Offering specialized expertise for smart transportation solutions

Lee Engineering completed designs for the traffic signal design at 33 signalized intersections on the light rail project in the City of Tempe. The project elements included the design of traffic signals, signal detection, interfacing with the LRT predictive priority control system, and communication connections to the existing traffic control center. Lee Engineering acted as the representative for the Valley Metro Project team for several City of Phoenix intersection walk-through inspections and intersection turn-ons.

As a sub-consultant, Lee Engineering served as lead designer for all ITS components of a rural ITS project which included Weigh in Motion (WIM) devices, license plate readers, USDOT readers, Vehicle Waveform Identifiers (VWI), and CCTV cameras to monitor commercial truck traffic on interstate highways in Arizona. The system was installed at remote rest areas to be used during special enforcement times with ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division personnel present, as well as to run in a stand-alone mode to collect data on the vehicles passing through the areas.

Lee Engineering developed the ITS Standard Drawings and ITS Standard Specifications for the Arizona Department of Transportation. Over a one-year period, Lee collected all pre-existing details and specifications from various ADOT ITS projects and facilitated a committee to examine, evaluate and gain consensus of which details and specifications to formalize as “standard” and identify revisions to capture current policy and technology needs. In a subsequent project, Lee Engineering developed the ADOT ITS Design Guide to provide designers with instructions for freeway management design, CCTV, DMS and communications infrastructure design.

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Lee Engineering have had a long-standing relationship, resulting in the design of several ITS/Freeway Management System, (FMS) projects. Each project included the design of fiber conduit and cable installation and splicing, ramp meter design, CCTV deployment, Fiber Node Building Design, travel time data collection equipment on the mainline of the freeways, and lateral fiber connections to Freeway Traffic Interchanges, (TI’s). These projects included the following freeway segments:

• SR 101L Pima Freeway, from Shea Boulevard to Chaparral Road, (Rebuild project)
• SR 202L Design/Build from the SR51 to the SR101L Pima Freeway
• SR 202L Santan Freeway, from Dobson Road to I-10, then from Ray Road and I-10 to Wild Horse Pass

Lee Engineering was tasked with the design for connecting approximately 100 Traffic Interchanges, (TI’s) to the new ADOT centralized traffic signal system. The project was completed with a combination of radio connections, and fiber installation. The project included the installation of new CCTV cameras at most of the TIs.

Lee Engineering has conducted six phases of the design of Rural Dynamic Message Signs throughout Arizona to warn drivers of weather conditions, construction, collisions downstream from the DMS and Amber Alerts. Each design required a special effort to locate power and telephone or radio communications in remote areas of Arizona, including coordination with local utility providers, and special mounting requirements of the large freeway DMS installations on overpasses or on roadside supports.

Lee Engineering has served as an On-Call ITS engineering firm for several cities in Arizona for many years. During these years, a large number of fiber project designs have been accomplished, utilizing Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) federal funds, and local transportation sales tax monies. The projects included a mixture of directional drilled and open trench conduit installation with lateral runs to the traffic signal cabinets.  Most included federal requirements for environmental, utility, and right of way clearances. These projects all included connectivity to new and existing traffic signals, deployment of CCTV cameras, Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) and field hardened fiber network equipment.

Traffic Management is constantly changing and finding resolutions to this challenging process requires “out-of-the-box” thinking. Lee Engineering worked with Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), ADOT, and the City of Phoenix to complete Phase 1 of the I-10 Freeway Diversion route management study. This effort was developed to route traffic away from extended closures of the I-10 Freeway due to collisions or other incidents, onto City of Phoenix surface streets, and developing signal timing plans and diversion route strategies to handle the added volumes. Together, and in parallel paths, Lee Engineering and the local Metropolitan Planning Organization developed baseline models in Synchro, and in the MAG DynusT traffic simulation and assignment software. The DynusT model volumes were then loaded into Synchro for four different closures scenarios, in two different directions, during the morning and evening peak hours. Several different cycle lengths and splits were analyzed to find the least amount of delay for each scenario while attempting to move the most amount of traffic through several specific diversionary routes.

The next phase of the project will transfer the timing plans into the Phoenix traffic signal system to be implemented during those events that close portions of the freeway. This coordinated implementation of changing timing plans will be done at different times during the closure while supporting field devices are installed, thus creating dual left-turn movements where only one existed normally.

Lee Engineering’s approach to TMC design provides detailed form and functionality. Our firm is not a “vendor” and does not push systems or sub-systems to meet our goals. Our designs are custom to every project. Each TMC is different, and the agency typically has preferred devices and systems that they want to install, expand upon, or replace.

