PDHs will be offered for this event.

Agenda:

• 12:30pm-12:35pm – Welcome/District Announcements
• 12:35pm-1:00pm – Reduced Crash Thresholds for All-Way Stop Control at Low-Volume Intersections (Sonya Lagrand, DelDOT)
• 1:00pm-1:25pm – AI-ITMS (Ziyi Ma, Blue Halo)
• 1:25pm-1:50pm – Virtual Queue Protection Corridors (Scott Benedict and Ryan McNary, PennDOT)
• 1:50pm-2:00pm – Final Business Announcements/Adjourn

$30 ITE Members/$40 Non-Members

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Reduced Crash Thresholds for All-Way Stop Control at Low-Volume Intersections – Sonya Lagrand, DelDOT

In support of the SHSP objective to reduce intersection fatalities and serious injuries by 15% over the next five years, DelDOT studied the safety benefits of installing All-Way Stop Control (AWSC) at low volume intersections—generally intersections with minor street volumes that are below 200 vehicles per hour—and which may not have met the crash warrant guidance contained in the 2009 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Specifically, DelDOT performed a statistical analysis of crash data to determine if the conversion of low-volume, unsignalized intersections from Minor Road Stop Control (MRSC) to AWSC would be justified, even if the intersection may not meet the crash thresholds for AWSC that are provided as guidance in the MUTCD. The data from nearly 40 intersections studied showed that converting low-volume intersections from Minor Road Stop Control (MRSC) to All Way Stop Control (AWSC) resulted in a significant reduction in crashes, including a 100% reduction in fatal crashes and a 76% reduction in injury crashes! Furthermore, the data showed that even intersections that did not meet the 2009 MUTCD crash thresholds for AWSC experienced a reduction in crashes, including a 100% reduction in injury crashes and a 53% reduction in injury crashes.

Sonya Legrand, PE, DelDOT

Sonya has over 20 years of experience at the Delaware Department of Transportation.  Her current role is Traffic Studies Manager in the Traffic Engineering section.  The team she manages fields over 1,200 requests annually and conducts various traffic analyses including signal and all-way stop justification studies, pedestrian and crosswalk studies, speed studies, roadway lighting and various other traffic related concerns that lead to the implementation low-cost safety countermeasures.  The Traffic Studies section also includes Delaware’s Traffic Calming Program that utilizes vertical, horizontal, and roadside measures as speed management tools.  Prior to her time in Traffic, Sonya has worked in the Project Development section and the Maintenance and Operations division specializing in design, contract development and administration.  Sonya is a Registered Professional Engineer in Delaware. She is a member of the AASHTO Council on Active Transportation and the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) Regulatory and Warning Signs Technical Committee.  Sonya is a native of Petersburg, Virginia and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Old Dominion University.

AI-ITMS – Ziyi Ma, BlueHalo

The AI-ITMS is an innovative and comprehensive system that integrates AI-based Transportation Operations and Management System (AI-TOMS) with existing transportation infrastructure to improve monitoring, congestion management, and incident response. The system enhances the capabilities of DelDOT’s Transportation Management Center (TMC) by:

• Predicting traffic flows and identifying anomalies using deep learning models.
• Automatically detecting and classifying traffic incidents on major highways such as I-95 and DE 1, reducing response time and improving public safety.
• Implementing adaptive signal control strategies using predictive signal timing optimization to enhance arterial traffic flow.
• Leveraging machine vision technology to provide real-time traffic analysis and multimodal monitoring.
• Providing traveler information updates through an AI-driven notification system.

The project integrates over ten real-time traffic data sources, covering 90% of all statewide ITMS devices, to create a proactive, data-driven transportation management framework. Beyond ATCMTD, DelDOT has expanded its AI-ITMS program through two critical federal initiatives: the Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) Program and the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant. These projects further DelDOT’s mission to enhance safety, resilience, and efficiency through state-of-the-art transportation technology.

Ziyi Ma, PE, Blue Halo

Ziyi Ma earned his Master of Science degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from New York University. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Virginia and Maryland. He is a Senior Transportation Engineer/Project Manager at AV, focusing implementing Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) for Delaware Department of Transportation. Before joining AV, Mr. Ma researched at Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, focusing on developing methods for learning and optimizing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) through data sharing between connected vehicles and infrastructure. He has also contributed to various transportation projects, traffic impact studies, and ITS engineering projects.

Virtual Queue Protection Corridors – Scott Benedict and Ryan McNary, PennDOT

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines a secondary crash as “a crash that occurs as a result of an original crash either within the crash scene or within the queue or backup in either direction.” As the likelihood of a secondary crash increases by almost 3 percent for every minute a primary crash obstructs a travel lane, it is crucial for transportation resource agencies to use all tools at their disposal to help prevent secondary crashes. Among other countermeasures recommended to combat the occurrence of secondary crashes, FHWA cites “improving driver awareness” by relaying important information to travelers as one of its key strategies to improve overall safety as well as operational performance of the transportation system.

Despite widespread industry acknowledgement that secondary traffic crashes are undeniably dangerous to motorists as well as first responders and others on the scene of incidents, FHWA’s June 2023 paper Secondary Crash Research: A Multistate Analysis acknowledged that even now, only a few States have collected data on secondary crashes to support research analyses and validation.

Drawing on the recognized industry need to reduce the incidence of secondary crashes, as well as the need for additional data on demonstrated safety and operational benefits, PennDOT leveraged its position as a leader in innovative TSMO strategies to deliver a cost-effective, data-driven project with measurable benefits: Virtual Queue Protection Corridors.

In recognition of this project’s innovative nature, ability to advance the profession, and applicability to the industry, Virtual Queue Protection has already been recognized with several awards, including the National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) Overall TSMO Award and Best TSMO Project, as well as the 2024 AASHTO Regional America’s Transportation Award for operations excellence.

Scott Benedict, PennDOT	Ryan McNary, PennDOT
Scott Benedict is the Manager of the Traffic Systems and TSMO Performance Unit within the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. He oversees the team that is responsible for managing the systems that PennDOT uses to manage traffic and share relevant traveler information with the general public and other partners. The unit also manages PennDOT’s award winning TSMO Performance Program. His focus is on utilizing existing and emerging data, in conjunction with enhanced traffic management systems, to improve traffic operations within Pennsylvania, with the goal improving mobility and safety for PA motorists. Scott joined PennDOT in February of 2021 after 15 years supporting the Department in a consultant role, and is a graduate of Messiah University with a B.A in Computer Science.	Ziyi Ma earned his Master of Science degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from New York University. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Virginia and Maryland. He is a Senior Transportation Engineer/Project Manager at AV, focusing implementing Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) for Delaware Department of Transportation. Before joining AV, Mr. Ma researched at Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, focusing on developing methods for learning and optimizing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) through data sharing between connected vehicles and infrastructure. He has also contributed to various transportation projects, traffic impact studies, and ITS engineering projects.