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December 24, 2002 - December Meeting Highlights
On December 20, 2002, Ms. Charlene Shibuya, former Traffic
Engineer for Maui County DPWWM, discussed Maui Countys undulating
experience with speed humps with ITE members. Ms. Shibuya
indicated at that time traffic engineers generally said no
to speed humps because the MUTCD did not recognize speed humps
as a traffic control device. The State law/administrative
rules require roadway designs to follow MUTCD. Also, if you
wanted to try something other than what MUTCD required, then
approval from the Director of Transportation is needed. Although
the DOT Director was concerned about liability problems, Maui
County and the State DOT entered into a hold harmless agreement.
Maui County agreed to use speed humps only on County local
residential roads, not collector roads, and hold the State
harmless. Subsequently, Maui County developed a speed hump
ordinance, which passed in late 1995. It required 60% consent
of the all the property owners within 500 feet of where the
speed humps would be located. Maui DPWWM subsequently developed
the administrative rules and put in layman's definition of
local residential street it has direct access, lowest level
of mobility and generally doesn't service through traffic.
The basis of design and placement of speed humps followed
the March 1993 guidelines published by ITE. The County has
received 730 requests to date. When a request is received,
the first check is to see if the road is eligible and to make
sure it is not a collector road. The County asks for a block
captain for a single point of contact and that person obtains
the signatures to meet the required consent percentage of
abutting property owners. Speed humps have been installed
on 237 streets and the rest are on the wait list, pending
funding.
The County was interested in addressing the speeding problems
in other ways beside speed humps. About year and half ago,
Maui DPWWM decided they wanted new subdivisions to have traffic
calming elements in their design, specifically to avoid speed
humps. Ms. Shibuya explained that Maui County just passed
a traffic calming bill; the new regulations will apply to
new subdivisions that will receive final approval after January
1, 2005. The traffic calming administrative rules are yet
to be developed, but consultants need to be aware of the new
ordinance.
There have been objections to speed humps and in early 2002
the Maui County Council increased required property owner
consent to 80%. Other speed reduction devices that Maui DPWWM
has installed include raised crosswalks at intersections (only
at one side) and speed table at mid-block crosswalk locations
near schools. Truck restrictions in certain neighborhoods
have also had a positive effect. At this time, the Maui speed
hump program is being folded into the new traffic calming
program as it will give the County a wider range of options
to deal with speeding in residential neighborhoods.
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November 13, 2002 - November Meeting Highlights
Mr. Tom Potter, President of Reno A&E, gave a presentation
about loop geometry on November 12, 2002. Mr. Potter explained
that if the geometry of loop system is not correct, then the
electronic circuitry can not compensate for poor loop design.
Millions of dollars have been spent on research in the last
40 years and loop detectors remain the most reliable detection
system for traffic signal control systems. The various types
of loops that have been tested include 6 x 6 loop, long
loops, figure 8 loops, round loops, square loops rotated 45
degrees and the installation of different numbers of loops.
The loop geometry and sensitivity required depends upon what
the loop needs to do. For highways and streets, loops are
required to detect automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and sometimes
bicycles. The size of the loop is a function of the traffic
signal control system and the type of vehicles to be detected.
For an average left turn lane, a 6 x 6 loop is suitable
for the detection of vehicles. The installation of a loop
requires a sawcut so it can be buried beneath the pavement.
When the loop is hooked up to the electronics, a small current
passes through it and an electric field is created around
the wire. At the simplest level, loops measure inductance
changes and the loop works as a metal detector. When a vehicles
conductive material enters the loop area, it causes a change
in the electric field and it is interpreted as loading effect.
A general rule of thumb is the height detection of a loop
is about 2/3 of the shortest distance of the width or length.
For example, the detection height of a 6 x 50 loop is 6
x 2/3 = 4. Depending on the electronics, you may be able
to increase the sensitivity to adjust this detection height.
