NYSTA Thruway Statewide Operations Center (TSOC)

Status: Existing

Description

Primary center for coordination of traffic incident response, emergency management, and dissemination of traveler information along the Thruway statewide, based out of Albany.

Stakeholders

StakeholderRoleRole Status
New York State Thruway AuthorityOwnsExisting

Physical Objects

Traffic Management Center
Maint and Constr Management Center
Transportation Information Center
Emergency Management Center

Functional Objects

Functional ObjectDescriptionUser Defined
Emergency Commercial Vehicle Response'Emergency Commercial Vehicle Response' identifies and initiates a response to commercial vehicle and freight equipment related emergencies. These emergencies may include incidents involving hazardous materials as well as the detection of non–permitted transport of security sensitive hazmat. It identifies the location of the vehicle, the nature of the incident, the route information, and information concerning the freight itself. The information supports the determination of the response and identifies the responding agencies to notify.False
Emergency Early Warning System'Emergency Early Warning System' monitors alerting and advisory systems, information collected by ITS surveillance and sensors, and reports from other agencies and uses this information to identify potential, imminent, or in–progress major incidents or disasters. Notification is provided to initiate the emergency response, including public notification using ITS traveler information systems, where appropriate.False
Emergency Evacuation Support'Emergency Evacuation Support' coordinates evacuation plans among allied agencies and manages evacuation and reentry of a population in the vicinity of a disaster or other emergency that poses a risk to public safety. Where appropriate, the affected population is evacuated in shifts, using more than one evacuation route, and including several evacuation destinations to spread demand and thereby expedite the evacuation. All affected jurisdictions (e.g., states and counties) at the evacuation origin, evacuation destination, and along the evacuation route are informed of the plan. The public is provided with real–time evacuation guidance including basic information to assist potential evacuees in determining whether evacuation is necessary. Resource requirements are forecast based on the evacuation plans, and the necessary resources are located, shared between agencies if necessary, and deployed at the right locations at the appropriate times. The evacuation and reentry status are monitored and used to refine the plan and resource allocations during the evacuation and subsequent reentry. It communicates with public health systems to develop evacuation plans and recommended strategies for disasters and evacuation scenarios involving biological or other medical hazards.False
Emergency Incident Command'Emergency Incident Command' provides tactical decision support, resource coordination, and communications integration for Incident Commands that are established by first responders at or near the incident scene to support local management of an incident. It supports communications with public safety, emergency management, transportation, and other allied response agency centers, tracks and maintains resource information, action plans, and the incident command organization itself. Information is shared with agency centers including resource deployment status, hazardous material information, traffic, road, and weather conditions, evacuation advice, and other information that enables emergency or maintenance personnel in the field to implement an effective, safe incident response. It supports the functions and interfaces commonly supported by a mobile command center.False
Emergency Response Management'Emergency Response Management' provides the strategic emergency response capabilities and broad inter–agency interfaces that are implemented for extraordinary incidents and disasters that require response from outside the local community. It provides the functional capabilities and interfaces commonly associated with Emergency Operations Centers. It develops and stores emergency response plans and manages overall coordinated response to emergencies. It monitors real–time information on the state of the regional transportation system including current traffic and road conditions, weather conditions, special event and incident information. It tracks the availability of resources and assists in the appropriate allocation of these resources for a particular emergency response. It also provides coordination between multiple allied agencies before and during emergencies to implement emergency response plans and track progress through the incident. It also coordinates with the public through the Emergency Telecommunication Systems (e.g., Reverse 911). It coordinates with public health systems to provide the most appropriate response for emergencies involving biological or other medical hazards.False
