1 Executive Summary

As billions of eyes around the world were attentively watching the world’s best athletes competing for the most prestigious sports awards and international recognition, several hundred eyes were quietly and carefully monitoring the streets, highways, buses and trains in Salt Lake City during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. They did this not seeking awards or recognition, but simply to ensure that the transportation system functioned so smoothly that nobody had reason to notice it. And that it did.

1.1 Background Information

First “Mature” ITS Deployment at a U.S. Olympics

The 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games were the first Olympics in the United States with an established Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) deployment in full operation. The Salt Lake City ITS installation was among the most comprehensive in the nation. Deployed largely over the past 5 years, it included the following ITS elements:

· 120 miles of instrumented freeways continuously monitoring traffic flow

· 218 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) on freeways and surface streets

· 63 variable message signs (VMS) spread across the region

· 12 highway advisory radio (HAR) transmitters

· 30 roadway-weather information system (RWIS) data-collection stations

· a centralized control system encompassing 608 traffic signals, with over 1200 special signal-timing plans for regular traffic plus Olympic venues and events

· freeway on-ramp metering at 23 locations

· 350 miles of fiber-optics cable, plus extensive telephone and wireless links

· the CommuterLink Web site delivering traffic, Olympics, and other information

· an innovative “5-1-1” telephone service delivering traffic and other information

· a new light-rail system (TRAX) with traffic-signal preemption and other ITS features

· a Traffic Operations Center (TOC) serving as the nerve center for all the above, linked to satellite Traffic Control Centers serving other transportation agencies.

Thus, the Salt Lake City ITS installation was certainly among the most comprehensive such deployments in the nation, and was fully operational well before the Games began.

Largest Winter Olympics to date

The 2002 Salt Lake City Games were the largest Winter Olympics Games ever held. They included 78 events in 15 disciplines and seven sports. The events took place at 12 venues spread across the valley and mountains in the Salt Lake City area. They involved almost 2,400 athletes, over 10,000 members of the media, a staff of over 9,000 people plus a comparable number of security personnel and several times that number of volunteers. Over 1.5 million tickets were sold to the Olympic events, and 850,000 ticket holders attended the Games along with many Utah residents.

In addition to the Olympic Games, there was an extensive number of cultural and entertainment activities taking place concurrently. Several of these were attended by as many people as the major Olympic events (e.g. the Rodeo). Many of these events were in the downtown area, which was also the location of several major Olympics venues. These events also generated a great deal of travel.

Essentially all of the commercial lodging within 100 miles of Salt Lake City was sold out, along with temporary accommodations at many private residences across the region. This generated additional travel requirements.

In summary, the 2002 Winter Olympic Games created unprecedented travel needs – both for the Winter Games and for Salt Lake City.

Intense security concerns

Since 1972, security has been a major concern at Olympic Games. However, after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, security concerns grew to unprecedented levels. Olympic preparations included extensive contingency planning, and this encompassed the transportation elements supporting the Games. This heightened awareness of security needs certainly influenced transportation-management actions. Even situations like an abandoned car on the freeway – which would have been routine in previous times – were necessarily treated as a potential safety threat. This additional layer of security added complexity to the already-challenging task of managing the unprecedented demands on the transportation system in the Salt Lake City area.

Good fortune attended the Games

It was fortunate indeed that there were no major problems affecting the Olympic Games. However, there were major transportation incidents, including fatal crashes and major roadway blockages – but none of them occurred at times and places that directly impacted the Games. The weather was much better than in typical February – there were only two snowstorms during the Games, both relatively modest by Utah standards. Although there were a large number of potential safety/security threats and some minor incidents, there were no major public-safety incidents that directly affected the Games.

Objectives and methodology of this study

This assessment study is written for two audiences:

· Local readers – This includes UDOT staff and other Salt Lake City transportation professionals, who were present during the Games and are familiar with the region and the ITS elements.

· National and world readers – This includes other cities hosting future Olympics or other major events that generate large transportation requirements, as well as other ITS professionals who are planning or operating similar traffic-management or traveler-information systems.

