June 2014

COMMUNITIES: GOVERNMENT
Gadgets vs. Tools in Transportation Planning

BY MARION WATERS, P.E., PTOE

I absolutely love gadgets. My newest is the video monitoring system I installed at home so my family can feel secure while we’re away. But gadgets have short half-lives. They are quickly replaced as they become obsolete or the next great thing comes along. (Anyone still have 8-track tapes?)

In contrast, tools are worthwhile investments that stand the test of time. I have a number of tools that are older than I am, including my grandfather’s block plane, carpenter’s square, and hand saws. All of them still work as intended.

This comparison can be extended to the transportation arena. When considering investing limited public funds, we must examine whether new technologies are gadgets or tools. Are they fads, or do they have staying power?

For example, how useful will the overhead dynamic message signs on freeways be when smarter cars are built with sensor technologies and information-messaging systems on dashboards? And how can we ensure that the traffic-signal monitoring tools we’re developing today will support the traffic of tomorrow?

These are the kinds of questions that responsible government entities must address in their planning and budget processes, though the answers are not always clear.

Transportation agencies typically deal with funding cycles of up to six years, so it is often difficult to allocate funds for the devices and materials that might be successful in the future.

A staff member I once worked with dealt with this issue by listing, every budget year, an equipment purchase for a “sonic bulb washer.” When I finally asked him why he never purchased it, he informed me there was no such device.  It was simply his placeholder to provide funding for items we would need to purchase.

I liked his savvy method. Unfortunately, this approach is increasingly difficult. Many managers are hesitant to take risks, and budget constraints don’t often allow for imaginative investments like the “sonic bulb washer.” But it’s important to remember we should always have a vision for the future while remaining flexible when the future does not conform to our plans.

Most of my work since leaving the public sector has been helping traffic operations clients increase the efficiency of roadways through the application of technology for active traffic management. Part of my work has been to advise these clients which tools offer the greatest value for their needs.

For example, freeway management systems seem to benefit from the use of video cameras for incident location and verification; there is no substitute for actual “eyes-on” information. But it now appears that traffic speed/volume monitors may be unnecessary, as probe data from cell phones or Bluetooth sensors are producing similar results at much lower costs.

So how can government entities feel confident that they’re investing in tools versus gadgets? Here are a few best practices:

• Understand that innovation is often accompanied by failure to meet all expectations.  Expectations need to be managed by remembering that not every solution will be right on the first try.

• Keep in mind that developing efficient, sustainable technology with staying power takes time. Every worthwhile innovation requires some trial and error.

• Capitalize and invest in research and wise planning, compare new technology to previous similar technologies, and look for case studies to determine which tools stood the test of time and how they performed.

• Listen to your gut feelings, but solicit wise council from peers and those in other disciplines with similar technical challenges. And look for guidance outside of traditional areas. For example, when designing transportation management centers, engineers at my firm have consulted our in-house architectural experts about the emergency power systems they’ve designed for hospitals and medical facilities, since both types of facilities face similar challenges during a power outage or crisis event.

Too many leaders in the government arena seem to concentrate on surviving rather than thriving and excelling. Unfortunately, it appears the culture of government often supports that attitude. Tomorrow’s most successful transportation leaders will have to accept risk and be bold, courageous, and far-sighted about new concepts while also performing due diligence.

Innovation must be encouraged, but with practices and tools that support sustainability and longer life cycles. The key to success is finding the right balance.

Marion Waters, P.E., PTOE, is retired from the Georgia Department of Transportation, where he served as state traffic operations engineer during the 1996 Olympic Games. For the last 11 years, he’s worked at design firm Gresham, Smith, and Partners as senior vice president for intelligent transportation systems/traffic engineering.