Opening the New Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge: Planning & Implementing a Major Traffic Switch

Transcription

1 Opening the New Memorial : Planning & Implementing a Major Traffic Switch Scott C. Crumley, P.E., P.T.O.E. Manager March 26, Agenda Background The Major Milestone: Opening the New to Traffic Challenges & Risks Planning & Implementing Highlights 2 1

2 Location 3 Limits VA 241 US 1 River Crossing I-295 MD

3 5 Old Opened in lanes with narrow shoulders Design Year Traffic Volume: 75,000 (reached in 8 yrs) High accident location ~8 hours of congestion/day 45 yr old structure in need of replacement Current Traffic Volume: ~195,000 6 New 1 st Half opened in Summer nd Half opened in Fall 2008 Local / Express System 10 lanes w/ full shoulders plus future lane / rail ed 2020 Volume: 295,000 3

4 The 2006 Major Milestone: A Critical Part of the Construction Program I-95 North (Outer Loop) Switch: June 9 th weekend I-95 South (Inner Loop) Switch: July 14 th weekend 7 Key WWB Program Challenges High Profile Switch in Nation s Capital Region High Traffic Volumes: I-95 East Coast Corridor Multiple Contractors in Maryland and Virginia 8 4

5 Program Risks Switch was critical to the WWB Program Minimum time to implement switch: 6 weeks I-95 North switch, construct crossovers, I-95 South switch Cost and Delays to individual contractors Resolving claims for being 63 days past original switch timeframe However, float in program schedule 9 Safety - Major paving and MOT efforts 10 Implementation Risks Excessive Traffic Impacts (Sat/Sun afternoons) Inability to reopen I-95 to full capacity by 5AM Monday Equipment Failure Material Accessibility / Deliveries Unplanned Work and Schedule Impacts Inclement Weather Emergency Vehicle Accessibility Staff / Worker Excessive Heat Issues Hour by hour planning KEY: CONTINGENCY PLANNING 5

6 Perspective Prior to the Switch I-95 / I-495 Looking East from Virginia into Maryland towards the Potomac River (S. Washington St urban deck in foreground) 11 Planning & Implementation Highlights 12 6

7 Coordination with Multiple Public Agencies & Contractors Federal, State and Local agencies throughout Washington DC metropolitan area Other agencies involved along alternate routes (e.g. MdTA at Nice ) Five Major Prime Construction Contractors ($47 to $210 million) Corridor Coordination Meetings Hour by hour schedule w/ links Detailed Risk Assessment Traffic Switch Graphics Alternate routes graphic Sequential graphic essential for effective planning with agencies & contractors Various press release graphics lane & ramp closures detour routes RESULT: Early understanding of scope and clear; consistent message to public 7

8 Traffic Switch Graphic Sample 15 Traffic Switch Graphic Sample 16 8

9 17 Pre-Traffic Switch Planning Pre-Traffic Switch Traffic Analyses Updated traffic data for I-95 & ramps Comprehensive hourly data sheet from 8PM Friday to 5AM Monday for each switch weekend Analyzed traffic impacts w/ various diversion rates: Queue lengths, delay, merge / diverge points, signal timing adjustments QuickZone, HCS, Synchro, Critical Lane RESULT: Modified detour routes to avoid LOS F; Clear public outreach message of quantifiable impacts & diversion needed Pre-Traffic Switch Planning Pre-Traffic Switch Construction Activities Construct / install as much as possible beforehand Pre-staging materials and equipment Risk assessment led to backup equipment and materials (equipment failure, weather, etc.) RESULT: Led to achieving completion of the switches more than 20 hours before 5AM Monday 18 9

10 19 Public Outreach Briefings to Elected Officials Relationships built over time trust excellent conduit to prepare officials/constituents NO SURPRISES! Public Outreach Message: STAY AWAY! Traffic analyses provided backbone of message DVD animation (9,000 distributed) & website Over 15 million reached by 120 news stories RESULT: I-95 North Average/Peak Diversion: 57% / 90% I-95 South Average/Peak Diversion: 64% / 82% Public Outreach Regional Static Signs Installed during I-95 South switch in July SB & WB approaches to compliment CMS 20 10

11 ITS & Incident Mgmt Resources Agency ITS Resources Used extensively in MD, DC and VA Highway Advisory Radio (GA to CT) TRANSCOM (NY, NJ, CT) I-95 Corridor Coalition (ME to FL) 21 IM Resources State Police and Emergency Patrols increased CB Wizard CapWIN Command Center Call-in Center Real time traffic updates Construction progress updates Alternative route info Received 148 and 268 calls during each weekend Operated 20 hrs/day during I-95 South switch weekend in July RESULT: Provided an outlet for motorists to obtain real time information; very well received especially by out-of-state motorists 22 11

12 Traffic Switch Monitoring Public Outreach Traffic Engineering Construction Inspection 23 RESULT: Real-time progress updates to media; Quick resolution to potential issues 24 Post-Traffic Switch Evaluations Documented summary of the results of each weekend switch, including: Hourly queue lengths and delays Travel times through work zone Accidents Hourly volumes and speeds along I-95 in VA Diversion rates Lessons learned RESULT: Detailed account of switch weekends for media inquiries and use in future switches 12

13 25 Planning & Implementation Summary Coordination with Agencies and Contractors Traffic Switch Graphics Pre-Traffic Switch Planning (Traffic Analyses & Construction) Public Outreach ITS & IM Resources Command Center Traffic Switch Monitoring Post-Traffic Switch Evaluations RESULT: Successful Traffic Switch! Moving On. Demo of Steel Girders: August 28,

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