2400 - Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - Rapid Signal Priority Expansion MOU INTER-AGENCY COUNTYWIDE SIGNAL PRIORITY
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
CITY OF ROSEMEAD
AND
LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION
AUTHORITY
This Memorandum of Understanding ("MOV') is a no cost agreement entered into
effective I I—S- °1 by and between the City of Rosemead (`City") and the Los Angeles
County Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("LACMTA") to provide inter-agency
guidelines, responsibilities and procedures for the installation, operations and
maintenance of Countywide Signal Priority (CSP) to support METRO Rapid operations.
RECITALS
A. The City has responsibility for the operation and maintenance of its local
traffic control system.
B. LACMTA is deploying its Metro Rapid bus service, which will be running
through certain corridors in the City. A component of this Rapid bus
program is to provide signal priority for Rapid buses at signalized
intersections along the Rapid bus route. LACMTA uses Countywide Signal
Priority ("CSP") technologies to implement the signal priority element of the
Rapid service.
C. The implementation of CSP technologies have been successfully
demonstrated to enhance Metro Rapid services, resulting in substantial travel
time savings for the public without negatively impacting the overall
transportation network.
D. CSP was prepared in accordance with state and federal traffic signal safety
requirements. The implementation of CSP does not affect or alter the safety
parameters of the local traffic control system.
E. The City desires to participate in the Metro Rapid service by allowing
LACMTA to make certain improvements on City traffic control equipment at
targeted intersections as described herein.
F. The purpose of this MOU is to establish the following items to facilitate the
implementation and ongoing operations of CSP for Metro Rapid services
along Garvey Avenue between Garvey Community Center and Jackson
Avenue in the City of Rosemead:
Inter-Agency Countywide Signal Priority Memorandum of Understanding
City of Rosemead
• Clear delineation of roles and responsibilities of each agency
• Standard operating procedures for each agency
• Maintenance responsibilities for agencies
• Acceptance of mutual cooperation to resolve technical and institutional
issues during the design, implementation, operation and maintenance of
the CSP project.
• Communication protocols (along with contact names and phone
numbers)
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of
which are hereby acknowledged,the parties hereby agree as follows:
1.0 CITY AGREES:
1.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.1.1 if available, the City will provide or make available to LACMTA
existing traffic signal plans for targeted intersections in order for
LACMTA to prepare final as-built drawings. Such traffic signal
plans shall be provided in an electronic format, if available.
1.1.2 'The City will provide coordination support during the design,
installation and testing of all CSI' elements. Such support may
include, without limitation,timely review of design, access to
necessary equipment for installation, providing timely approvals
and inspections and making staff available on an as-needed basis.
1.1.3 The City shall work with LACMTA to make space available for the
installation of CSP WLAN equipment within traffic controller
cabinets and on traffic signal poles and mast arms as necessary.
1.1.4 The City shall issue permits, if required, at no cost to LACMTA or
its contractors for all work directly related to the installation of
CSP.
1.1.5 The City shall assist with the installation of updated traffic signal
control programs required for the CSP operation. The City shall
remain responsible for tasks directly related to day-to-day traffic
signal operations.
1.1.6 The City hereby authorizes LACMTA to obtain the applicable
traffic signal control firmware for the City in order to operate the
CSP system.
1.1.7 The City shall retain exclusive ownership and control over all local
traffic signal control equipment. Other than the CSP WLAN and
related equipment, the City shall also retain exclusive ownership
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Inter-Agency Countywwe Signal Priority Memorandum of Understanding
City of Rosemead
and control over all other equipment, firmware, software and
improvements that LACMTA makes to the City traffic signals.
1.2 OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
1.2.1 The City shall retain responsibility for the operations and
maintenance of the local traffic control system, including those
intersections receiving traffic signal cabinet, controller hardware
and firmware upgrades. Nothing in this MOU is intended to
change or be construed to change City's responsibilities in
operating and maintaining its traffic control system, including,
without limitation, traffic timing/signal issues at City
intersections.
