities, staff are often asked to provide demonstrations and tours to visiting professionals, elected officials, other Federal employees, and school children.

The specific aspects of each tour/demonstration are dictated by the type of individual expected at TFHRC, but typically there is a tour of the facility, a discussion on current activities conducted through HRDO, and sometimes a live demonstration of a vehicle driving around TFHRC. To a

TOL Concept of Operations Page 14 large extent demonstrations will cause most ongoing research to pause in order for TFHRC staff to set up, conduct, and assist with the demonstration.

3.5 User Classes and Other Involved Personnel

Under the current system, the primary users of the Office of Operations Research and Development (HRDO) include the following user classes, as shown in Table 4. A description of the user class is also shown in this table.

Table 4. HRDO User Groups in Current Situation.

User Class Primary Function

TFHRC On‐Site Staff

Serve as a technical point‐of‐contact (task manager) and provide technical guidance/direction to work completed on behalf of TFHRC/FHWA. Present at conferences and develop articles highlighting efforts that HRDO leads that are of interest to the greater transportation community.

Contractors Performing R&D Efforts

Bid on SOWs issued by FHWA, conduct work related to Operations R&D under contract to HRDO, and present findings of research and work completed.

Independent Verification and Validation Contractors

Help develop SOWs for forthcoming efforts, participate in project team meetings between TFHRC On‐Site Staff, provide technical assistance in reviewing deliverables submitted by Contractors, and validate that deliverables are in‐line with SOW requirements.

ITS Joint Program Office Staff

Provide funding and technical expertise for efforts led by HRDO that are related to ITS JPO research areas (e.g., connected vehicles, ATDM, Smart Roadside, etc.)

FHWA Office of Operations Headquarters Staff

Provide funding and technical expertise and oversight for efforts related to HOP activities that may have a connection to TFHRC and more specifically, HRDO. Serves as the higher‐level organization that HRDO reports to within FHWA.

General Visitors Visit TFHRC for a demonstration, tour, or meeting.

TFHRC Facility Management

Manage maintenance and facility operations activities at TFHRC.

TFHRC/FHWA

Information Technology Staff

Manage information technology equipment and systems at TFHRC, including network access and computer systems owned by FHWA at TFHRC.

3.5.1 Organizational Structure

The current organizational structure employed by the HRDO is presented below in Figure 2. This organizational structure is set‐up in such a way to promote the effective management of task orders related to transportation operations research.

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Figure 2. Current HRDO Organizational Structure.

3.5.2 Interactions among User Classes

User classes specified above interact in a variety of methods. Staff within HRDO interact on a daily basis, as they primarily work in the same office space. They see each other professionally in support of specific projects and socially while at work each day. If team members need the

TOL Concept of Operations Page 16 expertise of other staff within HRDO, they typically walk to the staff member’s office and discuss the question at‐hand. Staff tend to maintain an open‐door policy.

Outside of HRDO, the other user groups interact with TFHRC HRDO on an as‐needed basis to support specific projects and initiatives.

3.5.3 Other Involved Personnel

Outside of the user groups defined here, other involved personnel include elected officials and the larger FHWA and USDOT organization, who both can affect funding and organizational direction within HRDO. These three organizations shape the larger direction of the Federal government and transportation funding within the United States, which affects TFHRC and HRDO activities.

3.5.4 Support Environment

The TFHRC Facility Management and Information Technology (IT) staffs assist in setting new employees up with furniture and equipment needed to complete their job. These staffs are outside of Operations R&D but do have an impact on activities in the current system, as they enforce FHWA IT policies that come from the larger FHWA and USDOT. Facilities staff also support maintenance of TFHRC and ensuring the facility is operating at full capability during normal business hours.

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4. Justification for and Nature of Changes

4.1 Justification for Changes

The TOL, as a system, both from a management and physical infrastructure standpoint, is a necessary change strategically for HRDO for a variety of reasons.

Currently, any substantial research completed under the HRDO umbrella is conducted via a contractor. Under this system, institutional knowledge is lost when contracts end and the staff performing the work return to their host institutions/organizations and are under no obligation to assist the Federal government with the project any further.

Secondly, HRDO professionals are commonly relegated to managing contracts and perhaps participating in small research efforts, but do not have the time to be trained on the latest and greatest modeling, simulation, and planning packages/concepts currently being explored and used across the world.

Thirdly, there is limited direct engagement with the overarching research community of universities, students, and researchers who are interested in transportation operations research. Because of these primary reasons, there is a need and desire to build a Transportation Operations Laboratory on‐site at TFHRC to advance the state of the practice of transportation operations research.

Figure 3. Justification for the TOL at TFHRC.

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4.2 Description of the Desired Changes

In order to accomplish this change that is justified in Section 4.1, there are a number of needs that will be addressed through the build‐out of the TOL. These needs were gathered from a series of interviews and surveys with TFHRC and FHWA staff across several programs. The needs are broken down into four categories – the overarching TOL, and the respective testbeds (CVHT, CoAT, and DRT) in the following tables. The user needs are labeled U0XX which will tie into the System Requirements and Specifications documents that will be developed in support of this effort. The user needs are further broken down into capabilities, system processing, interface, personnel, environmental, operational, and support changes.

