TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS

PROGRAM MISSION: To plan, design, and operate traffic engineering aspects of roads, and their networks and relationships with other transportation modes, to achieve a safe, efficient, and convenient movement of people and goods through the collection and analysis of traffic and accident data.

The Transportation Engineering & Operations Bureau (TE&O) of the Department of Environmental Services (DES) consists of Data Collection and Analysis, Arlington County Parking Garages and Residential Zoned Parking, Traffic System Management and Design, and Transportation Infrastructure.

• Data Collection and Analysis Program includes the evaluation of requests for traffic control devices including signs, pavement markings, and parking meters. The program requires close coordination with Transportation Planning and others in evaluating and implementing neighborhood traffic calming measures. Assistance in neighborhood traffic calming is also provided by deployment of a mobile speed indicator and video surveillance. Other program responsibilities include evaluation of the need for traffic and parking regulations, issuance of permits for use of the public rights-of-way, preparation of traffic and parking ordinances, and recommendation of work zone safety controls. Data Collection and Analysis staff works directly with residents to solve parking problems, manage parking ordinance development, administer the Reserved Handicapped Parking Meter Program and serve as the liaison with external organizations such as Metro, universities and civic associations.

• Arlington County Parking Garages and Residential Zoned Parking efforts focus on increasing off-street parking and managing curbside parking. TE&O is responsible for the administration and implementation of the Residential Parking Program by defining zone boundaries, determining eligibility for the program, signing the appropriate blocks and working with residents and civic associations. The Treasurer's Office assists the parking program by issuing parking decals and temporary parking permits.
  
  In addition to managing the Ballston Parking Garage, TE&O will be responsible for operations and maintenance of the Barcroft Parking Garage, which is expected to open in FY 2005, and new parking garages planned at the Trades Center, Arlington Mill Center and the North Tract Sports Complex. The overall policy for operating and managing new County garages, hours and fees, facility security and facility maintenance will be developed in cooperation with affected departments.

• Transportation System Management and Design Program designs traffic signal systems, pavement markings, pedestrian enhancements, and intersection improvements to create a safe commuting environment and balance the multimodal demands of a growing Arlington. Projects include designing mid-block pedestrian crosswalks, improving signage, evaluating and implementing left turn phases, cabinet and traffic signal pole relocations, establishing pavement marking improvements, and designing new locations for school flasher warning devices.
  
  Major work currently underway is the development of "as built" signal plans for all intersections including the inventory of all streetlights in the system and locating each street light on the GIS System. The Street Lighting design team supports street light additions through Neighborhood Conservation, developer improvements and DES capital projects. This program serves as liaison between residents and Virginia Power to provide adequate lighting in Arlington residential neighborhoods and coordinates the maintenance and design of street and trail lights owned and maintained by Virginia Power.

• Transportation Infrastructure Program combines the operations of the streetlights, parking meters, traffic signs, traffic signals, and pavement markings programs.
  
  
  • The Streetlight Program is responsible for street light operations and maintenance. Although the vast majority of streetlights in the County are owned by Dominion Virginia Power, the program is also responsible for ensuring the installation, maintenance and repairs of approximately 1,700 County maintained streetlights. These streetlights are located in commercial areas, tunnels, on pedestrian bridges, and at signalized intersections.
    
    
  • The Parking MeterProgram is responsible for the installation, operation, maintenance and collection of funds from parking meters and "Park Smart" cards throughout the County. All parking meters in the County are now electronic. Electronic meters provide more dependability for users and more information for improved parking analysis.
    
    
  • The Traffic Signs Program is responsible for fabrication, installation, maintenance, and removal of all signs necessary to provide safe and orderly use of streets, walkways, biking/hiking trails, and parking areas. This section provides signing expertise and fabrication and installation of signs for street operations, street construction and maintenance projects, residential permit parking, neighborhood watch, parking for the disabled, drug free zones, and many other special requests. Temporary signs for various special private and public activities are also supplied and installed.
    
    The Signs program is currently upgrading outdated signs throughout Arlington County. Sign condition, location, and material type are being reviewed to maximize the reflectivity of the signs. The program continues to install yellow-green fluorescent signs for pedestrian-school activities to highlight the potential hazard for drivers. The Wayfinder Program is developing a signage program whereby pedestrians, bicyclists, automobile users and visitors to Arlington County can find their way around by use of signs, kiosks and wayfinders.
    