1.2.2 The City reserves the right to disconnect CSP hardware as deemed
necessary as part of normal local traffic signal control operations
and maintenance.
1.2.3 The City will notify LACMTA if CSP hardware is disconnected
during the normal course of traffic signal control operations and
maintenance.
1.3 COOPERATION
1.3.1 The City supports the deployment of the CSP System and will
cooperate with I.ACMTA in order to successfully deploy signal
priority along Garvey Avenue between Garvey Community Center
and Jackson Avenue in the City of Rosemead.
1.4 COMMUNICATIONS
1.4.1 The City appoints the following individual to serve as the principal
point of contact under this MOU:
City of Rosemead
P.O. Box 399
8838 E. Valley Boulevard
Rosemead, CA 91770
ATPN: CHRIS MARCARELLO
DEPUTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
c rg
2.0 LACMTA AGREES:
2.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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Inter-Agency Countywide Signal Priority Memorandum of Understanding
City of Rosemead
2.1.1 To the extent, LACMTA obtains traffic signal plans from the City,
LACMTA shall update such traffic signal plans with the proposed
signal priority improvements and provide final as built plans to the
City upon completion of installation.
2.1.2 At LACMTA's sole cost and expense, LACMTA shall procure, test,
and in coordination with the City, integrate, and install all
elements necessary to implement CS P at each targeted
intersection, including installing traffic signal controller and
firmware upgrades when necessary. LACMTA shall not install any
CSP equipment until LACMTA has received (i) City's approval on
the design and (ii) the applicable City permits.
2.1.3 LAC MTA and its contractors will obtain all necessary permits and
coordinate with the City prior to commencing fieldwork.
2.1.4 LACMTA will retain exclusive ownership and control over the CSP
WLAN and related equipment.
2.1.5 LACMTA will coordinate with the Los Angeles County Department
of Public Works who will be responsible for updating and the
initial entering of signal timing with CSP parameters along Garvey
Avenue between Garvey Community Center and Jackson Avenue
in the City of Rosemead.
2.2 OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
2.2.1 LACMTA shall work with the City to develop appropriate signal
priority implementation strategies acceptable to both agencies.
The parties understand and agree that the City is ultimately
responsible for the traffic timing sheets that control all
intersections.
2.2.2 LACMTA will coordinate all operations and maintenance directly
attributable to the signal priority deployment with the City.
2.3 COOPERATION
2.3.1 LACMTA will work closely with the City to ensure that the
deployment of signal priority does not impact traffic conditions or
increase normal operations and maintenance requirements at
signal prioritized intersections.
2.4 COMMUNICATIONS
2.4.1 LACMTA appoints the following individual to serve as the
principal point of contact:
Steve Gota
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
One Gateway Plaza
4
Inter-Agency County-wilts- Signal Priority Memorandum of Understandnig
City of Rosemead
Mail Stop: 99-22-8
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 922-3043
gotas®metro.net
3.0 MUTUALLY AGREED:
3.1 The recitals above are incorporated by reference and hereby made a part
of this MOU.
3.2 By accepting this MOU, the City and IACMTA recognize that it is
impractical to make provisions for every contingency that may arise
during the term of this MOU. The City and LACMTA agree in principle
that the MOU shall operate with fairness and without detriment to the
interest of all parties, and if in the course of the performance of this
MOU, an infringement of this principle is anticipated or disclosed, the
City and IACMTA shall promptly meet in good faith and shall determine
what actions need to take place to remove the cause or causes of such
infringement.
3.3 Neither the City nor any officer or employee thereof is responsible for any
damages or liability occurring by reason of anything done or omitted to he
done by LACMTA under or in connection with any work authority or
jurisdiction delegated to LACMTA under this M OU. It is understood and
agreed that, pursuant to Government Code Section 895.4, IACMTA shall
fully defend, indemnify and save harmless the City and their respective
officers and employees from all claims, suits or action of every name, kind
and description brought for or on account of injury (as defined in
Government Section 810.8) occurring by reason of anything done or
omitted to be done by LACMTA under or in connection with any work,
authority, responsibility or jurisdiction delegated to LACMTA under this
MOU.