4.2.1 Capabilities Changes

Capabilities changes are those changes that enhance and expand what researchers will be able to accomplish within the Transportation Operations Laboratory.

Table 5. TOL Capability Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U001 TOL Users need to be able to conduct modeling and simulations in the TOL.

U002 TOL Users need to be able to conduct field‐controlled experiments in the TOL.

U003 TOL The system needs to be capable of being expanded so that future research needs can be accommodated. Additional equipment, applications, and data sources will be able to be integrated into the system.

U004 DRT Users need to be able to conduct analysis on data in order to find trends, anomalies, or other significant elements.

U005 CoAT Users need to be able to simulate and model traffic movements, vehicle and traffic control systems, and associated environments.

U006 CoAT Users need to be able to validate/adjust models and simulations based on input from real‐world tests.

U007 CVHT Users need to be able to assess technologies and innovative vehicle/traffic control applications in a controlled real‐world environment.

U008 CVHT At a minimum two vehicles are needed to do basic V2V and V2I research.

U009 CVHT Three additional vehicles are needed to test driver assistance services such as cooperative cruise control and speed harmonization.

4.2.2 System Processing Changes

System processing changes are those changes that impact how the system gathers critical information, such as data, processes that information, and stores it for user needs.

Table 6. TOL System Processing Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U010 TOL The TOL will need to have a data storage and manipulation capability.

U011 DRT Users need to be able to gather data from external sources such as State DOTs, municipalities, and research institutions.

U012 DRT Users need to be able to gather data from internal sources such as the Intelligent Intersection, TFHRC‐owned vehicles, TFHRC‐owned sensor systems, and other TFHRC‐owned assets.

U013 DRT The system needs to be able to store and retrieve data for use by researchers.

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U014 CoAT The system needs to be able to take data gathered from internal and external sources to enable users to be able to develop models and simulations in order to test theories or ideas about how to improve transportation operations and transform them into real‐world tests that validate the theory.

U015 CVHT To allow users to test theories the system needs to have the ability to control infrastructure equipment such as traffic lights, DSRC radios, in‐road sensors, and other devices.

4.2.3 Interface Changes

Interface changes are those changes which impact how researchers interface with the system.

Table 7. TOL Interface Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U016 TOL The TOL systems need to be accessible to researchers external to TFHRC.

U017 DRT Data within the system needs to be able to be secured so that only authorized individuals have access to it.

U018 CVHT Data generated during real‐world tests needs to be available for real‐time display and monitoring.

U019 CVHT Data generated during real‐world tests needs to be stored for analysis and future modeling/simulation.

4.2.4 Personnel Changes

Personnel changes are those changes that affect lab management and support, primarily related to who is responsible for helping operate and maintain the TOL facility.

Table 8. TOL Personnel Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U020 TOL Users need to have access to an individual or team in charge of managing the TOL resources to support the various research efforts.

U021 TOL Users need to be able to discuss future research activities with technical experts to plan and implement experiments.

4.2.5 Environment Changes

The TOL’s environment will be substantially upgraded as a result of the build‐out for the TOL.

The needs that dictate these changes are described below.

Table 9. TOL Environment Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U022 TOL Users need to accomplish research objectives in the TOL. The lab area should be capable of being configured to allow FHWA staff, contractors and research partners to access the tools they require to conduct research.

U023 TOL The TOL needs to accommodate outreach activities. The lab area should be capable of being configured to conduct a variety of tours and presentations.

U024 TOL The TOL needs to have a physical space where researchers can work together.

U025 TOL The TOL needs to have a workspace where vehicles can be modified.

U026 TOL The TOL primary workspace needs to be renovated to provide a more appropriate environment for office use.

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U027 TOL The existing Saxton Lab space needs to have a wall put into place to separate the old electronics lab from the new TOL, as the two entities will be sharing the initial footprint of the space.

4.2.6 Operational Changes

The TOL is a new laboratory at TFHRC and therefore has a unique set of operational needs.

Table 10. TOL Operational Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U028 TOL Users need to follow a process for requesting to do research using TOL resources, whether on‐site at TFHRC or off‐site working remotely.

U029 TOL The TOL needs to have the governance structure in place to ensure that knowledge gained through research conducted on‐site is maintained at TFHRC after researchers leave.

U030 TOL Users need a process for reserving equipment, computers, and other resources available through the TOL.

U031 TOL Users need a process to request maintenance, repairs, or changes to TOL equipment.

U032 TOL Users need to have resources such as training programs and materials that can increase their skills and capacity to conduct research.

4.2.7 Support Changes

The TOL will be supported by outside contractors who initially built the new laboratory to assist HRDO in organizing, conducting, providing technical assistance, and documenting research activities.

Table 11. TOL Support Changes, broken down by category.

User Need ID Category User Need

U033 TOL The TOL needs on‐site contractor support to facilitate research activities.