The purpose of the study is to document and assess the performance of the UDOT advanced traffic management system (ATMS) and advanced traveler information system (ATIS) during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. An additional purpose is to document and assess the results of the Travel Demand Management (TDM) program created and implemented for the Games. This study did not examine the advanced public transportation systems (APTS) operating during the Games, except where they interfaced with the ATMS. A related study (see Ref. 1) examines those APTS elements and should also be read by those wishing a complete picture of all the major ITS components (ATMS, ATIS, and APTS) operating during the Games. Other reports are available describing many aspects of transportation during the Games that are beyond the ATMS/ATIS/TDM scope of this study. This study did not cover the 2002 Paralympic Games.

The study methodology encompassed both subjective and objective techniques. The wide array of data-collection activities, included the following:

· Observations in the TOC by the Study Team for 5-8 hours each day of the Games

· Collection of a variety of traffic data, primarily using UDOT monitoring systems

· Independent observation and testing of the CommuterLink Website and “511” service

· Surveys of SLC residents (by telephone) and visitors (interviews at venues)

· Follow-up interviews with UDOT and other agency staff

· Monitoring of news coverage regarding the ATMS and ATIS elements

Key Study Findings

Key findings are summarized in terms of the three major topics: ATMS, ATIS and TDM.

This summary is organized with the same structure as the full report, so that readers who wish full information on a specific topic can access that material directly by going to the section of the same number in the full report.

This study was designed and conducted by Iteris, Inc., under the sponsorship and funding of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and the FHWA. All information and findings expressed herein are the opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official policy of UDOT.

The overarching finding of this study is that the traffic-management and traveler-information systems in the Salt Lake City area performed all of their mission-critical functions fully, with no significant problems that drew public attention. There were substantial reductions in background traffic in the downtown area – exceeding the 20% goal of the TDM Program – but the results in outlying areas cannot be estimated reliably. Although there was extensive media coverage of traffic conditions and travel information for Olympic events, there was very little coverage of the performance of the transportation system or of the many ITS elements in operation. Perhaps this was because smoothly-operating highway and transit systems offer few photo-opportunities or human-interest stories. From the media perspective, there was no big story to report.

1.2 ATMS Findings

The UDOT TOC is the center of the ATMS and ATIS operations, both organizationally and architecturally. All ATMS and ATIS field elements throughout the Salt Lake City region are connected to the TOC. The TOC contained several dozen staff members and over 40 computer servers that performed almost all of the traffic-management and traveler-information functions during the Games. This included one system for arterial management, and another for freeway management. (Note that UDOT staff refer to the freeway management system as “the ATMS,” while this study uses the term more generically to include both freeway management and surface-street management.) The Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) dispatch center is also located within the TOC, along with a media center used by a traffic reporter serving a number of commercial radio and television channels. (For further information, see Section 3.1.)

There are several satellite workstations at other locations. Two of these enable Salt Lake City and County to perform traffic-management functions within their jurisdictions. During the Games, all traffic management was centralized at the TOC. A third is located at Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and a fourth at University of Utah Traffic Lab (UUTL). Full ATMS functionality is available at each workstation, but is limited by login codes. (See Section 3.2.)

There were over 600 traffic signals under electronic control by the ATMS. Most were on surface streets, but a few were at metered freeway on-ramps. Normal maintenance and repair situations did arise, but there were no unusual problems during the Games.

(Section 3.3.)

