Pete Terry was one of the presenters at a pre-conference session of the Penn State Transportation and Safety Conference (http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/transportation/registration.html). The Session focused on the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) and how PennDOT is implementing it into their Highway Occupancy Permit requirements. As a member of the TRB Highway Capacity and Quality of Service committee Pete presented a “national” perspective of the manual and its new capabilities and limitations. One presenter focused on the importance of identifying which HCM analysis a specific project would require at the TIS Scoping meeting and the specific software programs which PennDOT will allow for the different types of analysis. Another presenter focused on the importance of proper data collection (determine traffic demand not traffic passing through intersection) and the use of multiple time periods to capture the effect of the queue of vehicles from unmet demand.
The conference was officially kicked-off with PA Secretary of Transportation Barry Schoch peaking before a lunch crowd of over 250 about the changes PennDOT has made in their maintenance program and about the prospects for increased funding for transportation on the State level. Lunch was actually held so that he could complete his remarks and then travel back to Harrisburg to meet with the Governor to discuss funding options. He indicated that all funding sources identified in the Transportation Funding Coalition Study from 2011 (ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/TFAC/TFAC%20Executive%20Summary.pdf) are being discussed and that action may be taken in the Spring of 2013. Benchmark encourages you to read the report and contact your state senators and representatives to tell them how important fixing and maintaining our infrastructure is to you to promote transportation safety and economic opportunity.