3.4 Neither LACMTA nor any officer or employee thereof is responsible for
any damages or liability occurring by reason of anything done or omitted
to be done by the City under or in connection with any work authority or
jurisdiction delegated to the City under this MOU. It is understood and
agreed that, pursuant to Government Code Section 895.4, the City shall
fully defend, indemnify and save harmless LACMTA and their respective
officers and employees from all claims, suits or action of every name, kind
and description brought for or on account of injury (as defined in
Government Section 810.8) occurring by reason of anything done or
omitted to be done by the City under or in connection with any work,
authority, responsibility or jurisdiction delegated to the City under this
MOU.
5
Inter-Agency Countywide Signal Priority Memorandum of Understanding
City or Rosemead
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this MOU to he executed by their duly
authorized representatives as of the dates indicated below:
LACMTA:
LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
By: &I-Mt 'IT'?
Arthur T. Leahy Date
Chief Executive Officer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Robert E. Kalunian
Acting County Counsel
By SPS*. _ $311 •
➢e • Date
GRANTEE:
CITY OF ROSEMEAD ��'' dd �
By: )��.t.J C f0- /- G 9
Marg et Clark Date
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Counsel
By
Montes Date
City Attorney
6
Countywide Metro Rapid Signal Priority
Countywide Signal Priority
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority(Metro) is constantly striving to
improve regional mobility by increasing the efficiency and attractiveness of public transit through-
out the region. As part of this endeavor, Metro has embarked upon an ambitious plan to enhance
bus service along the County's most utilized transit corridors. One of the most promising tools
available today to contribute to the success of the agency's service enhancement objectives is bus
signal priority (BSP).
whal exactly is BSP? In 2004, ITS America defined BSP as"an operational strategy that facilitates
the movement of in-service buses through traffic signal controlled intersections". Simply stated,
BSP is a means to grant buses preferential treatment at signalized intersections to reduce red light
delay. It is important to note that signal priority is nut synonymous with signal preemption. One of
the major differences is that signal priority is designed to minimally alter signal operations as op-
posed to interrupting signal operations all together. Studies conducted in Los Angeles County and
throughout the United States have demonstrated that signal priority can be implemented without
having a noticeable impact upon cross street traffic.
Implementing BSP in Los Angeles County is a formidable task. There are 88 incorporated cities and
many unincorporated areas within the county resulting in a diverse traffic signal control infrastruc-
ture_ To address this challenge, Metro initiated the Countywide Signal Priority (CSP) Pilot Project
in the late 90s that culminated in the development of a standardized countywide signal priority ap-
proach.
This introduction provides a brief overview of Metro's CSP program and a surface overview of the
technology used to accomplish the program's goals and objectives. We will explore the history of
the program,delve into the technological and operational approach, and discuss the nature of the
multi-jurisdictional partnerships that are being established.
Countywide Signal Program History
As part of its effort to test new Advanced Public Transportation System(A yrs) technologies,
Metro embarked upon a comprehensive effort to develop a bus signal priority system to be imple-
mented on high ridership corridors within Los Angeles County. This effort, referred to as the CSP
Pilot Project was initiated in 1998 and consisted of the design, development, deployment,testing,
and evaluation of a signal priority system that could interface with the wide variety of the local traf-
fic signal control systems owned and operated by various Los Angeles County jurisdictions. The
overall goal of the pilot project was the development of a bus signal priority approach that would
serve as an architectural blueprint for future multi-jurisdictional deployments. The principal objec-
tives were to minimize delay experienced by buses and shortening round trip running times.
