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A partnership of transportation agencies and related organizations, from Maine to Florida and in Canada, working together to accelerate improvements in transportation across multiple jurisdictions and throughout all modes.
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News Flashes
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| M-95 Marine Highway Corridor | Vehicle Probe | 3-D Incident Management Training | Multi-State Traffic Incident Info Exchange | VMT-Based Fee Initiative | 2040 Vision | New ICAT Websites | U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Designation of “M-95” – the Marine Highway Corridor Serving the Landside I-95 Corridor
M-95 Designation, Projects and Initiatives to Benefit I-95 Corridor Coalition States
The I-95 Corridor Coalition’s waterside system was selected as a Marine Highway Corridor under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT’s) America’s Marine Highway Program, a new initiative to move more cargo on the water rather than on crowded highways. As the sponsor of the M-95 Marine Highway Corridor, the I-95 Corridor Coalition will be assisted by the USDOT Maritime Administration in developing transportation services and with identifying potential freight and passenger markets.
In addition to the M-95 Marine Highway Corridor designation, several projects and initiatives in the I-95 Corridor were selected to be eligible for federal assistance under the Program. “These projects will help make better use of America’s Marine Highway by reducing gridlock, improving the environment, and putting skilled mariners and shipbuilders to work,” said David Matsuda, Maritime Administrator.
Projects and Initiatives selected in the I-95 Corridor include:
- Cross Sound Enhancements Project (Connecticut DOT)
- New England Marine Highway Expansion Project (Maine DOT)
- Cross Gulf Container Expansion Project (Ports of Manatee, FL, and Brownsville, TX)
- Gulf Atlantic Marine Highway Project (South Carolina State Ports Authority and Port of Galveston, TX)
- Trans-Hudson Rail Service Project (Port Authority of New York & New Jersey)
- James River Container Expansion Project (Virginia Port Authority)
- Hudson River Food Corridor Initiative (New York City Soil & Water Conservation District)
- New Jersey Marine Highway Initiative (New Jersey DOT)
- East Coast Marine Highway Initiative (Ports of New Bedford, MA, Baltimore, MD, and Canaveral, FL)
M-95 Marine Highway Corridor Attributes:
The 1,925 mile-long I-95 Corridor is the major North-South landside freight corridor on the East Coast. The USDOT identified more than a dozen major freight truck bottlenecks along this route, along with significant critical rail congestion along the upper portions. Projections of future freight volumes indicate increasing freight congestion challenges, with limited opportunity to increase landside capacity.
The Corridor is home to 15 of the largest 50 marine ports in the United States (as ranked by total throughput). These ports handle approximately 582 million short tons of cargo, or 26 percent of the national total. Much of this freight begins or ends its journeys with an I-95 transit. Fortunately, the East coast also possesses a host of waterways, bays, rivers, and the Atlantic coast itself. The Corridor is also lined with less congested, smaller niche ports that could play a vital part in the developing marine highway service network. While several Marine Highway operations already serve this corridor, there is significant opportunity for expansion to help address growing congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy, and lower landside infrastructure maintenance costs.
 View additional information on America’s Marine Highway Program (USDOT Maritime Administration)
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I-95 Vehicle Probe Project Delivers Real-Time Travel Information
Related Documents and Links:
Project Page
Project One-pager 
Project Interface Guide 3.3 (updated June, 2010)
The I-95 Vehicle Probe Project is a groundbreaking initiative providing comprehensive and continuous travel time information on freeways and arterials using probe technology. A collaborative effort among the Coalition, University of Maryland and INRIX, the vehicle probe system fuses data from various sources to present a comprehensive picture of traffic flow.
The initial coverage area (providing vehicle probe data for more than two years) of approximately 1,500 centerline freeway miles from New Jersey through North Carolina has been expanded to more than 4,700 centerline miles and includes the entire limited access road network in New Jersey, and the entire interstate systems for North Carolina and South Carolina and sections of Florida.
