Strategic Approaches at the Corridor and Network Level to Minimize Disruption from the Renewal Process (2013)

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35 C h a p t e r 4 Development of New Software tools The software was developed in two separate components: graphical user interface and computational interface. There are three major functions of the software: (1) the Planning Module; (2) the Operations Module; and (3) the “handshake” between the two. The software development process was extensive. The development of WISE itself, incorporating projects and strate- gies into network dynamics for the Planning Module, was innovative and required groundbreaking work. One major challenge involved incorporating the universe of potential performance measures discovered in Phase 1, none of which is universal to the target audiences in their application, impor- tance, and overall costs into a computer program that is rigor- ous and temporally valid. The solution to this daunting challenge was the development of the Project Strategies tab in the Planning Module of WISE. This tab allows each user to develop and maintain its own library of demand-based and duration-based strategies and to apply them on a project-by- project basis. Another major challenge involved the develop- ment of a heuristic sequencing algorithm that could take a large number of projects over a complex network and com- pute a sequence of projects without requiring hours and hours of computing time. The solution to this challenge was the development of the heuristic algorithm utilizing TABU meth- odology to reduce the number of computational possibilities and to provide a stable solution in many fewer iterations. The WISE program and capabilities are addressed in the Users Guide and in the Instructional Materials (WISE PowerPoint presentation, Participants Workbook, and Instructors Guide). The purpose of this section is to provide additional back- ground and detail on one of the key innovations in the soft- ware development—namely overcoming excessive run times. Another major challenge was to develop an effective graphi- cal user interface (GUI). The GUI as developed has numerous error and boundary checks, as well as logic checks and help buttons. The software can evaluate continuous day and night construction schedules, as well as other distinct analysis peri- ods. The GUI development and system check tests are addressed in the WISE Users Guide. Approximately midway through the process, the team identified a significant problem. Run times to find a solution to the work zone sequencing problem were requiring many hours of processing time. A solution to this issue is addressed in Appendix D, Work Zone Sequencing. Development of Guidance for Software Tool Selection The WISE Users Guide provides instructions and background detail on the workspace, Planning Module, Operations Mod- ule, and the “handshake” between the two, as well as detailed information on how to load and convert a network and how to load traffic data. It also includes some details on the algo- rithm used to sequence projects. Workshops—test of Software tools The challenges to the software development led the team to expand the planned workshops. In addition to the two sched- uled workshops, one focused on the Planning Module and one on the Operations Module, the team convened a dry run in advance of the first workshop to provide additional oppor- tunity to work out “bugs” and improve the software and train- ing materials. • The dry run to evaluate the Planning Module was held on November 30, 2011, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. • The first workshop of the second series of workshops, to review the Planning Module of the software, was held on December 13–14, 2011, in Fairfax, Virginia. Participants Conclusions and Recommendations

36 viewed presentations on the Planning Module and its com- ponents. Extensive comments on the WISE GUI and the need for error checks reinforced the team decision to place additional focus and emphasis on the user interface. • The second workshop of the second series of workshops was convened on February 28–29, 2012, in Houston, Texas, at the Texas DOT offices. Participants viewed presentations on the improvements made to the WISE GUI and its inter- nal error and boundary checks, the Planning Module, and the Project Sequencing Algorithm, the Operations Module and DynusT (the engine for the Operations Module), and the interactions between the two modules. There was exten- sive discussion and interaction, with recommendations for improvements to the system. • After this workshop, the team convened a webinar for the SHRP 2 panel and other interested parties. Development of training Materials Training materials consisting of a PowerPoint presentation, a Participants Workbook, and an Instructors Guide have been completed. Preliminary training materials were reviewed at the dry run and at the two workshops. Next Steps Phase 4 has been initiated. For the model verification phase of the WISE product, the team envisioned two test sites and sought sites with good DOT/MPO working relationships, because availability of data and access to experts in both agen- cies are essential to success. The two sites selected are the Arizona DOT/Phoenix, Arizona (Maricopa Association of Governments) and the Iowa DOT/Des Moines Area MPO, Iowa. The geographic variation of these sites helps assure thor- ough verification of the WISE product for use by the widest possible target audience. As part of the verification process for each of these test areas the WISE program will be used to re- create the impacts of the recently completed renewal and expansion of the Phoenix freeway regional system and the renewal of the Des Moines, Iowa I-235 Corridor. The team also envisioned two sites for building WISE business cases and applications. These two sites will be the New York Metropolitan Area and the Orlando, Florida, Metropolitan Area. Based on the lessons learned, the team will revise the WISE Users Guide and the training materials to improve clarity and usefulness. This effort also provides an opportunity to fur- ther improve the rigorousness and stability of the WISE pro- gram and the GUI. The research team envisions development of as many as four “business cases” from these verification and pilot appli- cations that will document the flexibility of the WISE tool and will help to assure the widest possible range of applica- tion by the target audience. The team foresees development of business cases such as the following: 1. A DOT or MPO has a universe of identified renewal needs from management systems or other inputs. A public process must now be utilized to develop a program of renewal proj- ects. WISE is utilized as a sketch-planning tool to develop an initial program sequence from a “blank sheet” and to inform the public process and the decision-making process. 2. A DOT or MPO has a set of renewal projects, each with an identified location and a preliminary scope. Some infor- mation is now available regarding likely fiscal year pro- gramming of at least some projects, and some instances of project precedence have been identified. WISE is utilized to refine the sequence of program projects and to identify instances where specific demand-based or duration-based strategies should be utilized. 3. A renewal project is now in the design phase of its devel- opment and has been handed off to engineering staff. The engineering staff members utilize the network and project information already developed in the Planning Module of WISE but apply the data now in the Operations Module to analyze Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA)-based traffic diversion under a variety of MOT scenarios. An acceptable MOT scenario is selected, and the program sequence is re-evaluated to verify the placement of the project within the renewal program. 4. A renewal project has suffered significant delay because of issues with the construction contractor. Completion of this renewal project by the required date is no longer possible, and this renewal project is precedent to at least one subse- quent renewal project. The remaining program of projects must now be resequenced, and the estimated program cost must be compared to the original estimated program cost for the purpose of assessing liquidated damages.