TheCSP Pilot Project was a truly a collaborative effort bringing together multiple jurisdictions and
transit operators to develop consensus on a single signal priority strategy with countywide applica-
bility. In February 2004, the system deployed as part of this effort debuted with the opening of
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Countywide Metro Rapid Signal Priority
Metro Rapid Line 710 on Crenshaw Boulevard. This event marked the first successful demonstra-
tion of signal priority operations across multiple jurisdictional boundaries in Los Angeles County.
Along the Crenshaw Boulevard corridor,40 intersections in five different jurisdictions were tar-
geted to receive CSP technology enhancements. Ultimately this project successfully demonstrated
that signal priority technologies could reduce the time buses spend idling at red light traffic signals
and significantly improve overall bus running times without adversely affecting cross street traffic.
In 2005, Metro embarked on the Countywide Metro Rapid Signal Priority Expansion Project,a fol-
low up to the previous successful demonstration pilot. The scope of this system expansion was the
a. +.� deployment of signal priority along additional Metro bus corridors tray-
NSersing through twenty-four jurisdictions. The focus of this fust phasewas to expand bus signal priority in conformance with the signal prior-
ity approach developed and tested as part of the original pilot project.
The seven corridors included Pacific-Long Beach, Soto, Hawthorne,
and Florence, Manchester,Garvey-Chavez, and Atlantic.
Metro has also begun to develop strategic partnerships with other transit operators in Los Angeles
County to expand the implementation of CSP to additional corridors in the Gateway and San
Gabriel Valley sub-regions. Additional municipal transit operator partnership discussions are un-
derway to further expand the reach of the CSP program with further deployments anticipated in the
near future. It is anticipated that by 2012, CSP will deployed at almost 500 intersections in 32 dif-
ferent jurisdictions
ifferentjurisdictions in Los Angeles County.
The Technology
The CSP technology approach is based on the concept of a"smart bus"capable of
wirelessly transmitting signal priority request messages to local traffic signal con-
trolled intersections. This approach is dependent upon three key pieces which in-
elude the on-bus system elements, a wireless communications infrastructure, and
N' ' signal priority enabled traffic signal controllers.
On-bus AVL unit gent rates Signal
Priority request messages
On Bus Systems
The "smart bus concept" is dependent upon the ability of a bus to determine whether or not it is in
need of priority and to initiate a request if priority is deemed necessary. This departs from the cen-
tralized signal priority approach which relies on a central system to make the pri-
ority request decision. The essential components of a CSP capable"smart bus"
arc an on board computer with sufficient logic to be able generate signal priority
requests, a global positioning system(GPS) to provide accurate real-time location ,d:;
information, and a wireless radio capable of transmitting priority request mes-
sages. These three pieces together are responsible for generating priority request
messages that are ultimately received by targeted local traffic control equipment Tri-Band Antenna
on the"smart bus
-
without any human intervention.
Typically,Metro has installed a stand-alone unit on its dedicated CSP fleet; however, more recently,
Metro has funded several initiatives to utilize existing automatic vehicle location (AVL) equipment
Pagel 2
Countywide Metro Rapid Signal Priority
to meet the on-bus requirements of the CSP system. A standardized signal priority messaging pro-
tocol has been established that ensures that any on-bus system can be utilized to generate signal pri-
ority request messages if they have the features identified earlier.
X`w+
Communications Infrastructure
The backbone of the CSP architecture is an IEEE 802 l Ib (W i-Fi)wire n :
less local area network(WLAN)that brokers communications between 'i
CSP equipped buses and intersections. Utilizing commercially available ,y>t 4, t
off-the-shelf hardware placed at strategic locations along a signal priority ry a u >
corridor, a ubiquitous wireless network is created that provides the neces dia '
sary communications path for signal priority request messages to reach `a
their destination at the appropriate traffic signal control cabinet. AP mounted to Traffic
signal pole
Wi-Fi was originally selected as the means to meet the CSP bus-to-intersection wireless communi-
cations requirements for a number of reasons, including its ease of implementation and interopera-
bility, low maintenance burden, lack of ongoing lease-line costs, and its ability to meet the CSP sys-
tem's speed and bandwidth needs. While Metro has and continues to investigate other wireless
communications solutions, Wi-Fi continues to be the de-facto standard for the CSP program as it
continues to expand.