Mr. Potter noted that the longer you make the loop, the higher
you have to turn up sensitivity. However, increased sensitivity
can cause detection problems for motorcycles. Sometimes, the
loop may sense an automobile in adjacent lane better than
a motorcycle resting on the loop because automobiles create
a greater loading effect on the loop. In addition, four 6
x 6 loops which are spaced 9 apart may be designed to count
vehicles with 97 percent accuracy. Spacing can be 9 or 10
feet, but there is slight loss of count accuracy if 10 feet
spacing is used. Motorcycles can be better detected with four
separate 6 x 6 loops than a single 50 x 6 loop.
The most important aspect of loop detection is reliability.
Proper geometry and use correct materials (wire size and insulation)
are the critical factors for reliable loop detection. Reliability
is an important safety concern especially when loops are utilized
to detect a vehicle crossing a train track or sensing airplanes
crossing an airport taxiway.
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August 29, 2002 - Annual Meeting
The Annual luncheon meeting was held on August 29, 2002 at
the Willows Restaurant in Honolulu. President Wayne Kawano
opened the meeting with committee reports and general announcements.
First, President Kawano reported that the Oahu Metropolitan
Planning Organization (OMPO) had released the final draft
of its overall work program. Second, Legislative Affairs Committee
Chair Wayne Yoshioka reported on several of the bills that
passed during the recent legislative session. Third, Secretary
Cathy Leong announced the winner of the ITE Hawaii Chapter
logo contest. The winning logo was submitted by Cheryl Yoshida
from Wilson Okamoto & Associates, Inc. The new logo will
be posted on the ITE Hawaii Chapter website and be printed
in the Wiliki and Westernite publications. Finally, The results
of the 2002 ITE Hawaii Chapter elections were announced. They
results were as follows:
- Richelle Suzuki, President
- Cathy Leong, Vice President
- Susan Uejo, Secretary
- Fred Smoot, Treasurer
The featured speaker, Richard Romer, ITE International Director,
assisted with the induction of the newly elected Hawaii Chapter
officers. Following the induction ceremony, Mr. Romer presented
the District 6 Fur-Lined Pot Award to Cathy Leong. This perpetual
award is traditionally given to the most prolific writer in
District 6 and is held for a year before being passed on to
the next winner. Mr. Romer then proceeded with his presentation
about ITE. He discussed the current status of ITE's membership,
services, and opportunities, as well as, shared photos of
the past and present ITE staff.
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August 1 Meeting Highlights
The August luncheon meeting was held on August 1, 2002 at
the office of Wilson Okamoto & Associates, Inc. in Honolulu.
The featured speaker was Dan Davidson who is the Executive
Director of the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii (LURF)
and also serves as the Coordinator for the Ewa Highways Master
Plan Group (EHMPG). Mr. Davidson explained that the EHMPG
is comprised of representatives from major Hawaii landowners
and developers, as well as the State of Hawaii Housing and
Community Development Corporation of Hawaii (HCDCH). EHMPG
partnered with the State Department of Transportation to commission
the Ewa Highway Master Plan (EHMP). The master plan addresses
the current and future transportation needs for the region
based upon a 2010 horizon year rather than full build-out.
There are six major highway projects identified in the plan
that are needed to accommodate the projected growth in the
area resulting from private development. They are as follows:
- Construction of a new Kapolei Interchange
- Improvements to the existing Makakilo Interchange
- Completion of the Kapolei Parkway
- Widening of Fort Barrette Road
- Widening of Fort Weaver Road
- Construction of the North-South Road and Interchange
Utilizing cost estimates for these six major highway projects
(approximately $194 million), a "fair share" plan
was developed for the region based upon both technical and
policy considerations. The "fair share" for private
developers was determined to be approximately 20% of the total
cost of the six major projects (approximately $39 million).