4.3 Priorities among Changes

The needs listed in Section 4.2 define the capabilities that the TOL needs to support as a system. The next step in scoping these needs into requirements is to prioritize the needs. Not all needs will be satisfied under the initial build‐out of the TOL. The needs listed below are prioritized under the following categorizations:

Essential Features. These features shall be provided by the TOL after the build‐out within six months of opening the lab. Impacts for what would happen if these features were not implemented are provided in the tables below.

Recommended Features. These features should be included in the TOL after the build‐ out. Reasons for why these desirable features are necessary are provided in the tables below.

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Optional Features. These features might be provided by the TOL after the build‐out, but may not end up being included in the system for one or more reasons, which will be described beside the user need.

All user needs and capabilities presented on the preceding pages as essential will be implemented during the build‐out of the TOL. Some of these features will not be available in Phase 1 (September 30, 2011) due to scheduling/budget constraints, but will be completed as a part of Phase 2 construction and mobilization activities. Please see beside each item for a determination of whether the need will be addressed in Phase 1 or Phase 2.

The two optional capabilities (User Needs 17 and 19) will be considered after Phase 1 activities are complete and will likely be implemented in Phase 2 depending on funding and FHWA’s requirements after the initial opening of the TOL in September 2011.

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Table 12. User Needs Categorized by Priority with Comments/Impacts/Reasons for Implementing

User Need

ID

Category User Need Priority Phase Comments/Impacts/Reason for Implementing

U001 TOL Users need to be able to conduct modeling and simulations in the TOL.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: If there is no modeling or simulation software, the CoAT staff will be unable to perform their daily job functions and essential research activities in this area.

U002 TOL Users need to be able to conduct field‐controlled experiments in the TOL.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: If there is no ability to conduct real‐world experiments on‐site at TFHRC, there would be no method in place to calibrate, test, and validate operations concepts.

U003 TOL The system needs to be capable of being expanded so that future research needs can be accommodated. Additional equipment, applications, and data sources will be able to be integrated into the system.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: If the system is not built in such a way that future research needs can be accommodated easily, there is a chance that the TOL will become outdated quickly and be unable to respond quickly to requests to test new technologies, simulation packages, and other systems that could impact the future of transportation operations research.

U004 DRT Users need to be able to conduct analysis on data in order to find trends, anomalies, or other significant elements.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: Data analysis is a key capability that the TOL must include. If data analysis functionality is not added to the lab, the DRT’s function will be significantly diminished.

U005 CoAT Users need to be able to simulate and model traffic movements; vehicle and traffic control systems; and associated environments.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: Simulation of traffic movements is an essential function of the CoAT. It will not be able to be accomplished without this capability.

U006 CoAT Users need to be able to validate‐/adjust models and simulations based on input from real‐world tests.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: The TOL has a goal of providing transportation professionals with the ability to take data, model and simulation scenarios, test those scenarios in a controlled real‐world environment, and then adjust the models based on the results of these tests. If this capability is not available, the TOL will be unable to achieve its full potential.

U007 CVHT Users need to be able to assess technologies and innovative vehicle/traffic control applications in a controlled real‐world environment.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: Similar to need 18, if the simulation models cannot be calibrated and tested in a real‐world environment, the TOL will be unable to achieving its full mission.

U008 TOL At a minimum two vehicles are needed to do basic V2V and V2I research.

Recomm ended

1 Reason for Recommending: There are significant headways being made in the V2V realm that could prove to be beneficial for the TOL to consider researching as a way to

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ID

Category User Need Priority Phase Comments/Impacts/Reason for Implementing improve transportation operations. There is not funding available in this contract to provide such a vehicle, but as FHWA is currently considering procuring a vehicle, this would be a valuable investment.

U009 CVHT Three additional vehicles are needed to test driver assistance services such as cooperative cruise control and speed harmonization.

Essential 2 Impact if not Implemented: Critical V2V and V2I research cannot be conducted without a larger number of vehicles to mimic real‐world conditions. The only question is funding, which will be discussed during the Phase 2 PS&E.

U010 TOL The TOL will need to have a data storage and manipulation capability.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: If data storage and manipulation capabilities are not provided, essential data mining and modeling/simulations cannot be conducted.

U011 DRT Users need to be able to gather data from external sources such as State DOTs, municipalities, and research institutions.

Essential 2 Impact if not Implemented: Data from external sources is key to modeling and simulation efforts that are expected to be completed in the TOL. If this data cannot be accessed, a critical purpose/motivation for the TOL cannot be accomplished.

U012 DRT Users need to be able to gather data from internal sources such as the Intelligent Intersection, TFHRC‐owned vehicles, TFHRC‐owned sensor systems, and other TFHRC‐owned assets.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: Data from internal sources helps provide TFHRC with the capability to analyze data from controlled, real‐world tests on‐site. If this data is not reachable through the network connections, a major research need cannot be addressed.

U013 DRT The system needs to be able to store and retrieve data for use by researchers.

Essential 1 Impact if not Implemented: If the TOL does not have stored data for analysis, the modeling and simulation activities will be severely limited.

U014 CoAT The system needs to be able to take…