Traffic Signal Control Hardware and Firmw are
As discussed earlier, Los Angeles County has a very diverse traffic signal control infrastnicture_
One of the primary design objectives during the initial development of the CSP system was the abil-
ity to directly interface with the majority of traffic signal controllers in use throughout the County.
To meet this objective,Metro has worked with a number of traffic signal control vendors and firm-
ware developers, including the County of Los Angeles and the City of Los Angeles, to ensure CSP
system compatibility countywide. To date, CSP can interface with 170E, I 70ATC/HC11.2070,
ASC/2, and ASC/3 controllers. Furthermore. Metro has funded software development to make 81-
Tran/McCain, Econolite, County LACO 4, and City of LA 2070 firmware CSP compatible.
_ w
�3L tivf , d L •
1113.1;1;
r x� a'Cy n
Common traffic signal controller types in use throughout the County .
How It All Works
As a bus enters a CSP equipped corridor it associates with the WLAN that has been setup to provide
corridor-wide wireless access. The bus is aware of its bus run assignment and operating schedule,
and is constantly monitoring its location using GPS. As the bus approaches a signalized intersec-
tion it makes a determination whether or not it needs priority based upon a number of pre-
configured parameters. If priority is warranted,the bus will send two messages to the WLAN. The
first message sent is a Check-In that lets the intersection signal controller know that signal priority
is being requested and provides an estimated time of arrival(ETA). The second message sent is a
Pagel 3
Countywide Metro Rapid Signal Priority
Position Update generated five seconds after the original Check-In message. The Position Update is
sent to provide a more accurate ETA as the bus gets closer to the intersection and to provide mes-
sage redundancy.
."Vrt r ,e
s
. ioatreuerrf �-” .
, .� a
c l �
Tyaft- :ace
�• K
GCE§S POINT Rei+ ,q�" � t�
i# r' " O'OVEFiAGEAREA
Access point and mobile client in a CSP net ork.
Messages generated by the bus are routed through the WLAN to the traffic signal controller which
then determines if and how signal priority will be granted based upon a number of rules established
and agreed upon by Metro and its jurisdictional partners. Typically, only ten percent of the signal
cycle is allocated to service a signal priority request in the form of an early green or green exten-
sion. As the bus clears the intersection, a Check-Out message is sent, which allows the intersection
to recover any unused time.
Partnership is Key
As mentioned earlier, Los Angeles County is home to 88 incorporated cities and many unincorpo-
rated areas. Over the years, Metro has developed over a dozen strong signal priority partnerships
within the region and is continuing its regional outreach efforts. The success of the program is not
only dependent on the design and functional efficiency of the CSP approach, but also the participa-
tion and support of our jurisdictional partners. As such, Metro has worked throughout the region to
ensure CSP is deployed as a cooperative effort with minimal burden on those local agencies respon-
sible for traffic signal operations and maintenance.
Metro is also working with other municipal transit operators to further expand signal priority oppor-
tunities as part of a broader commitment to enhance local and regional transit services. Metro's pio-
neering efforts and commitment to the expansion of CSP has established a strong precedent for tran-
sit signal priority both here in Los Angeles County and throughout the nation.
Pagel 4
Countywide Metro Rapid Signal Priority
Contact Information
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
One Gateway Plaza,Los Angeles California 90012-2952
Shahrzad Amiri
Deputy Executive Officer
Mail Stop: 99-22-8
Phone: 213-922-3061
Fax: 213-922-6353
Email: amiris@n metro.net
Steven Gota
Project Manager
Mail Stop: 99-22-8
Phone: 213-922-3043
Fax: 213-922-6353
Email: gotasLmetro.net
Reinland Jones
Project Manager
Mail Stop: 99-22-8
Phone: 213-922-2231
Fax: 213-922-6353
Email:jonesre@metro-net Metro
Pagel 5