This cost was then translated into fee assessments for new
development dependent on the land use. For example, a developer
constructing a new single-family home would be assessed a
fee of $1,836. The plan was then introduced into legislation
as Bill 52 and is scheduled for adoption this year. The following
are a few additional key points addressed by the bill:
The City and County of Honolulu's Department of Planning
and Permitting would be responsible for collecting the impact
fees is in conjunction with required building permits.
The assessed fees would be transferred to the State where
they would be placed in a special trust fund for expenditure
only on projects outlined in the EHMP.
The EHMP shall be reviewed and revised as appropriate every
five years, at which time amendments may be recommended.
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June Meeting Highlights
The June luncheon meeting was held on June 25, 2002 at the
University of Hawaii at Manoa. The featured speaker was Honglong
Li a recent graduate from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
who presented his PhD dissertation entitled "Adaptive
Signal Control." Honglong explained that his dissertation
involved developing the theory to support an adaptive signal
control system that would predict traffic flows and adjust
the traffic signal timing accordingly. Based upon data collected
during a set period of time utilizing data collection equipment
such as detector loops, the system identifies the critical
queue and predicts the traffic flow for the next period. Then
based upon the projected traffic flow, the system adjusts
the traffic signal timing accordingly. The effectiveness of
the system was evaluated utilizing simulation software. The
anticipated delays for the adaptive traffic signal system
were compared to those for pretimed and actuated signal systems
for undersaturated and oversaturated conditions. The comparison
showed that the traffic delays under the adaptive signal system
were less than under the other two signal systems.
The conclusion of the dissertation was that the adaptive
signal system showed promising improvements in traffic conditions,
but that the improvements might be limited at intersections
with unbalanced queues. In addition, the system is not applicable
to grid networks and more ideal for isolated, rural intersections.
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May Meeting Highlights
The May luncheon meeting was held on May 16, 2002 at the
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building in Honolulu.
Vice-President Richelle Suzuki announced that ITE was looking
for additional sites to host the Saturday, October 26, 2002
PTOE certification exam. Members would be contacted shortly
to verify if there was enough interest to host an exam in
Hawaii.
The featured speaker was Lisa Reinke of Belt Collins Hawaii
who spoke about the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail project. The
Pearl Harbor Historic Trail project originated as a grant
application under the federal Empowerment Zone Aiea shoreline
redevelopment. The project evolved into a regional master
plan to develop an 18-mile long shared use (bicycle-pedestrian)
path and historic railway.
The community's goal is for the trail to be developed as
a world-class heritage and recreation corridor that enhances
the communities from Aiea to Nanakuli. Ownership of the required
40 foot right-of-way for the trail varies along its stretch
between the Navy, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO), the State
of Hawaii, and other private owners. The implementation of
the plan will be costly and face a number of infrastructure
challenges.
The major challenge for the portion of the trail between
Nanakuli and Ewa will be the cost of acquiring the needed
right-of-way and realigning the trail. The major challenge
for the portion of the trail between Ewa and Aiea will be
the required infrastructure improvements. There are a number
of bridges along that segment, as well as 12 street crossings
and 3 tunnels that would need upgrades or repairs. For example,
there is a tunnel located near McGrew Point that has been
backfilled over the years and would need to be excavated for
use by the train. In addition to the work required to create
the historic trail, over 30 miles of extensions and connections
would be required for existing infrastructure to connect to
the proposed project.
The master plan was finalized in May 2001 and a volunteer
organization was set up to oversee the implementation of the
plan. The next step for the project will be the development
of a 2 miles section of the trail as a demonstration project.
the historic trail, over 30 miles of extensions and connections
would be required for existing infrastructure to connect to
the proposed project. The master plan was finalized in May
2001 and a volunteer organization was set up to oversee the
implementation of the plan. The next step for the project
will be the development of a 2 miles section of the trail
as a demonstration project.
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March Meeting Highlights
The March meeting was a joint dinner meeting held with the
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on March 21, 2002
at the Maple Garden Restaurant.