I-95 Corridor Coalition member agencies have found numerous uses for the vehicle probe data, including:
- Travel Information for 511 (web and phone) Systems, Dynamic Message Signs, and Kiosks
- Travel Time Calculations for Message Boards
- Performance Measures and Travel Time Reliability Support
- Traffic Pattern Observations (in-state and multi-state)
- Trip Planning (www.i95travelinfo.net)
Plans are being developed to provide expanded coverage for all states along the I-95 Corridor, reaching the objective to create a seamless traffic monitoring system that spans theeastern seaboard. This presents a unique opportunity for continuous roadway monitoring coverage along I-95 and other important routes from Maine to Florida and for all Coalition states to benefit from the Vehicle Probe Data.
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Incident Management Virtual Training for First Responders
The I-95 Corridor Coalition is creating an intensive training program that uses three-dimensional, multi-player computer gaming simulation technology and distance-based learning technologies to test, validate, certify, and reinforce the dissemination of best incident management practices across the Coalition region
The three-dimensional software program will enable practical, scenario-based, interactive, real-time incident management training for numerous responders, trainers and “victims” simultaneously at a variety of locations. Participants will include state, county, and local transportation departments, toll road authorities, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency service providers, medical examiners, hazardous materials handlers, towing companies, the media, and other operating agencies and entities across the Corridor. The training program can be accessed from any location with an Internet connection thereby reducing training and travel costs and enabling increased participation.
The program is designed to educate and validate quick clearance practices and related incident management techniques, but it is also designed to promote communication, coordination and cooperation among organizations involved in incident management. By involving responders from many different agencies, exposing them to best practices, establishing expectations that they will meet or exceed standards for good practice, and allowing them to discuss methods and issues with their peers, we believe that they will achieve more consistent performance, more innovation, and better and safer delivery of incident management services.
View three-dimensional program preview.
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Southern Traffic Incident eXchange (STIX) Benefits the Traveling Public
“The state boundary lines have faded as traffic information is now exchanged efficiently across the borders of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Thanks to the STIX program, the lines of communication for traffic and incident management across state lines have opened and the results are improved safety and traffic flow.” – Tom Martin, Operations Program Coordinator, I-95 Corridor Coalition
The Southern States (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) are now sharing information to better inform motorists about traffic conditions when crossing state lines. The Program was implemented by the I-95 Corridor Coalition on April 1, 2008 to share traffic information among all Southern States for major incidents, planned special events, emergencies, and natural disasters. No such program previously existed. All four states have signed letters of participation or a memorandum of understanding committing to participate in STIX, and the program is having a direct positive impact on safety and mobility for the region. Many representatives from each of the four states participate in STIX including incident debriefings, and the overall program is supported by the Georgia Department of Transportation State Traffic Operations Engineer, the Florida Department of Transportation Chief Engineer, the North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary, and the South Carolina Department of Transportation Deputy State Highway Engineer.
The central communications hub of the STIX program is located at the Atlanta, Georgia Transportation Management Center where operators collect and distribute STIX information 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. For ease in communication, information can be delivered via email (stix@dot.ga.gov) or telephone (877-HWY-STIX).
"To have a process in place that transcends the 'planning in a vacuum' that often unintentionally occurs, is priceless in my opinion. Kudos to the Coalition for helping make travel safer for the motoring public." - Mike Bowman, South Carolina DOT Incident Response Management
Since the Program’s inception, and as of June, 2010, there have been 60 STIX activations which helped motorists make informed decisions and alerted incident responders about potential increased traffic volumes. Examples include:
- In 2008, there were numerous activations affecting Florida and Georgia with the wildfires in Orlando, Florida (that shut down parts of I-95), tropical depression Fay, Hurricane Gustav, and tropical storm Hanna.
- In 2009, there were major wildfires at the Georgia/Florida Stateline lasting for several days that shut down parts of I-75 and I-10; Presidential Inauguration traffic planning with an estimated 1.8 million people traveling to Washington DC; winter snow storm activity that heavily impacted Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina; several major fatal incidents that caused interstate closures near the state boundaries of South Carolina and Georgia; and rockslides in North Carolina that resulted in lane closures for months.