Traffic detectors that measured both volume and speed were located at half-mile intervals on all freeways and were connected to the TOC. Speed data from some detectors was incorrect, and data was missing from a small number of detector sites, but the number of sites involved was small enough that it did not seriously hamper any mission-critical functions. (Section 3.1.4)

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras were located on all freeways at approximately six-tenth mile intervals, and also at many downtown locations and some mountain roadways. All allowed full control (pan/tilt/zoom), and almost all displayed high-quality, full-motion video images. The cameras were strategically located, and the breadth coverage during the Games was exceptional. There were very few situations that arose – either on freeways or surface streets – where there was not a camera available to watch it. Other than normal maintenance, there were no unusual reliability problems observed. The only problem noted by the Study Team was the lack of azimuth (direction) labels on the displays. While they may not be needed by experienced operators who are very familiar with the area, it was a hindrance to those who came from elsewhere to support the Olympics effort. It likely would slow the response time for new operators, and it was also observed to be a problem for experienced operators in some locations at night, when all they could see is headlights. However, the Study Team felt that the CCTV system was clearly the most valuable surveillance tool during the Games and the azimuth-labels issue was truly minor in the overall assessment. In a world where public safety of the transportation system is becoming of greater importance, CCTV will become and even more important surveillance tool even in “normal” times. (3.1.5)

Variable Message Signs (VMS) equipment was located at 63 sites, almost all of which were on freeways. They were used for both traffic-management and traveler information functions. The Study Team observers felt VMS was second only to CCTV as the most valuable ATMS tool. They worked very well overall, with only one or two instances when one of the (few) dial-up VMS units could not be accessed because of excessive cell-phone traffic. (3.1.6)

Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) transmitters were placed at 12 locations around the region. They were also a valuable traveler-information tool, but several problems were encountered. Because of the proximity of sites and the heavy use of each transmitter, there was sometimes overlap of transmissions in some areas. The user interface for changing recorded messages was very difficult, requiring a lot of time and occasionally resulting in errors. The HAR units were connected via wireless phones, and heavy cell-phone traffic sometimes delayed the message updating. All HAR phones were battery powered and recharged by solar cells. Finally, because of the frequent updating some batteries discharged making the unit inaccessible temporarily. Some of these problems were related to the unique Games environment, others were not. (3.1.7)

Roadway Weather Information System (RWIS) stations were located at 30 sites, and worked normally except for one location that could not be reached frequently because of heavy cell-phone traffic. (3.1.8)

Traffic signal integration with TRAX light-rail system includes both signal preemption at some intersections, and signal priority request at others. Structured data collection was not done for this subject. However, the study team noted that when a train was stopped in a station near to where the tracks crossed a major arterial, the crossing arms on the cross street were lowered as soon as the train entered the station rather than when it departed. In follow-up interviews, there were different opinions on whether this was correct operation. (3.1.9)

Organization for transportation management was based upon a 3-level decision-making structure within the TOC, with the “levels” residing in three different rooms.

The Control Room was responsible for tactical traffic control (e.g. responding to “minor” incidents). It was staffed primarily by system operators and supervisors.

Room 125 was responsible for strategic traffic management (e.g. preparing for the President’s motorcade). It was staffed by senior UDOT traffic engineers.

Room 230 was responsible for regional transportation management (e.g. coordinating multi-modal or multi-agency actions). It was staffed by representatives of several divisions of UDOT plus UTA, FHWA/FTA, and SLOC. These people were authorized to make a wide range of decisions, and they knew exactly who to call regarding the remaining types of decisions.

The flow of information and actions through the three levels is depicted in Figure 1.1. In addition to these levels within the TOC, the Area Traffic Engineers and other staff in the field were authorized to make a wide range of decisions autonomously and they often coordinated with TOC staff for the remaining decisions. It could also be said that there was one further “layer” in the TOC – the law-enforcement officials in Room 227 who were responsible for security issues related to the transportation system. For further explanation please see Section 3.2.

Figure 1.1 Information Flow for Decision-making in the TOC

(Heavy arrows indicate heavy information flow)

Transportation management actions included three major categories of activity:

incident management,
routine (non-incident) traffic management, and
multi-modal management.

Incident management was quite broad, because the term “incident” took on many new meanings resulting from the heightened security for the Games. The primary activities included surveillance (information-gathering), decision-making, and response execution.

Surveillance activities relied upon information from the UHP, other public-safety agencies, cell-phone calls from motorists, UDOT field staff, service patrols, traffic observers, maintenance crews and monitoring of CCTV displays in the TOC, to identify incidents. Most of the incidents were traffic-related, and they were generally first detected and verified by the Control Room operators. Their most important tool for doing this was CCTV.