    
  • The Traffic Signals Program improves pedestrian and vehicular mobility in Arlington to create a safe and healthy living environment, and to help meet the traffic control demands of a growing economy. The Signals Program is responsible for the operation, maintenance and installation of all electrical and electronic traffic control equipment. Beginning July 2004, the signals maintenance team has been implementing the work management scheduling system for the signal maintenance. Using the scheduling system the team completed 100% maintenance of overhead signals for the first time in the history of the program. A record number of seventeen cabinets have been changed out in the first quarter of FY 2005, as part of the County's signal system upgrade. Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) change out of 50% of the signals within the County is scheduled to be complete by the end of FY 2005. The LED change out program has reduced energy costs.
    
    This program is also responsible for the operation and management of the computerized traffic signal control system. In January 2004, the County signal system transitioned to the new Windows based ACTRA system from the old MONARCH system. The ACTRA system provides centralized control for 246 signalized intersections in the County. Sixty-five of these signalized intersections also operate under SCOOT (Split, Cycle and Offset Optimization Technique), a demand responsive system. The signals program is currently working on a County-wide traffic signal optimization project, scheduled to be completed by June 2005. The project involves the retiming of approximately 175 signals to provide better pedestrian crossing times and safe bicycle flow, and to optimize existing traffic signal timing. Retiming of an additional 75 signals is planned for FY 2006. The program is also scheduled to complete the Columbia Pike Transit Signal Priority/Emergency Vehicle Preemption (TSP/EVP) project during the first quarter of FY 2006.
    
    
  • The Pavement Markings effort is responsible for the layout, installation, and maintenance of pavement markings to provide delineation and alignment for safer pedestrian and vehicular movements. Newer pavements must be repainted every three to five years with bright thermoplastic coatings. As a result of the new thermoplastic coating, there is higher bridge deck visibility at night. Paint must be used on older pavement and redone annually.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• Savings in the street light and signals electricity budgets have been reprogrammed to increase the pavement marking program ($30,000) and for parking meter parts and replacement of parking meters ($54,000).

• Increases in parking meter revenue ($185,830) and permit right-of-way fees due to proposed fee increases ($97,000) are partially offset by a decrease in signal reimbursement revenue. State revenue for the Signals Program reimburses the County for operating state signals in the County based on the percent of signals that the County operates that are state responsibility. The current percentage is 49%.

• The decrease in FTEs reflects the transfer of 1.0 FTE to a centralized call center, which is part of the Solid Waste Bureau, to assist in answering calls about transportation engineering services and problems.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Data Collection Program

• In FY 2003 the speed trailer was damaged for approximately 8 months.

Traffic System Management and Design Program

• Signalized intersections are routinely evaluated for safety, signals lacking adequate pedestrian support and level of service (LOS) they provide. Intersections with a LOS of worse than "C" are studied for capacity efficiency. Problem intersections are evaluated for possible solutions including marking, signal timing, or the geometry of the intersection.

Street Lights Program

• Dominion Virginia Power has conducted the inventory of all street lights in Arlington County. Validation of findings is forthcoming.

• A portion of street light repairs were contracted out due to high volume of outages in FY 2004.

Parking Meter Program

• Meter revenue includes coin collection from the meters and "Park Smart" Cards.

Signs Program

Signals Program

• By end of FY 2006 we project a total of 154 countdowns to be installed.

• PM = Preventive Maintenance

Pavement Markings Program

• Workload measures are based on timing and availability of contractors.

• Bike lane markings should increase significantly due to bike friendliness, remarking and damage due to construction.

FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:

• Demand by neighborhoods to assist in advising motorists of their speed will likely result in increased requests for the mobile speed indicator trailer. Additional units may be required to meet these growing demands.

• Requests for transportation analysis continue to grow particularly to enhance and encourage pedestrian movements. Staff reallocations were made to respond to demand, but ongoing growth may require further staffing or contract expense.

• As funding is available, the Design Management program has been upgrading and placing each as-built intersection and accident diagram into AutoCAD. There is a growing demand to share this data electronically across departments to enable broader analysis of data. As the program expands to include all incident management, increased funding will need to be considered.

• Electronic data needs continue to grow as information becomes more valuable across divisions and departments. The data is essential in developing a sound asset management plan. Funds may be needed for a contractor to create a geo-based information system, and additional staff may be needed to maintain it.

• Additional on-street bike trails, pedestrian upgraded crosswalks, and traffic calming devices will continue to add to the inventory of markings that require maintenance.

• With an increasing need in Arlington for traffic and parking control devices to ensure safe travel for all methods of mobility, a steadily growing inventory of signs with considerable variety and application is expected.

• Traffic Signal Communication Infrastructure review is currently being conducted to estimate the life expectancy of the existing communication system. Based on the result of this study, additional funding may be required to upgrade/update existing communication links.

• Master Plan modifications will yield more field resources for signs and pavement programs.

• Additional staff will be required to manage off-street parking and future operations and management of parking facilities.