Emergency Secure Area Sensor Management'Emergency Secure Area Sensor Management' manages sensors that monitor secure areas in the transportation system, processes the collected data, performs threat analysis in which data is correlated with other sensor, surveillance, and advisory inputs, and then disseminates resultant threat information to emergency personnel and other agencies. In response to identified threats, the operator may request activation of barrier and safeguard systems to preclude an incident, control access during and after an incident or mitigate impact of an incident. The sensors may be in secure areas frequented by travelers (i.e., transit stops, transit stations, rest areas, park and ride lots, modal interchange facilities, on–board a transit vehicle, etc.) or around transportation infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels and transit railways or guideways. The types of sensors include acoustic, threat (e.g. chemical agent, toxic industrial chemical, biological, explosives, and radiological sensors), infrastructure condition and integrity, motion and object sensors.False
Emergency Secure Area Surveillance'Emergency Secure Area Surveillance' monitors surveillance inputs from secure areas in the transportation system. The surveillance may be of secure areas frequented by travelers (i.e., transit stops, transit stations, rest areas, park and ride lots, modal interchange facilities, on–board a transit vehicle, etc.) or around transportation infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels and transit railways or guideways. It provides both video and audio surveillance information to emergency personnel and automatically alerts emergency personnel of potential incidents.False
ITS Data Subscription Management'ITS Data Subscription Management' manages data subscriptions for an end user. It provides access to a catalog of available data, manages the necessary user information and rules that govern the data subscriptions, supports communications with data providers to collect data per the subscription rules, and makes the data available to the end user. It provides the local user interface through which a user can specify and manage subscriptions. It supports different mechanisms for collecting subscribed data for the end–user including one–time query–response as well as publish–subscribe services.False
MCM Automated Treatment System Control'MCM Automated Treatment System Control' remotely monitors and controls automated road treatment systems that disperse anti–icing chemicals or otherwise treat a road segment. The automated treatment system may be remotely activated by this object or it may include environmental sensors that activate the system automatically based on sensed environmental conditions. This object monitors treatment system operation, sets operating parameters, and directly controls system activation if necessary.False
MCM Environmental Information Collection'MCM Environmental Information Collection' collects current road and weather conditions using data collected from environmental sensors deployed on and about the roadway. In addition to fixed sensor stations at the roadside, this functional object also collects environmental information from sensor systems located on Maintenance and Construction Vehicles. It also collects current and forecast environmental conditions information that is made available by other systems. The functional object aggregates the sensor system data and provides it, along with data attributes to other applications.False
MCM Field Equipment Maintenance'MCM Field Equipment Maintenance' provides overall management and support for maintenance of field equipment on a roadway system, right–of–way, parking area, transit stop, or other areas where field equipment exists. Services include repair and maintenance of ITS field equipment in these areas (e.g., detectors and other sensors, cameras, dynamic message signs, electronic toll collection equipment, electronic clearance equipment, weigh–in–motion sensors, etc.).False
MCM Incident Management'MCM Incident Management' supports maintenance and construction participation in coordinated incident response. Incident notifications are shared, incident response resources are managed, and the overall incident situation and incident response status is coordinated among allied response organizations.False
MCM Maintenance Decision Support'MCM Maintenance Decision Support' recommends maintenance courses of action based on current and forecast environmental and road conditions and additional application specific information. Decisions are supported through understandable presentation of filtered and fused environmental and road condition information for specific time horizons as well as specific maintenance recommendations that are generated by the system based on this integrated information. The recommended courses of action are supported by information on the anticipated consequences of action or inaction, when available.False
MCM Roadway Maintenance'MCM Roadway Maintenance' provides overall management and support for routine maintenance on a roadway system or right–of–way. Services managed include landscape maintenance, hazard removal (roadway debris, dead animals), routine maintenance activities (roadway cleaning, grass cutting), and repair and maintenance of non–ITS equipment on the roadway (e.g., signs, gantries, cabinets, guard rails, etc.). Environmental conditions information is also received from various weather sources to aid in scheduling routine maintenance activities. See also MCM Field Equipment Maintenance for maintenance of ITS field equipment.False
MCM Traffic Information Dissemination'MCM Traffic Information Dissemination' uses dynamic message signs to disseminate traffic and road conditions, closure and detour information, incident information, driver advisories, and other maintenance–related data. It monitors and controls driver information system field equipment including dynamic message signs, managing dissemination of driver information through these systems.False
