The winds of change are always blowing in the world of Intelligent Travel Systems because someone is always coming up with new ways to handle the highways. 20 years ago some of the traffic control devices and systems we use weren’t even imagined yet, let alone invented. The ITS Division of CDOT is undergoing some of that constant change in many ways. First off we want to welcome Ken De Pinto, an 18 year veteran of CDOT, who is taking over the reins officially on July 1st.

He’s already making his wishes known though. One thing is a request from him for all of us here at CDOT/ITS to project what we see as possible directions or new ways to help Colorado highways be more efficient. Its hard to figure where to start, but the highway folks in Minnesota seem to come up with some good ideas. This is from the Brainer Dispatch:

A 2-mile stretch of state Highway 55 near here will be marked with "distance dots," making Minnesota one of the first states to use the program designed to discourage drivers from tailgating. The painted dots, appearing first in Pennsylvania and most recently in Maryland, are coupled with signs telling how many dots should be between vehicles so that drivers have enough time to stop without hitting the vehicle in front of them. According to at least one formula, a driver should be 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of them to afford them room to make a safe stop. Watch the dots, count the seconds. Police in South Center, Pa., noted a significant reduction in crashes and speeding on Highway 11 after dots were added there in 2000.

A recent study in Minnesota underlined the usefulness of ramp metering. After removing the meters from some portions of Minneapolis highways for a test, the cry for their return was loud and long. Another study from the Land of 10,000 Lakes showed that “polite” drivers actually made some traffic jams worse because of early merging. Many drivers were moving out of the lane that was closed ahead too early, thus making the back-ups actually longer and wasting open highway lanes that could accommodate more vehicles in a smaller space. Signs that instructed drivers to “MAINTAIN YOUR LANE UNTIL THE MERGE POINT,” made getting through cone zones more efficient. If I had my way, you’d be seeing those signs in Colorado construction zones soon.

In this month’s issue we start off with a mystery by our very own Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wanna-be, Dave Judy. When it became clear that someone or something had severed our optic fiber in the Rocky Mountains, the question, as Dave asked was, “Who would do this dastardly deed?” Read how it took quite an effort to find it and then fix it. Neither rain nor the threat of rockslides could stop the mission.

On the subject of change, last month the State of Colorado embarked on the HOT lanes system. We have two stories on the subject. The opening of the carpool lanes themselves to single drivers who want to pay and some of the rules and regulations are spelled out. And from an ITS angle, most of us PIOs and operators toured the HOT lanes area and got a good look at how it will work and what we can do to help make it run smoothly. With our closed circuit cameras we will keep an eye on the gates and signs. We will also be helping to deal with stalls and other incidents in the HOT lanes themselves.

In southwestern Colorado we had a major rockslide that was scary enough on its own, but the huge slab of stone it left hanging precariously over a major reservoir made it a really tricky situation at times. Art Director Michael Tamburello and I made the all day trip west of McClure Pass and we were highly impressed with both CDOT and contractor crews who handled the situation in a safe and fast manner. There were no injuries and no damage to the reservoir, even though safety concerns forced the closure of the road at times with some lengthy delays for local travelers.

When we first started talking about doing a story on As-Built I had to ask, “What?” several times. I’d never heard of As-Built, and maybe you never have either. It’s a vast informational data-base of all the ITS devices across Colorado and like ITS itself, As-Built is a constant work in progress because new devices are always coming on line. Learn about the people who are making construction and maintenance and even use of these devices an easier job through readily available information.

So another season is passed, summer has arrived and its time for some fun. Some of you may know that I gave away three five dollar bills after one issue. Its not really a contest, just a giveaway by me to see how the response goes. A sort of ratings ploy. The first three readers to call, e-mail or otherwise contact me will receive a free five dollar bill. I am the sole judge as to winners because some people are not eligible and most of you know who you are. AAA is reporting that summer travel on the highways will be up this year so maybe I’ll see you on the highway or on one of our cameras!