MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 1 The TXDOT El Paso A CASE STUDY Highway Advisory Radio System

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 2 The Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) System project for the Texas Department of Transportation El Paso District is described from a process point-of-view and includes activities from project conception to commissioning. Introduction

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 3 Project Conception  The TXDOT El Paso District needed a way to provide the major travel corridors within the district with more travel advisory information than could be conveyed with the dynamic message signs.

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 4 Overall Objective  With the large geographic area that needed coverage, a Highway Advisory Radio System was the proposed solution.  68 MILES OF FREEWAY AND LIMITED ACCESS FACILITIES  US 54 – MEXICO BORDER TO THE NEW MEXICO BORDER  INTERSTATE 10 – NEW MEXICO BORDER TO FM 1110  US 62/180 AT LOOP 375

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 5 Preliminary Feasibility Study  Before making a huge investment, the proposed solution was scrutinized. A communications assessment was performed to determine the feasibility of obtaining an available AM radio frequency for HAR licensing.  FCC FREQUENCY LICENSE SEARCH – STATION AVAILABILITY  FREQUENCY SCANS – INTERFERENCE ASSESSED  PRELIMINARY BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 6 Vendor Research  Vendor research for production options and operational requirements  BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS WERE ADDRESSED AS THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS WERE REFINED  GPS SYNCHRONIZATION – NO AUDIO ECHO  CHEMICAL GROUNDING SYSTEM - REDUCED REAL ESTATE

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 7 Design System  Site Selection Considerations  ANTENNA MAXIMUM HEIGHT 49.2 FT (15 M)  OBSTRUCTIONS, TALL BUILDINGS  CLEAR OF TREES AND SCRUBS  RELATIVE ELEVATIONS

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 8 Design System  Site Selection Considerations (Continued)  MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OR FLATLANDS  >100 FT FROM OVERHEAD POWER LINES  UNDERGROUND UTILITIES  COMMERCIAL INTERFERENCE  OTHER RADIO TRANSMITTERS IN PROXIMITY

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 9 Design System  Site Selection Considerations (Continued)  FREE OF SAND, ROCK, MUD, CORAL, AND TREE ROOTS  SOIL RESISTANCE  RADIAL GROUND FOOT DIAMETER  CHEMICAL GROUND - 10 FOOT DIAMETER

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 10 Design System  Site Selection Considerations (Continued)  POWER AVAILABILITY – AC OR SOLAR  AVAILABLE COMMUNICATIONS - WIRELESS, FIBER, PHONE, DIGITAL CELL  PROXIMITY TO AIRPORT – FAA & FCC ISSUES  MUTCD FOR SIGN SPACING

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 11 Highlighted Features  Define functional features  CENTRALIZED COMMAND – INTUITIVE GUI  GPS SYNCHRONIZED SYSTEM – NO AUDIO ECHO  ALL TRANSMITTING THE SAME MESSAGE  EACH TRANSMITTING INDIVIDUAL MESSAGES  GROUPS WITH VARYING MESSAGES

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 12 Highlighted Features  Define functional features (Continued)  VOICE RECORDING – EASY ACCESS  TEXT-TO-SPEECH – AUTOMATED, DIGITIZED  LANGUAGE(S) - ENGLISH / SPANISH - TARGET AUDIENCE  VOICE GENDER TYPES – MALE / FEMALE

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 13 Highlighted Features  Initial 13 transmitters to 16 at full build-out  Signs with flashing beacons at 16 locations  Chemical grounding system – reduces real estate

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 14 Highlighted Features  Solar powered - economical  HAR system hardware and software at the Transvista control center

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 15 Highlighted Features  Hybrid communications to control center  WIRELESS ETHERNET INTERCONNECT OF THE HAR ANTENNAS AT 11 LOCATIONS  FIBER OPTIC ETHERNET INTERCONNECT OF THE HAR ANTENNAS AND NETWORK HUBS AT 16 LOCATIONS  REDUNDANT FIBER RINGS – ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS  FLASHING BEACONS VIA PAGERS

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 16 Developing Construction Documents  Plans  Specifications  Opinions of probable cost

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 17 Construction  Construction support  Submittal reviews

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 18 Commissioning the Completed System  System acceptance testing – verify proper installation and configuration  Staff operations and maintenance training

MARY A. HALE, P.E. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. VICTOR DE LA GARZA, P.E. Texas Department of Transportation 19 The TXDOT El Paso Highway Advisory Radio System