- In 2010, a 20’ x 30’ sinkhole on the Georgia/South Carolina state border caused lane closures and traffic detours for five days, road construction affecting South Carolina and Georgia, and large-scale incidents affecting Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
View STIX Newsletter.
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I-95 Corridor Coalition Explores Alternatives to the Gas Tax
VMT-Based Fees: Issues and Considerations from a Multi-State Perspective - In the spring of 2009, the I-95 Corridor Coalition, at the direction of its Executive Board, embarked upon a program to address the current surface transportation program funding crisis by exploring alternatives to the gas tax as the primary funding mechanism. As an active coalition that has been successfully operating for over 15 years, the I-95 Corridor Coalition is well-positioned to examine both technical and institutional/administrative issues from a multi-state perspective, reflecting a diversity of policies and opinions that will be critical to the emergence of a new revenue generation system.
In May of 2009, the Coalition convened a workshop involving a group of experts to discuss how the Coalition could best contribute to a national effort in this area. Following the recommendations of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission, and the work of other organizations including the FHWA, the Oregon DOT, and the TRB, the workshop produced a set of recommendations regarding the issues that a multi-state pilot program for a VMT-based fee system should address. Based on the experts’ recommendations, an initial proposal was considered at the Coalition’s June 2 combined Steering Committee/Executive Board meeting. That proposal led to a decision to launch a project to identify the institutional and administrative requirements of a multi-state VMT-based fee system. That project commenced in November 2009 and will conclude in the summer of 2010. The final scope of work is referenced below.
In the summer of 2009, the Coalition assembled a Member Advisory Committee, consisting of senior representatives of Coalition member state departments of transportation and toll authorities to guide the Coalition’s work activities in this area. That group convened twice to guide the development of the scope of work for the project described above. It will continue meeting to guide the work as it progresses. Advisors in specialty areas, such as administrative and legal issues, will also be consulted.
View Brainstorming Session Summary – May 5, 2009
View Project Proposal
View Member Advisory Council (updated April, 2010)
View Member Advisory Council Webcast Presentation - September 10, 2009
View Project Scope of Work
View Consolidated Task Memorandum #1 - April, 2010
View Legal Issues Questionnaire - April, 2010
View Multi-State VMT-Based Road-User Fee Initiative Presentation - by Mark Muriello, PANYNJ, at the 2nd Annual Mileage-Based Fee Symposium - April, 2010
View DMV Outreach Responses
View Member Advisory Committee Webcast Presentation - May, 2010
View VMT-Based Charge: Review of State Legal Issues - July, 2010
View VMT-Based Charge: Review of Federal Legal Issues - June, 2010
View Working Document Excerpt: Institutional Arrangements - July 2010
View Working Document Excerpt: Cost Drivers and Preliminary Cost Estimates - July 2010
Related Documents & Links:
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A 2040 Vision for the I-95 Coalition Region: Supporting Economic Growth in a Carbon-Constrained Environment
The I-95 Corridor Coalition's Long Range Strategic Vision project (view) formulated and analyzed a transportation vision for the entire region – one which accommodates key values and issues related to a global economy, climate change, energy, and quality of life, while re-examining the traditional modal mix and service options available for passenger and freight movement in the corridor.
The Vision report shows the implications of continuing with "Business as Usual" and, alternatively, the impact of bold strategies for accommodating mobility and economic development, with an emphasis on reducing energy usage and the carbon footprint. With the implementation of the bold strategies outlined in the report, economic growth will be supported by improved system performance. Major highway and rail bottlenecks will be removed, and delay on urban Interstates will be reduced by 46 percent. The region will also be on path to achieve GHG emissions reductions of 60 to 80 percent by 2050 (as compared to 2005 levels).
