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Home My WebLink AboutSS3 - Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan Peer ReviewCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Study Session Item No. SS3 March 25, 2008 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Public Works Department Antony Brine 949 - 644 -3329 or tbrine @city.newport - beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan Peer Review Recommendation: Receive peer review and attached correspondence analyzing the Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan, prepared by Austin -Foust Associates, and based on this peer review, take appropriate action on Consent Calendar Item No. 10 (Traffic Signal Modernization). DISCUSSION: Over the past year, staff has been working together with Iteris, Inc. to review our traffic signal system and to develop a master plan for modernization of the City's entire signal system. The Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan (TSMP) is now complete and ready to be implemented. At the February 26, 2008 City Council Meeting, staff presented a summary of the Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan (TSMP) for Council's review with a recommendation that the report be received and filed with the City Clerk. The TSMP is a document that outlines a proposed strategy for completing a multi -phase Traffic Signal Modernization program which will replace signal controller equipment at all of the existing 112 signalized intersections in the City. After completion of the PowerPoint presentation, City Council had some questions and comments regarding the order of project phasing, ownership and operation of Caltrans traffic signals on Coast Highway, funding from OCTA, and project monitoring measures. Council also directed staff to hire a traffic engineering consultant to complete a peer review of the TSMP document and proposed program. In accordance with Council's directions, staff hired Austin -Foust Associates, Inc. (AFA) to complete the peer review. AFA's findings are detailed in the attached Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan Peer Review Report. Staff has reviewed the AFA report and takes no exception with the findings. As mentioned at the February 26th meeting, the TSMP is intended to be flexible and fluid. The TSMP currently outlines a proposed project that includes CCTV cameras at Traffic Signal Communication Master Plan Peer Review -Study Session March 25, 2008 Page 2 primary locations, and fiber optic line installation which was designed to provide maximum benefit in a cost effective manner. The project phasing, as outlined in the TSMP, is currently prioritized based on traffic volumes but can be adjusted as the needs of the circulation system change, funding opportunities arise, or as otherwise directed by Council. Additionally, should the City acquire West Coast Highway, it would become a high priority and would be phased ahead of other areas. With regards to the specific recommendations made by AFA, staff would recommend addressing the findings as follows: • Surveillance: The AFA report recommends increasing the number of planned CCTV locations. Should Council wish to increase the number of surveillance locations, staff would recommend including the proposed additional CCTV locations along Coast Highway and MacArthur Boulevard, as recommended by AFA, in the Phase 2 project. The Phase 1 design is complete, and construction plans and specifications are ready to bid. The Phase 1 project needs to be awarded by the end of this fiscal year to receive OCTA funding. Other CCTV locations, as outlined in the TSMP, will be evaluated to be included in later phases. • Fiber Optic Communication: The AFA report suggests that consideration be given to inclusion of additional fiber optic cabling. Staff will continue to evaluate the best use of fiber optic communications based on bandwidth needs and available budget. Installation of fiber optic communication is costly. Much of the initial design includes fiber for segments that specifically support the identified CCTV cameras. It is generally not necessary, or cost effective, to install fiber to locations that do not have CCTV. The overall project goal is to have an Ethernet -based communication system that combines fiber optic, wireless and twisted -pair copper lines that is both cost effective and efficient. • Measure of Effectiveness: The AFA report recommends that a comprehensive "before and after" study be conducted for Phase 1. Staff will develop a program to measure the effectiveness of the new traffic signal system with studies that will be comprised of measuring travel time along corridors and through identified "hot spots ". These studies will be completed during peak periods in the spring and summer. Mr. Joe Foust of AFA is available to present a summary of his review, or answer any questions during the study session. Prepared by: Antony Brine City Traffic Engineer Submitted by: Steph G. um c Wo s Director Attachment: Austin -Foust Associates, Inc., Peer Review report DRAFT TRAFFIC SIGNAL COMMUNICATION MASTER PLAN PEER REVIEW PROGRESS REPORT NO.1 Prepared by: Austin -Foust Associates, Inc. 2223 Wellington Avenue, Suite 300 Santa Ana, California 92701 -3161 (714) 667 -0496 March 18, 2008 TRAFFIC SIGNAL COMMIJNICATION MASTER PLAN PEER REVIEW PROGRESS REPORT NO.1 INTRODUCTION The City of Newport Beach is about to embark on a multi -phase plan to replace and upgrade their existing traffic signal system including communications between the Traffic Management Center (TMC) at City Hall and the local intersection controllers. The City's existing VMS 330 system is now obsolete and in need of replacement. In addition to replacement of the existing signal coordination capability, the new system will include signal surveillance in addition to the existing signal coordination system. A Communication Master Plan report dated December 20, 2007 has been prepared describing the proposed system along with identification and evaluation of alternatives and a final