03-Communicating Road Closures to Connected and Automated Vehicles in Wyoming Winters
Date and Time: Tuesday, July 30, 2024: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: Indigo BC
Zorica Cvijovic
Connected Vehicle Strategist, Trihydro Corporation
Presentation Description
Road closures are often used as traffic management operation strategies, while the reason for the closure can significantly impact transportation outcomes. Most road closures happen due to construction, incidents, or adverse weather conditions. Road closures due to construction are planned and include duration as well as detour plans and can even result in positive public opinion and improved efficiency. While unplanned incidents often offer a detour plan and an estimate for the closure duration, road closures caused by adverse weather conditions have more challenges, including limited detour options. Moreover, this information is not always and immediately available through GPS navigation tools or to the public through a data exchange with standard messaging. Currently, the primary routing source for automated vehicles (AV) is navigation providers or homegrown system providers, which presents a significant challenge for AV or CV systems to navigate safely.
While traveler information in-vehicle and on dynamic message signs, together with media coverage, are usual measures to inform the public about closures and help drivers make a trip decision, the big challenge is the information drivers obtain from navigation systems, especially if they are unfamiliar with the area. For AVs (that carry goods or transport passengers), ways to convey this information are even more limited, sticking to the GPS and potential V2X connectivity, depending on AV capabilities.
An example of the scale of the rerouting problem is winter closures of I-80 through Wyoming, where possible detour routes are also incapable of accommodating through traffic. As AVs begin operating in rural areas with limited communications, their ability to operate safely will immediately be affected. Moreover, routing drivers down roads with life-threatening conditions due to drivers' reliance on navigation apps poses a severe risk of exacerbating a problem when closing the road is meant to be a mitigation effort to reduce incidents.
An example of this problem manifesting itself can be seen in Wyoming. During a 10-day stretch from the end of January to the beginning of February 2023, the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) received over 1,000 calls from stranded drivers. Many of the calls were from drivers who, attempting to get around a highway closure, had followed an alternative route provided by their chosen GPS tool. If AVs were in the area, they may have been routed down these same roads as an alternative route to the road closure.
Speaker Biography
Dr. Zorica Cvijovic is an accomplished professional in the field of traffic engineering, transportation, and logistics. She holds a doctoral degree in Transportation Engineering from the University of Wyoming and has over ten years of experience in her field.
Currently, Dr. Cvijovic serves as a Connected Vehicle Strategist at Trihydro Corporation. In this role, she utilizes her expertise to assist organizations in understanding relevant connected vehicle (CV) applications and aids in the development of CV systems tailored to their specific needs.
In addition to her work at Trihydro Corporation, Dr. Cvijovic is actively involved in various committees and working groups within the transportation industry. She serves on the Connected Transportation Interoperability Committee and the TRB Standing Committee on Freeway Operations.
Dr. Cvijovic's contributions extend beyond her professional endeavors. She has published research and served as a peer reviewer for prestigious publications such as the Transportation Research Board and Record. Additionally, she is an active member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), where she engages with fellow professionals and contributes to the advancement of transportation engineering and technology.
Presentation File
Communicating Road Closures to Connected and Automated Vehicles in Wyoming Winters
Category
Infrastructure Technology Supporting Road Vehicle Automation