The I-95 Coalition 2040 Vision was developed based on long-term trends and, even with the recent short-term fluctuations in the economy, the Vision's projections are still valid assumptions for the longer term 2040 vision period. The Vision study assumed that the region's long term growth would rebound following the current severe economic downturn, albeit at a lower rate of growth than previously forecast. Importantly, the region's more modest economic and travel growth assumptions were developed in the context of significantly reduced fossil fuel use and dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
2040 Vision for I-95 Region Executive Summary: View
2040 Vision for I-95 Region Full Report: View |
The I-95 Corridor Coalition Introduces Two New ICAT Websites
The I-95 Corridor Coalition is pleased to announce the availability of two new websites for use by Coalition members and the general public as part of its Integrated Corridor Analysis Tool (ICAT) project.
- WebCAT is an interactive web-based geographic information system (GIS) that provides on-line access to information on the Coalition region’s highway and rail systems, system performance, and forecasts of future travel demand and conditions in the Coalition region. WebCAT enables users to view and navigate through a map of the entire Coalition region displaying highway and railroad networks, bridges, traffic bottlenecks, locations of fatal highway crashes, etc. Most features can be queried for more detailed information. Users can also view thematic maps showing, for example, current and future traffic volumes, railroad ownership and trackage rights, etc. The library of thematic data will be expanded in response to user demand and as Coalition projects develop additional information. WebCAT can be accessed at http://ags.camsys.com/icat/
- DataCAT is a repository and download site for the geographic databases and other data files that comprise ICAT. Current data include the ICAT highway and rail networks, ICAT analysis zones and origin-destination trip tables, individual state road networks from which the ICAT highway network was derived, and copies of relevant national databases such as NHPN, NBI, and FARS Specific Coalition project databases will also be made available as they become authorized for public release. Downloads require only a web browser and Internet connection, but the databases are designed for knowledgeable users capable of conducting analyses using their own computers and GIS application software. DataCAT can be accessed at ftp://ftp.camsys.com/clientsupport/ICAT/site/index.htm
Overview of ICAT
For the past several years, the I-95 Corridor Coalition has been sponsoring development of the Integrated Corridor Analysis Tool (ICAT) to assist Coalition members in conducting multi-state transportation planning and operations studies. ICAT is a web-based geographic information system (GIS) that enables users to visualize current transportation infrastructure and traffic patterns, and to project future travel volumes across multiple states within the Coalition region. ICAT is not a replacement for more detailed state and local data, models, or analysis tools. It is intended to supplement local analysis capabilities with objective and consistent information on transportation conditions and performance in neighboring jurisdictions.
ICAT consists of highway and rail networks, and synthesized auto and truck trip tables for the entire Coalition region, containing attribute data gleaned from state and national data sources such as FHWA’s Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) and Freight Analysis Framework (FAF). ICAT fills a gap between state and local transportation network information and national data such as NHPN and the FAF.
ICAT helps member agencies look beyond their own jurisdictional boundaries to facilitate decision-making with respect to public investments in the region’s transportation system. Issues such as regional transportation growth, locations of regional transportation bottlenecks, coordination of multi-state evacuation plans, and the impacts of regional transportation investments can now be more thoroughly evaluated through the use of ICAT data and web-based GIS. |
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News from Our Members
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| National NUG Summit | Delaware's "Totally Green" Rest Area | USDOT RITA Strategic Plan | FRA National Rail Plan | A Summit on the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management
Date: September 21 - 22, 2010
Where: Linthicum Heights, Maryland
The I-95 Corridor Coalition is hosting, with FHWA and NTIMC, a National NUG Summit. The National Unified Goal (NUG) was developed under the direction of the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (NTIMC). The three major objectives of the NUG are (1) Responder Safety; (2) Safe, Quick Clearance; and (3) Prompt, Reliable Interoperable Communications. These goals were developed through a consensus process, and have been ratified by many regional and national organizations. To further implement the successful NUG goals and practices, the I-95 Corridor Coalition, FHWA, and NTIMC are hosting this national NUG Summit.
 View Agenda and Summit information.
