ITS Solutions to I-710 Corridor Challenges

The ability to move goods in and out of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is becoming increasingly difficult as the volume of traffic on the highways surrounding the Ports increases and as international trade continues to grow. As the primary truck route into and out of the port, the I-710 corridor, because of severe congestion and a number of safety concerns, has become a focal point for the region's transportation problems.

The focus of this effort will be on how can we can utilize technology (ITS) in place of conventional solutions to efficiently and effectively reduce costs, accidents and impacts.

This project is intended to be multiple phase, with the first year focused on collecting and summarizing the existing studies that have been performed on the I-710 to date. This information then has to be mapped to a similar literature search that concentrates on existing and emerging technologies that will address the corridor's safety, enforcement, and congestion and environmental impact. Other activities include the formation of a project steering committee and outreach activities to Caltrans Headquarters and District personnel, the California Highway Patrol, the Ports, and trucking concerns.

Pre-Literature Search

The I-710 corridor faces many challenges. A number of studies and activities that were and are intended to address the numerous problems on and around the facility have been performed over the last couple of decades. These activities include planning and feasibility studies, safety analysis, California legislative actions, and implementation projects. Below is a sampling of some of the projects.

• TASAS Analysis &ndash Caltrans HQ Traffic Ops 1998 &ndash 2000 TASAS database summary of accidents on I-710 by primary collision factor
• Route 710 Median Barrier Upgrade Project &ndash Caltrans D7 Upgrade median barrier at various locations along I-710 to reduce or eliminate truck crossover accidents.
• Legislative Report: Overweight Intermodal/Piggyback Containers and Piggyback Trailers &ndash Caltrans Operational and legislative alternative and options for enforcing truck weight regulations.
• I-710 Truck Corridor Safety Project &ndash CHP Identified fifty factors contributing to truck-involved collision, developed a safety action plan (SAP) of corresponding solutions, and implemented twenty-one SAP recommended solutions. Result: reduced corridor truck related accidents by twenty-one percent.
• Route 710 Truckway Feasibility Study Report &ndash SCAG
• International Trade and Goods Movement: The Southern California Experience and Its Future &ndash SCAG
• Freight Bottlenecks &ndash Alameda Corridor &ndash City of LA
• Port of Long Beach/Los Angeles Transportation Study &ndash Ports of LA and Long Beach

Scope of Work (Straw-person)

Year 1

	1.	Identify and summarize corridor needs along with identification of corresponding ITS technologies in three areas: Enhance commercial vehicle weight and Inspection enforcement Increase safety, and Reduce congestion and environmental impacts
Perform literature search and gather existing information pertinent to the I-710. Perform additional data gathering and data analysis where needed. Identify and assess potential ITS solutions.
	2.	Convene a steering committee or task force that will: Provide overall project guidance and direction Identify funding sources and partners Develop project goals and objectives Prioritize problems and corresponding solutions Oversee development of a project operational plan to test and deploy ITS solutions Help implement solutions
	3.	Develop a formal scope of work to create a 710 ITS operational/safety plan and implementation/action plan.   The plan(s) should contain the following elements: Issues Solutions Roles and Responsibilities Funding Sources Schedule

Year 2 (and 3)

	4.	Test(s) and implement technologies/solutions
	5.	Conduct an assessment/evaluation of tests and implementations