Today’s TMCs rely on multi-dimensional communications between Police, Fire, and other State and Municipal agency TMCs, not to mention internal communications with other municipal departments. They all depend on robust communications networking traffic signals, CCTV cameras, traffic data collection sites and fixed Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), and disseminating information to the general public. However, there are often other communication network requirements within municipalities that serve the traffic systems and serve the municipality as a whole. Traffic communication networks can also provide IT connectivity to schools, parks, libraries, emergency services, and Public Work’s needs, including well sites, weather stations, and radio communication towers.

Our staff has designed several TMCs in the Southwest, including The City of Mesa, The City of Peoria, the City of Avondale, City of Goodyear, and the City of Scottsdale. The designs have included communications connectivity and system control specifications for Traffic Signal Systems, DMS, and CCTV control. The designs included video walls, cabling and camera control software specifications and requirements, and Dynamic Message Sign (DMS) specifications.

Lee Engineering was involved with the initial design of the Scottsdale TMC. Lee guided the move of the fiber network, servers, and switches from downtown Scottsdale to its current location. A current employee of Lee Engineering was the Project Manager for the new Traffic Management Center while employed with the City of Scottsdale.

Some designs included physical changes to the existing TMCs or the complete relocation of the existing TMC. Through sub-consultants, Lee Engineering can provide Tenant Improvement design (TIs) needed to expand existing TMC footprints or complete relocations of the facilities. Designs included specialized lighting, UPS and generator loads, false flooring, cable routing, video wall design, access, and other functional requirements within and external to the center.

Our staff has provided design and specifications to several municipalities for Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), which include the cities of Flagstaff and Phoenix, Arizona. Lee Engineering managed the development of a regional signal system for Operation Green Light in the Kansas City region. The feasibility study identified the needs and solutions for interconnecting over 2,000 traffic signals in the region, operated by two state DOTs and 13 local municipalities.

Lee Engineering has completed ITS design for the City of Albuquerque Signal System Expansion projects for over a decade. Phases V through VIII, Lee completed as a sub-consultant, and Phases IX through XII, including the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) Phase were completed with Lee as the prime consultant. Throughout our ten years of projects, Lee Engineering has completed an Advance Traffic Management System feasibility study, implemented a transit priority system along the Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Corridor, installed over 50 miles of single-mode fiber optic cable, seven DMS signs, over 66 CCTV Cameras, and 19 traffic count stations. In addition to the PS&E projects, Lee Engineering also completed signal coordination and timing for 157 signalized intersections on 14 major corridors in Albuquerque and GIS inventory of all City of Albuquerque traffic signals and communications infrastructure. While the value and function of these projects are behind the scenes, the relationship built with the Department of Municipal Development and Traffic Engineering Division adds value to the planning process by engaging the engineering staff early to ensure constructible and maintainable projects are proposed.

City Staff working on the GIS project with Lee were awarded Employee of the Week by the City of Albuquerque Mayor for this innovative cost reduction project.

Lee recently completed the design and construction support of over 160 miles of 96-strand fiber optic cable on an accelerated schedule for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. This project was located in Northwestern Oklahoma and included the municipalities of Seiling, Woodward, Orienta, and Enid, OK. This project was a part of over 1,000 miles of fiber optic cable which was installed to provide a reliable broadband network across the state of Oklahoma to community anchor institutions such as local hospitals, schools, universities, area Department of Public Safety offices, and ODOT facilities.

Design requirements for this project included plan layouts, bridge connection details, culvert details, utility coordination with franchise utility companies for crossings, ground box location details, splice enclosures, and VISIO diagrams. Construction support was necessary in order to provide accurate as-built drawings for use in ODOT’s GIS database. During construction, the project spanned several counties and required coordination with ODOT Construction Managers, Resident Engineers, Maintenance Engineers, design staff, and field inspectors. Final as-built drawings were prepared to utilize a modified topographic survey with over 10,000 data collection points.

For this multi-phase System Engineering and Design project, Lee Engineering provided the Concept of Operations, System Requirements, and prepared the application that resulted in $2.5 million construction and $300K design awarded in Federal CMAQ funding for the installation of traffic adaptive signal control technology at 51 intersections and for the installation of 21 travel time data collectors at key locations along Bell Road in Maricopa County, the cities of Surprise, Peoria, Glendale, Phoenix, and Scottsdale.  Lee Engineering prepared the Systems Engineering Analysis, Design Concept Report with a cost estimate, and Operation Plans.  Lee Engineering also prepared the RFP and evaluation methodology for the best value procurement of the ASCT system (detection for the ASCT system and travel time data collectors will be procured using the low bid method).  Lee Engineering is currently preparing the plans, specifications, and cost estimate for the project.

Lee Engineering prepared the Project Assessment, Systems Engineering Analysis, 30%, 60%, 95%, and 100% PS&E for an ITS project involving the implementation of an adaptive traffic control system at 19 intersections surrounding Fiesta Mall within the City of Mesa. By designing this project without ground disturbance, this project was expedited to make use of available additional Federal CMAQ close out funding.