MCM Vehicle Maintenance Management'MCM Vehicle Maintenance Management' monitors vehicle and equipment condition, tracks maintenance history, and schedules routine and corrective maintenance based on vehicle/equipment utilization and availability schedules.False
MCM Vehicle Tracking'MCM Vehicle Tracking' tracks the location of maintenance and construction vehicles and other equipment. Vehicle/equipment location and associated information is presented to the operator.False
MCM Winter Maintenance Management'MCM Winter Maintenance Management' manages winter road maintenance, tracking and controlling snow plow operations, roadway treatment (e.g., salt spraying and other material applications), and other snow and ice control operations. It monitors environmental conditions and weather forecasts and uses the information to schedule winter maintenance activities, determine the appropriate snow and ice control response, and track and manage response operations.False
MCM Work Activity Coordination'MCM Work Activity Coordination' disseminates work activity schedules and current asset restrictions to other agencies. Work schedules are coordinated with operating agencies, factoring in the needs and activities of other agencies and adjacent jurisdictions. Work schedules are also distributed to Transportation Information Centers for dissemination to the traveling public.False
MCM Work Zone Management'MCM Work Zone Management' remotely monitors and supports work zone activities, controlling traffic through dynamic message signs (DMS), Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), gates and barriers, and informing other groups of activity (e.g., traveler information, traffic management, other maintenance and construction centers) for better coordination management. Work zone speeds, and delays, and closures are provided to the motorist prior to the work zones. This application provides control of field equipment in all maintenance areas, including fixed and portable field equipment supporting both stationary and mobile work zones.False
TIC Data Collection'TIC Data Collection' collects transportation–related data from other centers, performs data quality checks on the collected data and then consolidates, verifies, and refines the data and makes it available in a consistent format to applications that support operational data sharing between centers and deliver traveler information to end–users. A broad range of data is collected including traffic and road conditions, transit data, emergency information and advisories, weather data, special event information, traveler services, parking, multimodal data, and toll/pricing data. It also shares data with other transportation information centers.False
TIC Emergency Traveler Information'TIC Emergency Traveler Information' provides emergency information to the public, including wide–area alerts and evacuation information. It provides emergency alerts, information on evacuation zones and evacuation requirements, evacuation destinations and shelter information, available transportation modes, and traffic and road conditions at the origin, destination, and along the evacuation routes. In addition to general evacuation information, personalized information including tailored evacuation routes, service information, and estimated travel times is also provided based on traveler specified origin, destination, and route parameters. Updated information is provided throughout the evacuation and subsequent reentry as status changes and plans are adapted.False
TIC Road Weather Advisories and Warnings'TIC Road Weather Advisories and Warnings' collects, aggregates, and processes environmental situation data (aka environmental probe data) from connected vehicles. Environmental situation data may be collected through direct wide area wireless communications with vehicles or through short range communications equipment at the roadside. Aggregated environmental conditions information are distributed to other centers that use the information to support transportation operations and traveler information services.False
TIC Traveler Information Broadcast'TIC Traveler Information Broadcast' disseminates traveler information including traffic and road conditions, incident information, maintenance and construction information, event information, transit information, parking information, and weather information. The same information is broadcast to all equipped traveler interface systems and vehicles.False
TIC Traveler Telephone Information'TIC Traveler Telephone Information' services voice–based traveler requests for information that supports traveler telephone information systems like 511. It takes requests for traveler information, which could be voice–formatted traveler requests, dual–tone multi–frequency (DTMF)–based requests, or a simple traveler information request, and returns the requested traveler information in the proper format. In addition to servicing requests for traveler information, it also collects and forwards alerts and advisories to traveler telephone information systems.False
TMC Barrier System Management'TMC Barrier System Management' remotely monitors and controls barrier systems for transportation facilities and infrastructure under control of center personnel. Barrier systems include automatic or remotely controlled gates, barriers and other access control systems. It also provides an interface to other centers to allow monitoring and control of the barriers from other centers (e.g., public safety or emergency operations centers).False