recommendation. AFA conducted a peer review of that report. ANALYSIS The Master Plan's final recommendation is to replace the existing VMS 330 signal system with a modern Econolite system utilizing their "icons" software. The Master Plan calls for replacing the City's entire system of 112 signals over an eight phase plan at a total cost of about six million dollars. The first three phases, which are being pursued initially, have an estimated cost of three million dollars. The final five phases will be implemented as funding becomes available although such funding is actively being sought through OCTA. Austin -Foust Associates, Inc. (AFA) has reviewed the entire Master Plan and our conclusion is that the program is both needed and cost effective. In fact, if anything, AFA is recommending that actual implementation be stepped up in terms of aggressively funding at least the improved communications and surveillance portion of the Master Plan. One aspect of the plan calls for replacement of obsolete equipment along with a modest (three to five percent) improvement of the existing signal coordination system. Another aspect is an actual upgrade of the system through installation of a new surveillance system (i.e., CCTV cameras). It is through this new surveillance system that the estimated three to five percent overall improvement is primarily possible. Consequently in order to receive the best return on investment implementation, the Traffic Signal Communications Master Plan Peer Review 1 Austin-Foust Associates, Inc. Progress Repost No. I 017082tpt.doc surveillance portion of the program needs to be expanded. For example, Phase 1 calls for two CCTV cameras (Coast Highway at MacArthur Boulevard and MacArthur Boulevard at San Miguel Drive). However there are eight other locations recommended and three of these are identified as high priority (Coast Highway at Jamboree Road, Coast Highway at Marguerite Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard at Bison Road). In addition there are five other locations recommended in the Newport Center— Corona Del Mar area which are identified as a "secondary priority." AFA's recommendation is to consider including at least the three "primary" CCTV's in Phase 1 and if at all financially feasible as many of the five "secondary CCTVs" as possible. It is this new surveillance capability that produces most of the overall improvement in traffic flow. Increasing the surveillance (i.e., numbers of CCTV locations) also increases the communications requirement. Replacement of existing wire pairs with fiber optics cable is a substantial part of the plan. However, it appears that the initial phases of the plan depend upon re -use of some of the existing communication system and upgrade of other parts (like upgrading TI leased line to higher speed T3 lines). Even so, the installation of additional CCTV's camera along with our recommended design practice to utilize more video detection will necessitate a heavier reliance on fiber optics cable than initially planned. Hence, AFA is suggesting that consideration be given to inclusion of additional fiber optics cab eling in the first three phases of the project in lieu of reuse of existing SIC cables. Furthermore the Master Plan envisions a three to five percent overall improvement in the traffic flow. It is recommended that a comprehensive "Before and After" study be conducted for Phase 1 to determine what, if any, additional traffic control plans need to be developed and installed. This recommendation is based upon the fact that the Econolite "icons" system is "traffic responsive" but not traffic adaptive system. This means the efficiency of the system relies on having a number of pre- established timing patterns in its memory banks with the one best matching the existing traffic conditions being implemented. A traffic i adaptive i system, which requires more expertise to setup initially and which the City does not anticipate needing in the foreseeable future, reacts instantaneously to changing traffic conditions and does not rely on a pre -set number traffic patterns to optimize traffic. As a result the Econolite "icons" traffic responsive system's effectiveness is directly related to the quality and quantity of pre - established traffic signal timing plans available. The results of the Before and After evaluation will indicate if those plans are optimal. Traffic Signal Communications Master Plan Peer Review 2 Austin -Foust Associates, Inc. Progress Repost No. I 017082tpLdoc CONCLUSION In summary AFA's peer review concludes: 1. Replacement of the obsolete VMS 330 system is needed. 2. The actual success of the replacement traffic responsive system is heavily dependent upon the surveillance aspect of the project and more CCTV cameras are needed to take advantage of this new capability. 3. The backbone communications system should be based, to the maximum extent financially feasible, on use of fiber optics. Replacement of existing copper twisted wire pairs and upgraded T -1 leased lines should be carefully evaluated in terms of use of fiber optics instead. 4. The overall effectiveness of the new signal coordination and surveillance system should be evaluated with a Before and After evaluation to determine the need for any development of any additional timing plans. Traffic Signal Communications Master Plan Peer Review 3 Austin -Foust Associates, Inc. Pmgess Report No. I 017082rpt.doc LEGEND • UPGRADED INTERSECTION FIBER OPTIC TWISTED PAIR CCTV CAMERA COMMUNICATION HUB TRAFFIC SIGNAL MODERNIZATION PHASE 1 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH � w UNIVERSITY DR � LEGEND UPGRADED INTERSECTION FIBER OPTIC TWISTED PAIR CCTV CAMERA BISON AVE A COMMUNICATION RUB PHASE 1 FIBER INTERSECTION $O A OL STATIO G TRAFFIC SIGNAL MODERNIZATION 1 PHASE 2 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH LEGEND • UPGRADED INTERSECTION s FIBER OPTIC TWISTED PAIR CCTV CAMERA COMMUNICATION HUB PHASE 2 FIBER PHASE 2 O INTERSECTION LEGEND • UPGRADED INTERSECTION � FIBER OPTIC TWISTED PAIR CCTV CAMERA A COMMUNICATION HUB