STREAMS Integrated Intelligent Transport System

STREAMS Integrated Intelligent Transport System is an enterprise traffic management system designed to operate in the Microsoft Windows environment. Like most traffic management systems, STREAMS is an array of institutional, human, hardware, and software components designed to monitor, control, and manage traffic on streets and highways. Advanced traffic management systems come under the banner of ITS (intelligent transport systems). ITS is the application of information and communications technology to transport operations in order to "reduce operating costs",{{Cite web |url=http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20140611-ICT-Improve-Traffic/20140611-ICT-Improve-Traffic.html |title=Using ICT to Improve Traffic Management |access-date=2017-03-14 |archive-date=2016-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117012651/http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20140611-ICT-Improve-Traffic/20140611-ICT-Improve-Traffic.html |url-status=dead }} "improve safety" and "maximize the capacity of existing infrastructure". STREAMS provides traffic signal management, incident management, motorway management, vehicle priority,{{Cite web | url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/queensland-trials-intelligent-traffic-lights-320317 |title = Queensland trials intelligent traffic lights}} traveler information, flood monitoring {{Cite web | url=https://s.campbellsci.com/documents/au/technical-papers/road_flood_monitoring_systems.pdf | title=Integration of Roadway Flood Information into an ITS Traffic Management System – an Example from Queensland, Australia | website=campbellsci.com}} and parking guidance within a single integrated system{{citation | title = Improved travel time reliability for Sandgate Road and Mains Road traffic | url = http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=60402 | newspaper = Queensland Department of Main Roads Statement | date = 21 September 2008 | access-date = 7 April 2010 | archive-date = 22 October 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101022053152/http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=60402 | url-status = dead }} is what the product says. STREAMS is developed by Transmax.

History

In 1969, the Department of Main Roads (Queensland) installed the first Intelligent Transport System in Australia (located at Surfers Paradise).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 1985, a second-generation traffic management system was installed in Cairns, Australia. This was known as the TRAC System, or Traffic Responsive Adaptive Control System. Progressive installation of the TRAC system followed at several more sites around Queensland including the capital city, Brisbane.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 1988, a traffic management system was installed for the South East Freeway in Brisbane, Australia. The features included were ramp metering and graphical displays of traffic conditions. It also provided automatic incident detection.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 1992, a new integrated intelligent transport system development was commenced. The objectives were to lower ongoing costs while providing increased performance and opportunity for future ITS applications. The resulting system was STREAMS.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 2002, the division of Department of Main Roads (Queensland) responsible for continuing development of STREAMS was privatized to form Transmax. The company remains 100% owned by the Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In April 2007, Transmax in partnership with VicRoads implemented a coordinated ramp metering trial in Melbourne, Victoria on a 15 km section of the Monash Freeway.{{Cite web|url=https://www.itskrs.its.dot.gov/2014-b00958?OpenDocument&Query=BApp|title=ITS | Benefits: Deployment of integrated traffic management and control system leads to a greater than 25 percent increase in peak throughput capacity on Melbourne, Australia's M1 Monash Freeway.|website=www.itscosts.its.dot.gov}} Later that year, in December, VicRoads installed STREAMS to manage another six ramps.{{citation | title = On-ramp to success| newspaper = Traffic Technology International | date = October–November 2009}}

These developments were part of a much larger M1 Upgrade Project that continued over the next three years, eventually winning the 2010 National ITS Australia Award. The project to upgrade the 75-kilometre M1 Freeway, increased the capacity and safety of the Monash Freeway, the CityLink Tollway (Southern Link) and the West Gate Freeway utilising STREAMS as the Integrated Control System.{{citation | title = Melbourne's M1 freeway upgrade and SUNA Traffic Channel win ITS Australia Awards| url = http://www.its-australia.com.au/Main/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hPzT%2fC5hZVk%3d&tabid=36&language=en-AU}}

In 2016, Transmax partnered with Parsons Brinckerhoff to trial STREAMS motorway management functionality for the Utah Department of Transportation in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.roadsonline.com.au/usa-to-trial-qld-congestion-busting-technology/|title=USA to trial Qld congestion-busting technology|date=August 9, 2016}}

Software Architecture

STREAMS employs a distributed computing software architecture.{{Cite web | url=http://www.transportationgroup.nz/papers/2007/A4a_Verma.pdf | title=Putting the "Intelligence" into Intelligent Transportation Systems | website=www.transportationgroup.nz}} Field hardware such as intersection controllers, video cameras and speed detectors are connected via field processors back to a central application server. Users connect to the application server via the workstation software. Field communications are via Optical Fibre, DSL, or Wireless connections.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

The software is built in distinct modules for each distinct area of traffic / transport control and monitoring. The workstation software communicates to the application server software via a publisher / subscriber model (i.e. workstations subscribe to specifically requested streams of data which are published by the application server).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

The software architecture model is designed to support the software's claim of being an "integrated" Advanced Traffic Management System.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hothousedesign.com.au/blog-layout/schematics-in-the-media#.WMheaWf-sY0 |title=Schematics in the media |access-date=2017-03-14 |archive-date=2017-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315174917/http://www.hothousedesign.com.au/blog-layout/schematics-in-the-media#.WMheaWf-sY0 |url-status=dead }}

The transport network data is set up via a GIS (Geographic Information System). The GIS allows for a graphical user interface displaying transport network data overlaid on street maps and updating in real-time. {{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Adaptive Traffic Management

STREAMS implements adaptive traffic management through a feature called "Dynamic Plan Selection". Depending on the density of traffic (occupancy) and the dominant direction of traffic (for example, inbound, outbound, or bidirectional) on a road, nearby signalized intersections are operated using several predefined traffic plans. A user sets up the signal timing and picks the traffic density levels and direction that they apply to. Selecting the appropriate signal timing is then automatic. When a time-based traffic plan schedule would be inappropriate because of varying traffic levels, STREAMS Dynamic Plan Selection can adapt to unexpected traffic levels as they arise.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

With help from the academic community, STREAMS Smart Motorways offers the coordinated ramp-metering algorithm suite ALINEA/HERO.{{Cite web |url=http://docs.trb.org/prp/14-0992.pdf |title=Evaluation of HERO Coordinated Ramp Metering Installation at the M1/M3 Freeway in Queensland, Australia |access-date=2017-03-14 |archive-date=2017-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315090007/http://docs.trb.org/prp/14-0992.pdf |url-status=dead }} The modular architecture of STREAMS allows Transmax to integrate new algorithms as they become available. STREAMS applies the computed metering rates using ramp signal controllers deployed at the roadside. Controlling multiple consecutive ramps, ideally the whole motorway, makes it possible to maintain a more consistent motorway flow and prevent flow breakdown. Using HERO, STREAMS is able to balance queues across multiple ramps and maximize motorway performance.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

References

External links

[http://www.transmax.com.au Transmax]
[http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/ Department of Transport and Main Roads]

Category:Intelligent transportation systems