Decision-Making in response to traffic incidents was generally guided by pre-defined “Response Plans” on freeways and “Action Sets” on surface streets. Although these Response Plans were stored in the ATMS computer, the experienced operators generally did not need to look them up. Decision-making for traffic incidents was handled by the Control Room Operators when it was a minor incident, or Room 125 if it was a major incident. For non-traffic incidents that might have traffic impacts (e.g. a political demonstration), decision-making was generally done by Room 230, and was guided by the extensive planning and “desktop exercises” that was conducted prior to the Games.

Response to traffic incidents was usually similar to those of non-Games incidents. This included: dispatching the responders, distributing traveler information, and monitoring the situation until it has cleared. Response to non-traffic incidents (usually security-related) generally involved only dispatching and monitoring. Security incidents were generally managed jointly by Room 230 and Room 227. Two frequent types of security-related incidents were abandoned vehicles and suspicious (abandoned) packages.

Although most incidents were not foreseen, there were a number of “planned” incidents. One example is the Presidential motorcade from the airport to the Stadium for Opening Ceremonies on day 1. Whether planned or unplanned, security considerations always were an important part of managing incidents. Further, in almost all incidents, CCTV played a central role in surveillance and decision-making, as well as monitoring the progress of the response units. (See section 3.3.1 for further information on incident management.)

Routine Traffic Management was, as the name suggests, more routine than incident management. It might be better described as “congestion management, because mostly it consisted of managing traffic related to the “loading” and “unloading” of the parking lots at events. Routine traffic management also consisted of the same three primary activities: surveillance, decision-making, and response.

Surveillance relied mostly on CCTV, radio messages from UDOT field units, and weather information.

Decision-making relied heavily on the numerous “Event Plans” that were developed to cover each event at each venue on every day of the Games. It also relied on good judgment for other types of non-incident congestion – the prime example being “Saturday Night Downtown.”

Response often included both proactive and reactive elements. Execution of the appropriate Event Plan was a common proactive step. But things did not always go as planned, and good judgment was often required.

As was the case with incident management, the most valuable tool in the ATMS toolkit for routine traffic management was CCTV. (See section 3.3.5 for further details on routine traffic management.)

Multi-modal management was one of the few ITS “surprises” during the Games – and it turned out to be a pleasant one. It arose on day 1, because several of the 22 Park-and-Ride lots were filling early in the day. Many motorists had to be turned away, causing traffic jams and ill feelings. Room 230 learned of the problem from observers at the park-and-ride lots.

A small, multi-agency team was delegated the responsibility to develop a response to this situation. They met immediately in a corner of Room 230. Within 10-15 minutes, they decided to set up a tracking system to monitor when lots were nearing capacity, and then to use the “upstream” VMS displays to advise approaching motorists to use a specific alternative lot. Working with the traffic engineers in Room 125 and the Control Room Operators, this plan was put into effect immediately without the need to gain approvals from any parties outside the TOC. The UTA representative also coordinated with the shuttle-bus managers (elsewhere) to ensure that the buses could be redirected to the alternative lots if needed. The public-relations representatives informed the media of the new plan.

This proactive step undoubtedly avoided a great deal of negative publicity. For example, a comparable situation developed on February 10 when a Mountain Green Parking lot near the Snowbasin events filled much earlier than expected, and approaching traffic was not promptly notified. That was the only case of significant negative transportation publicity during the Games.

This situation was a dramatic example of the value of both technical and institutional integration. Because all of the VMS displayed could be changed immediately from the TOC, and because all of the involved agencies were present in Room 230 and were authorized to make the necessary decisions, it was possible to take immediate action to avoid a potentially serious situation. (See section 3.3.6 for further details on multi-modal management.)