  
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Delaware Opens "Totally Green" Facility on I-95
Delaware has cut the ribbon on a new, totally green, I-95 Welcome Center. This 42,000 square foot Delaware Welcome and Travel Center has been built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. It incorporates a number of energy and water conservation features along with the use of recycled and regional building materials. In addition to restaurants and shopping, the facility offers a 21-pump fuel campus – at capacity, 40 cars will be able to fuel up at the same time. Fifty spaces of CabAire truck parking, offering anti-idle truck electrification outlets, are located on the property. There are also 16 spaces to charge electric cars for use at some point in the future.
More than 4.5 million visitors will pass annually through the welcome center. The center was constructed in less than 12 months in order to return services to travelers as quickly as possible.
Go DelDOT website |
USDOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration Releases ITS Strategic Plan
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration has released the new, five-year Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Strategic Plan. The plan explores the potentially transformative capabilities of wireless technology to make surface transportation safer, smarter and greener and ultimately enhance livability for Americans. The core of the research plan is a program called IntelliDriveSM, a multimodal initiative to support safety, mobility and environmental enhancements by providing safe, interoperable wireless connectivity between vehicles, infrastructure and passengers' devices.
View additional information about the Strategic Research Plan. |
The Federal Railroad Administration Releases Preliminary National Rail Plan
 The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) directed the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to develop a Preliminary Rail Plan to address the rail needs of the Nation. The PRIIA also directed FRA to provide assistance to States in developing their State rail plans in order to ensure that the Federal long-range National Rail Plan is consistent with approved State rail plans. Subsequent to PRIIA, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 sets the framework for the development of true high-speed rail in the United States. This Preliminary Plan is, therefore, an important first step in an ongoing process.
This Preliminary Plan lays the groundwork for developing policies to improve the U.S. transportation system. Its goals are consistent with the top goals of the U.S. Department of Transportation's: to improve safety, to foster livable communities, to increase the economic competitiveness of the United States, and to promote sustainable transportation. The important attributes of rail - safety, fuel efficiency, and environmental benefits - can meaningfully assist in achieving these goals.
View the National Rail Plan |
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National Public Radio Series Features I-95
National Public Radio (NPR) has produced a new short series featuring Interstate 95 – the series is informative and entertaining, and provides the public with a sampling of the substantial role that I-95 plays along the Eastern Seaboard.
The series covers topics such as the missing link, the Port of Savannah, tourism and jobs from I-95 in South Florida and in Maine, must-see exit stops, 95 songs for driving on I-95, and futurists’ ideas to keep traffic flowing. The articles can be found on the NPR website.
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Featured Activity
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| Real Time Traffic Info | 2010 ITS America Award Finalist: Best of Innovative Products
Website Spells Relief for Travelers on the East Coast
Travelers from Maine to Florida are able to save time and better plan their trip thanks to a web site that provides them with real-time traffic information and estimated drive times for roadways in and between major metropolitan areas along the East Coast. Recently expanded to include 3,000 additional miles of roads covering 24 metropolitan areas along the I-95 Corridor, www.i95travelinfo.net offers travelers speed and congestion information on the I-95 corridor, including I-95, the beltways surrounding each major city, and all associated routes that together make up the corridor. Visitors to the website can manipulate the map to zoom to any of the fifteen states and Washington, D.C.
In addition to the website, congestion information and travel times are now available to travelers at two welcome centers and a shopping mall in Virginia. Road congestion and travel times are displayed on large, flat panel public displays at the Skippers Welcome Center (on I-95 northbound, 10 miles south of Emporia), as well as the Fredericksburg Welcome Center (located on the southbound side of I-95 in Fredericksburg). Additionally, flat-screen displays throughout the Tysons Corner Mall provide real-time traffic updates for the surrounding areas.
SafeTrip-21 Partnership with USDOT/RITA Providing Transportation Benefits to the Public
The USDOT/Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) and the I-95 Corridor Coalition have partnered, thru the SafeTrip-21 Initiative, to create the above travel time information resources – as well as other innovative programs. SafeTrip-21 uses advanced technology to improve safety, improve public transportation services, and reduce grid lock on America's roadways.
Visit the project page for detailed information. |
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