The first speaker was Blaine Leonard, ASCE's District 11
Director who described the extensive preparations made by
the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) for the recent
2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. The events
for the Winter Games took place at eleven sites within a 40
mile radius of downtown Salt Lake City. In order to accommodate
the anticipated influx of people and vehicles, UDOT undertook
a public outreach program to educate the public about issues
such as which streets would be closed, when those streets
would be closed, and approximate travel times that the public
could anticipate. In addition, UDOT made modifications to
its public transportation system and roadway network within
the Salt Lake City area. Some of their projected involved
the expansion of their light rail system, addition of special
roadway and variable message signs, and the installation of
a traffic camera system.
The second speaker was Jack Weaver, Implementation Manager
for Poltech International Ltd., who spoke about the "Hawaii
Photo Enforcement Demonstration Project: Overview and Technical
Details." Mr. Weaver described how the red light and
speed camera systems' equipment worked and answered questions
about the on-going enforcement program.
Engineers' Week Highlights
Engineers' Week concluded with a banquet held on February
22, 2002. At the banquet, awards were handed out for the exhibits
showcased during the week at Kahala Mall. The ITE Hawaii Chapter
received a first place award for their display involving traffic
signal operations and equipment. In addition, the ITE Student
Chapter received a third place award for their exhibit involving
the uses and effectiveness of traffic calming measures.
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February Meeting Highlights
The February luncheon meeting was held on February 21, 2002
at the City and County of Honolulu's Traffic Control Center.
The meeting included a tour of the traffic control center
and presentations by five featured speakers.
The first speaker was Don Hamada of the City and County of
Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services (DTS), Traffic
Engineer Division who described City's current traffic camera
system coverage, communications system, and traffic data collection
system. He explained that with the help of these tools and
an ITS regional architecture plan, the City plans to develop
usable products such as traveler information, travel time
information, and incident management.
The second speaker was Robert Lung of the Honolulu Police
Department who discussed the current traffic laws being proposed
by the legislature. The current bills cover topics such as
the implementation of a Pedestrian Bill of Rights, revision
of the driver's licensing program, and harsher penalties for
racing on the highways.
The third speaker was Paul Steffens of DTS's Public Transit
Division who discussed the City's on-going efforts to improve
public transit. The City is already in the process of converting
their bus routes to a hub and spoke system with transit centers
and hubs. In addition, they are continuing to make bus stop
improvements and plan to implement a community access service,
conduct a system wide rider survey, provide user friendly
bus information, and implement the use of smart cards in the
future.
The fourth speaker was Ty Fukumitsu of DTS's Traffic Engineer
Division who gave an overview of the engineer's role as a
witness in legal proceedings.
The fifth speaker was Jason Yotsuda, a traffic reporter for
KSSK radio station, who gave an overview of his job as a traffic
reporter and how it has been impacted by the City's traffic
camera system.
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January Meeting Highlights
The January luncheon meeting was held on January 14, 2001
at the Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building in
Honolulu. President Wayne Kawano reported that Engineers Week
would be the week of February 16-23. Gordon Lum, Executive
Director of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO),
reported that the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) would
be meeting on January 16, 2001 to discuss the Aiea-Pearl City
Livable Communities project and the revisions to the "Guide
for Public Development"publication.
The featured speaker was Matt Nakamoto from the University
of Hawaii at Manoa who presented his thesis entitled "Highway
Inventory System Using GIS with Data Integration for Inventory
and Maintenance." Matt explained that his thesis originated
from a request by the Department of Transportation's Highway
Maintenance Office (HWY-O). The project entailed the creation
of an inventory and log based maintenance system using GIS
that was able to perform queries with a graphical user interface.
This system would enable HWY-O to locate and track maintenance
done to light poles, overhead signs, roadside signs, guardrails,
and culverts. Currently, HWY-O maintains three separate databases
with detailed information regarding existing light poloute
and milepost number which can be confusing and/or inaccurate.
A possible solution to this problem would be the use of a
unique physical ID system. |