The TOC Computer System performed all of the traffic-management functions, plus most of the traveler-information functions described later. It consists of a complex, distributed network of 45 computer servers, plus extensive communications equipment. The TOC computer system was operating in a “worst-case” scenario. It was being heavily used for all of the standard traffic management functions, plus it was being queried by several dozen “new” users in the TOC and by untold numbers of people elsewhere seeking traveler information via the Website and 511 services. As a result, some computer problems were encountered. Fortunately, none of these problems prevented any of the mission-critical functions from being performed when needed. These problems were:

Data from some traffic detector sites was missing
Some of the traffic volume and speed data was not archived
Some system functions were occasionally impaired

The first two problems were relatively benign, but the third problem was potentially serious if it had occurred during a major incident. Most of the causes of these problems were identified during the Games; a few immediate remedies were implemented and some were deferred until after the Games. (See section 3.3.7 for further details.)

1.3 ATIS Findings

The advanced traveler information system (ATIS) consisted of four primary channels for distributing transportation information to travelers:

CommuterLink Website (CLW)
5-1-1 Telephone Service (511)
Variable Message Signs (VMS)
Highway Advisory Radio (HAR)

The following sections summarize key findings regarding the CLW and 511 services. Performance of the VMS and HAR systems was discussed above.

The CommuterLink Website was operated by UDOT, using computers in the TOC. Outside private server resources were used to augment the TOC computers in providing Olympic information. The CLW delivered these four categories of information during the Games:

Traffic Conditions (speeds, incidents)
Roadway Conditions (closures and construction)
Weather (including pavement surface conditions)
Olympics information

CLW Usage – The CLW was heavily used during the Games, experiencing 52 million “hits” during the 17 days. This compared to 8 million hits during a comparable period in July. The usage was much heavier during the early days of the Games than in the later days. However, it was difficult to translate this into the number of people that used the CLW. Our best estimate is that something in the ballpark of 80,000 unique people used the CLW during the Games.

CLW Performance was evaluated based upon 5-8 hours of CLW monitoring each day. During the Games, there was only one occasion when the CLW was “down” (i.e. was not available for use). The accuracy of incident information appeared to be generally good compared to radio reports and the “5-1-1” service, but there was no absolute benchmark to compare it against. The same can be said about the timeliness of reporting incidents.

Perceptions of the CLW were positive, based upon surveys of visitors and residents.

Visitor surveys found that 41% of visitors said they heard of the CLW. Of those who heard of the CLW, 34% had used it and 98% of those who used it said it worked well for them. Almost two-thirds of users reported using the CLW to obtain traffic information.

Resident surveys found that 70% of residents said they heard of the CLW. Of those, 21% had used it and 97% said it worked well for them. All users reported using the CLW for traffic information, and some also obtained other information.

(See section 4.1 for further details on CLW.)

The 511 Telephone Service was operated by UDOT and Tellme, Inc., using a combination of TOC computers plus Tellme computers in the San Francisco Bay area. The 511 service delivered these four categories of information during the Games:

Traffic Incidents
Roadway Conditions
Public Transit Information
Olympics information

511 Usage – 511 was heavily used early during the Games, receiving 4000 calls on each of the first two days. Usage then declined gradually for the remainder of the Games. This compared to 290 calls during a typical day in May 2002. (See section 4.2.2)

511 Performance was evaluated based upon 5-8 hours of 511 monitoring each day. During the Games, there was only one occasion when the 511 service was “down” (i.e. was not available for use). The accuracy of incident information appeared to be generally good compared to radio reports and the CLW, but approximately 15% of the incidents that were not reported on 511 did appear on CLW. Over 90% of the incidents that appeared on 511 did so within five minutes after appearing on CLW.

Perceptions of 511 were positive, based upon surveys of visitors and residents.

Visitor surveys found that only 25% of visitors said they heard of 511. Of those who heard of the 511 service, 17% had used it, and 75% of those who used it said it worked well for them. Almost two-thirds reported using 511 to obtain traffic information, and more than one-third sought Olympics and transit information.

