Transportation Engineering and Safety Conference 2024

This 101-level workshop will focus on the fundamentals of various temporary traffic control methods, with emphasis on highway safety and mobility.  It will help attendees, especially those newer to the industry, gain a broad understanding of the key principles, stakeholders, and decision-making processes of transportation engineers, technicians, specialists, and planners.  Each year, Traffic Academy modules of different topics are offered as a TESC workshop.  For 2024, three modules related to temporary traffic control will be presented: Work Zones, Traffic Management Centers, and Special Hauling.

Topic 1: Work Zones
Speaker: Brian Crossley

Topic 2: Traffic Operations
Speaker: Ryan McNary

Topic 3:  Special Hauling         
Speaker: Nick Ninosky

PennDOT is creating a network of EV chargers to support a zero-emission transportation system aligning with broader environmental goals and providing accessible charging solutions for all users. This session updates the attendees on the planning, design, construction and operation of some of the first EV chargers in the nation funded through the NEVI program.

Topic 1:  NEVI in PA – Planning for an EV Future
Speakers: Natasha Fackler & Kiera Crenny

Topic 2:  EV Chargers: Site Construction and Operational Challenges
Speaker: P Michael Sensenig

Topic 3: NEPA Aspects of NEVI
Speakers: Ryan Whittington & Drew Ames

PennDOT District 6-0 is utilizing GIS to capture and analyze disparate data sets. The City of Philadelphia is piloting a Fleet Electrification project to fund and deploy Smart DC Fast EV Chargers to support the City’s effort to electrify its fleet; they are also piloting the “SmartBlockPHL” project to collect an array of information using smart streetlights. SEPTA is finalizing their Zero Emission Bus Pilot project and is using the data extracted to understand and foster change. In this session, these agencies will discuss how they are using data to drive progress and offer solutions to everyday challenges they face in Southeast Pennsylvania.

Topic 1: Using GIS in PennDOT District 6-0
Speakers: Matthew Anderson & Sharang Malaviya

Topic 2: City of Philadelphia’s Data Drive Solution Projects
Speaker: Akshay Malik

Topic 3: Finalizing Zero Emission Bus Pilot to Support Data Driven Solutions
Speaker: Donzell Dunston

Transportation System Resilience is the practice of preparing and adapting to changing conditions due to failures caused by environmental or system factors.  When system interruptions occur, the transportation system is impacted, increasing delays on our roads or devastating roads and neighborhoods when dams and bridges fail.  In addition to the disruption in mobility, these failures can cause death, environmental hazards including increased emissions on the roadway and toxic fumes from fires or structure failures.   Incorporating regular inspection, maintenance and implementing sound asset management and risk prevention techniques, can go a long way to decrease cost of events or devastation from manmade or extreme weather disasters. 
In this session you will hear from DelDOT’s Director of Resilience and Sustainability, an associate professor from Penn State’s Department of Civil Engineering and a Transportation Resilience subject matter expert. This session will delve into nationwide case studies, pavement management techniques and statewide management and implementation of DelDOT’s Transportation Resilience and Sustainability program which includes infrastructure resilience, oversight of the Carbon Reduction program and the implementation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Topic 1:  Case Studies on Infrastructure Resilience
Speaker: Aimee Flannery

Topic 2:  Large-scale pavement management considering reliability and traffic dynamics
 Speaker: Ilgin Guler

Topic 3: How Resilience is implemented at the State Level   
Speaker: Stephanie Johnson        

Topic 4: PennDOT's Resiliency and Sustainability Program 
Speaker: Nicholas Vivian

This session will feature presentations that highlight innovative tools and data-driven strategies in traffic management. We will explore vehicle speed data in Allegheny County, unveil “LINKS”, a new tool for bike and pedestrian planning in the Philadelphia region, and discuss PennDOT’s Congestion Calendar along with other tools. These resources will be explained through case-studies and expert opinions and showcase how they can enhance transportation planning, decision-making, and improve safety for all users.

Topic 1:  Vehicle Speed Data as a Tool for Road Owners
Speakers: Jason Molinero  & Micah Dickman   

Topic 2: Leveraging Links: A new tool for bike and pedestrian planning in the Philadelphia region
Speaker: Mark Morley

Topic 3: Congestion Calendar and Other PennDOT Tools for Data-Driver Decisions 
Speaker: Scott Benedict

This session will discuss Traffic Management Center (TMC) and law enforcement dispatch center assessments for State, County, and City agencies across North America that AECOM has performed. The purpose of these assessments is to identify areas of opportunity and existing strengths that can be leveraged to enhance current operational quality and consistency, in addition to adding expanded service areas. In the presentation, we will highlight common findings and recommendations from the numerous anonymously-referenced programs we have evaluated. Our goal is to share valuable lessons learned that can apply to any operations-focused program, not just TMCs. The SR 28, Section A64 Wrong Way Detection System HSIP project will begin construction in 2024 in Allegheny County. Within this freeway corridor from East Ohio Street, City of Pittsburgh to the interchange with SR 910, Harmar Township, twenty (20) ramps will be upgraded to include an ITS wrong way detection and warning system. The project scope of work is the installation of sensors to detect wrong way drivers, cameras, and LED border lit signs, also alert notifications to the Traffic Management Center of a wrong way driver. Physical work will include the installation of controller boxes, fiber optic cable, wireless radios, electrical tie ins, cameras, and signs.

Topic 1: SR 28, Section A64 Wrong Way Detection System
Speaker: Stephanie Zolnak

Topic 2:  Traffic Management Center Operating Trends
Speakers: Matt Lee & Arnaud Huguet

Advances in the availability and quality of probe and connected vehicle data and communications have led transportation agencies to investigate ways to replace and/or augment traditional ITS field devices.  This session will explore advancing technologies and partnerships that are making data collection, analysis and traveler information more robust.

Topic 1: PennDOT Virtual ITS Initiatives (working title)  
Speaker: Ryan McNary

Topic 2: Ohio DOT’s Event Streaming Platform – Crash Detection and Prediction Use Cases 
Speakers: Andrew Wolpert & Darlene Mangold

Topic 3: OEM Perspective on integrating ITS data into vehicle displays 
Speaker: Brad Stertz

PennDOT's Highway Safety and Traffic Operations (HSTO) Division is comprised of twelve distinct units within four sections.  The "HSTO RoadMap" is designed to highlight recent accomplishments of the Division, paint a picture of what drives our business, and look ahead to the coming years. This session will highlight the newly released version of the HSTO RoadMap.

Topic 1: TSMO Operations and Performance
Speaker: Ryan McNary

Topic 2: TSMO Arterials and Planning
Speaker: Steve Gault, PE, PTOE

Topic 3: Traffic Engineering and Permits
Speaker: Robert Pento, PE

Topic 4: Highway Safety
Speaker: Thomas Glass

Moving people and goods through Pennsylvania takes a wide range of professionals working in a many different facets of transportation.  This session will explore stories from three of them to help us experience a day in the life...

Topic 1: Stop the Presses
Speaker: Alexis Campbell

Topic 2: Everybody Stay Calm
Speaker: Christopher Fisher

Topic 3:  During Blue Skies and Disasters - Grocery Supply Chain Logistics 101
Speaker: Katie Murphy