Research Project

Design of Special Events, Weather and Construction Delay Component of a Dynamic Traveler Information System

The scope of this project is the transfer to NAVTEQ of a prototype system of the effects of special events, weather and construction-related delay aspects of the travel time prediction component of a Dynamic Traveler Information System.

Principal Investigator

Thakuriah, Piyushimita (Vonu)

Research Area(s)

Data Development

Funding Source

NAVTEQ

Abstract

The first step is to understand and evaluate the kinds of dynamic content data that NAVTEQ will have access to. (NAVTEQ was a Chicago-based provider of Geographic Information Systems data and a major provider of base electronic navigable maps.) Particular attention will be paid to data quality and data feed from the fusion of multiple streams of disparate data (vehicle probes, cellular phones, detector and video data, bus AVL and other sources of real-time traffic data). Traffic engineering knowledge is particularly critical in this context, knowing that the information of content, say, probe data and detector data are significantly different for the same time period and same location and issues of sample size would need to be considered in order to develop robust systems. A key aspect of this component will be to examine new and emerging sources of date on arterial links, including bus AVL and closed-loop signal control systems. The goal of this project is to undertake activities that twill seek to add several situational or context-awareness aspects to NAVTEQ’s historical and probe-based real-time data models. The context-awareness will be added by generating the ability of the information system to anticipate and respond to special events, adverse weather and construction events. Further, the system will be able to detect the presence of incidents and also predict expected clearance time. By exploring novel approaches to data gathering in arterial systems and prediction of speeds and travel times on arterials, the spatial coverage of the existing systems should be much enhanced. Finally, UTC will assist NAVTEQ in designing field tests and in the evaluation of test data. A report or paper from this research is not immediately available.