Resident surveys found that 44% of SLC residents said they heard of the 511 service. Of those, only 4% (4 respondents) had used it and all of those four residents said it worked well for them. Three of them reported using it for traffic information, and one sought other information. (Caution is necessary in using data based upon only four responses.)

(See section 4.2 for further details on the 511 service.)

1.4 TDM Findings

Because more than a half-million visitors were expected for the Games, a great deal of traffic congestion was predicted without an aggressive effort to manage that demand. Consequently, a Travel Demand Management (TDM) Plan was developed by a coalition of local agencies and a public-relations consulting firm. The TDM Plan defined a program of activities that sought to involve over a dozen transportation stakeholders in the Salt Lake City area. This included residents, major employers, commercial/retail businesses, schools, and other local interests, plus long-distance truckers who pass through the area. The Goal of the TDM Program was to reduce the “background” traffic by at least 20% for specific major routes impacted by Olympic traffic. The strategies used included increased transit use, carpools, shifting work hours earlier, shifting travel routes and times (especially for trucks), and other TDM approaches to reduce traffic.

In parallel, SLOC, UTA, UDOT and other agencies addressed the spectator population by developing the Olympic Games Transportation System, which was designed to meet the transportation needs of spectators in two major categories – venues in the Salt Lake Valley and venues outside the Salt Lake Valley.

For all venues outside of the Salt Lake Valley, spectators were expected to use personal vehicles to travel to the park and ride or park and walk lots serving each venue. From these lots, spectators were shuttled aboard transit buses to the venue (each of which were located within five miles of the lots). Limited long-haul bus service was also provided for spectators not using their personal vehicles.

For all venues within the Salt Lake Valley spectators had three options. For certain venues, spectators were allowed to drive their personal vehicles to lots located near the venues. Most spectators utilized the extensive transit services provided by UTA, which included regular bus service (fixed-route and demand-responsive), the TRAX light rail system, and the downtown-based Olympic Shuttle System. The Olympic Shuttle system consisted of 1,000 loaned transit buses plus the existing UTA transit fleet, which carried spectators from park-and-ride lots to downtown and to the venues.

Reductions in background traffic were estimated by using data from UDOT’s Automated Traffic Recorder (ATR) system, which has 24-hour traffic-counting sites on freeways and major surface streets. Data from six sites – three urban and three rural – were analyzed.

Downtown traffic – The urban ATR data documented a 15-20% reduction in total traffic (including visitors and residents) moving to and from downtown Salt Lake City. Because it was not possible to separate visitor from resident traffic, the reduction in visitor traffic depends upon the visitor/resident traffic mix. If one were to make a seemingly conservative assumption that one-third of the observed traffic was visitors, the reduction in background traffic to/from downtown would exceed 40%.

Rural traffic – The ATR data from three sites on rural highways was inconclusive. Overall traffic counts increased substantially at all three sites, which were on roads that served major venues. However, the visitor/resident mix was unknown. If the visitor proportion was over 50%, then background traffic was reduced. Otherwise, not.

In summary, ATR data indicate that background traffic was reduced by more than 20%

in the downtown area, but reductions in outlying areas are not clear. As stated previously, the TDM plan did not target a 20% reduction in background traffic in outlying areas therefore the interest and importance of reduction in these areas was not as vital to the Event Study.

Reductions in interstate truck traffic were estimated using ATR data from one site, on I-80 east of Salt Lake City (“Parley’s Canyon”). The ATR stations also estimate vehicle lengths, and data for vehicles over 50 feet long was analyzed. This (very limited) data suggests that there was a substantial reduction of truck traffic in Parley’s Canyon during the Games in the daytime hours, but no reductions at night. That would mean there was no time-shifting of truck trips, rather, the daytime truck trips were either diverted to another route or foregone during the Games. Once again, the data analyzed was very limited, so additional data should be analyzed before these conclusions can be validated.