TMC Environmental Monitoring'TMC Environmental Monitoring' assimilates current and forecast road conditions and surface weather information using a combination of weather service provider information, information collected by other centers such as the Maintenance and Construction Management Center, data collected from environmental sensors deployed on and about the roadway, and information collected from connected vehicles. The collected environmental information is monitored and presented to the operator. This information can be used to issue general traveler advisories and support location specific warnings to drivers.False
TMC Incident Detection'TMC Incident Detection' identifies and reports incidents to Traffic Operations Personnel. It remotely monitors and controls traffic sensor and surveillance systems that support incident detection and verification. It analyzes and reduces the collected sensor and surveillance data, external alerting and advisory and incident reporting systems, anticipated demand information from intermodal freight depots, border crossings, special event information, and identifies and reports incidents and hazardous conditionsFalse
TMC Incident Dispatch Coordination'TMC Incident Dispatch Coordination' formulates and manages an incident response that takes into account the incident potential, incident impacts, and resources required for incident management. It provides information to support dispatch and routing of emergency response and service vehicles as well as coordination with other cooperating agencies. It provides access to traffic management resources that provide surveillance of the incident, traffic control in the surrounding area, and support for the incident response. It monitors the incident response and collects performance measures such as incident response and clearance times.False
TMC In–Vehicle Signing Management'TMC In–Vehicle Signing Management' controls and monitors RSEs that support in–vehicle signing. Sign information that may include static regulatory, service, and directional sign information as well as variable information such as traffic and road conditions can be provided to the RSE, which uses short range communications to send the information to in–vehicle equipment. Information that is currently being communicated to passing vehicles and the operational status of the field equipment is monitored by this application. The operational status of the field equipment is reported to operations personnel.False
TMC Safeguard System Management'TMC Safeguard System Management' remotely monitors and controls safeguard systems for transportation facilities and infrastructure. Safeguard systems include blast shielding, exhaust systems and other automatic or remotely controlled systems intended to mitigate the impact of an incident. When access to a transportation facility is impacted by the activation of a safeguard system, impacted systems and travelers are notified.False
TMC Traffic Information Dissemination'TMC Traffic Information Dissemination' disseminates traffic and road conditions, closure and detour information, incident information, driver advisories, and other traffic–related data to other centers, the media, and driver information systems. It monitors and controls driver information system field equipment including dynamic message signs and highway advisory radio, managing dissemination of driver information through these systems.False
TMC Variable Speed Limits'TMC Variable Speed Limits' provides center monitoring and control of variable speed limits systems. It monitors data on traffic and environmental conditions collected from sensors along the roadway. Based on the measured data, it calculates and sets suitable speed limits usually by lane. It controls equipment that posts the current speed limits and displays additional information such as basic safety rules and current traffic information to drivers.False
TMC Work Zone Traffic Management'TMC Work Zone Traffic Management' coordinates work plans with maintenance systems so that work zones are established that have minimum traffic impact. Traffic control strategies are implemented to further mitigate traffic impacts associated with work zones that are established, providing work zone information to driver information systems such as dynamic message signs.False

Physical Standards

Document NumberTitleDescription
NEMA TS 8Cyber and Physical Security for Intelligent Transportation SystemsThis specification describes how agencies and other transportation infrastructure owner/operators should implement cyber– and physical–security for ITS.

Interfaces To

(View Context Diagram)

511NY
Border Wait Time System
Commercial Vehicle Fleet Dispatch Systems
Commercial Vehicles
Construction/Maintenance Vehicles
Local Emergency Dispatch
Municipal Roadway Maintenance Dispatch Centers
NFBC Field Equipment
NFBC Operations Center
NFTA Transit and Paratransit Operations Control Center
NITTEC Traffic Operations Center (Crossroads/AllRoads)
NITTEC Transportation Management Operations Technicians (TMOTs)
NITTEC Website
NYSDOT Field Equipment
NYSDOT STICC
NYSTA Field Equipment
Ontario 511
PBA Field Equipment
PBA Operations Center
Private Tow Dispatch Center
Private Travelers Personal Computing Devices
Third Party Transportation Information Sources
Traffic Signal Central System
Winter Operations Vehicles