UDOT also collected truck counts at the truck Ports of Entry (POEs) operated by UDOT. A UDOT Press Release on March 11 summarized reductions in total truck traffic at the POEs. They ranged from 1800 to 3700 trucks at two East/West POEs, and 7000 trucks at one North/South POE, during the 17 days of the Games. (Percentages were not given.) It also said that truck counts from one POE showed some shifting from daytime to night.

Public transit ridership generally met expectations during the Games. Over 2.5 million passenger-trips (“boardings”) were recorded, for an average of almost 150,000 per day. TRAX carried two-thirds of these trips, and park-and-ride shuttle buses carried one-third. The peak transit ridership day was Saturday, February 16, with total ridership of 221,000.

Travel patterns of residents were examined using a telephone survey. About one-fifth said they changed their travel patterns during the Games. The predominant changes was in their work schedule, with a much smaller fraction reporting changes in modes or travel routes. A similar fraction, about one-fifth, reported that their employers changed their normal work schedules during the Games, mostly to earlier work hours but some to flexible schedules.

1.5 Transferable Findings

CCTV has emerged from this study as the “most valuable player” in the traffic-management toolbox. It was used extensively by all levels within the TOC, for surveillance, decision-making, and response execution. In a new security-conscious era, it also serves as a preventative public-safety tool for transportation-related situations. The traffic-management story during the 2002 Olympics would have been dramatically different without the extensive CCTV coverage that was available on highways and streets. The transferable finding is:

CCTV deployment is expensive, but once a “critical mass” of coverage is reached,

it delivers unequalled benefits for traffic management and public-safety.

It must also be added that many other technical and organizational elements contributed great value also. One notable “organizational” example would be the TDM program, which helped avoid traffic problems by reducing travel demand.

The TOC computer system was “pushed to the max” throughout most of the Games – far beyond any previous experience. All of the normal, day-to-day functions were operating, at full capacity, and there were many new demands resulting from the Games. System enhancements were made during the week before the Games, and these resulted in some malfunctions that were visible internally but not to the public. The transferable finding is:

Make no changes – even seemingly small ones -- to the computer systems for at least one month before the Games, to ensure adequate time for testing.

The CommuterLink Website was heavily used during the Games for traveler information, by visitors and residents. Both the website and 511 telephone service were highly-rated by residents and visitors, although the 511 service was not as heavily used as the website. Both worked synergistically with the printed material and media coverage also used for distributing traveler information during the Games. The transferable finding is:

Technology can play an important role in efficiently delivering traveler information, but it must be implemented compatibly with the traditional distribution channels.

The extensive and detailed planning and preparations paid off. There were no major transportation surprises for which preparations had not been made. There was one minor situation observed that was not fully anticipated, but it was handled expeditiously by the existing structure. Transferable finding:

Detailed contingency planning and preparations are time consuming and resource draining, but they are absolutely essential and should be viewed as “event insurance.”

The division of decision-making into three-plus levels of responsibilities within the TOC proved to be effective and efficient, because each level had a wide range of authority and clear definition of when to escalate a problem to higher levels. Similarly, the Area Traffic Engineers and other field crews were empowered to act autonomously to handle most of the problems they saw. Transferable finding:

Divide decision-making into appropriate levels, and empower people at each level.

Interagency cooperation during the Games was remarkable. The seamless decision-making of the multi-agency staff in Room 230 enabled rapid response to virtually all problems that developed, and true multi-modal coordination in all actions they took.

Strong interagency cooperation is essential for effective transportation management, and proper structures must be created to engender it.

In summary, the people and equipment that make up the ATMS and ATIS effectively performed all of the mission-critical functions required for safe and efficient travel during the Games. Although problems were encountered, they were minor and visible mostly to project evaluators and ITS staff rather than to the public. Transportation is, after all, a means to an end rather than an end in itself. So perhaps the greatest achievement is to deliver transportation services so well that hardly anybody notices.

2 Introduction

2.1 Background

2.1.1 Study Purpose and Report Structure

The purpose of the study is to document and assess the performance of the UDOT advanced traffic management system (ATMS) and advanced traveler information system (ATIS) during the Olympic Games. An additional purpose is to document and assess the results of the Travel Demand Management (TDM) program created and implemented for the Games. This study did not examine the advanced public transportation systems (APTS) operating during the Games, except where they interfaced with the ATMS. A related study (see Ref. 1) examines those APTS elements and should also be read by those wishing a complete picture of all the major ITS components (ATMS, ATIS, and APTS) operating during the Games. This study also did not include the 2002 Paralympic Games.

There were many other interesting aspects of transportation during the Olympic Games, which are beyond the focused ATMS/ATIS/TDM scope of this study. Other reports are available for those topics.

This assessment study is written for two audiences:

· Local readers – This includes UDOT staff and other Salt Lake City transportation professionals, who were present during the Games and are familiar with the region and the ITS elements.

· National and world readers – This includes others other cities hosting future Olympics or other major events that generate large transportation requirements, as well as other ITS professionals who are planning or operating similar traffic-management or traveler-information systems.

This “Event Study” report focuses upon the period of time during the Games. A companion study, the “Case Study” examines the ATMS/ATIS deployment activities by UDOT before the Games.

This report begins with brief introductory and background material (Section 2), which will be of interest to the national/world audience. Readers who were in Salt Lake City during the Games may wish to skip this material. Section 2.3 describes the Study Methodology and activities in more detail, which may not be of interest to all readers. Sections 3 through 6, which constitute the bulk of the report, present all of the study findings. It consists of four parts: ATMS findings, ATIS findings, TDM findings, and Transferable Findings. The first three sections are written to stand alone, for those readers with specific interests. The Transferable Findings draw upon the previous three sections.

2.1.2 Overview of Event Study Methodology

The methodology used for the Event Study was originally based on the methodology used by Booz-Allen Hamilton in their Final Report “1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games and Paralympic Games-Event Study.” However, as the data-collection activities were developed and priorities were clarified, a decision was made to restructure the study methodology around four themes that better reflected UDOT’s study goals. These areas were:

1. ATMS effectiveness

2. ATIS effectiveness

3. TDM effectiveness, and

4. Transferable Findings.

Based around these themes, the methodology was then divided into four stages:

1. Defining assessment areas.

Defining objectives and sub-objectives.
Preparing a data management plan.
Collecting, processing, and analyzing data.

The study methodology encompassed both subjective and objective assessment techniques. The wide array of data-collection activities, included the following:

Data for objective assessments included:

· Collection of a variety of traffic data, primarily using UDOT monitoring systems

· Structured observation and testing of the CommuterLink Website and “511” service

· Surveys of SLC residents (by telephone) and visitors (interviews at venues)

· Monitoring of news coverage regarding the ATMS and ATIS elements

Data for subjective assessments included:

· Observations in the TOC by the Study Team for 5-8 hours each day of the Games

· Follow-up interviews with UDOT and other agency staff

2.1.3 The Transportation Context – the Salt Lake City Region

The area included in this study includes a three county area known as the Wasatch Front region of Utah, which includes the developed regions of Salt Lake, Davis and Weber Counties plus the relatively undeveloped Morgan and Tooele Counties (see Figure 2.1). This fast growing region’s borders include the Great Salt Lake and the Oquirrh Mountains to the west, and the Wasatch Mountains to the east. The Utah County line forms the region’s southern border. The line between Weber and Box Elder Counties forms the northern border.

Figure 2.1 Regional Map

According to the 2000 Census, Utah’s population has reached 2.23 million. Of that total, approximately 76% live in the Wasatch Front Region. With the nation’s highest birth rate, lowest death rate and youngest median age (26.7), Utah expects to exceed 3 million residents by the year 2030 with a projected 2.1 million in the Wasatch Front Region. Counties in the Wasatch Front are all projected to undergo rapid population growth in the coming years. According to the State of Utah’s Long Term Economic and Demographic Projections, 1.4 million people were employed in the state in 2000, of that total, 895,000 were employed in the Wasatch Front Region.[1]

The region’s unique geographic features have shaped a region that runs approximately 60 miles from north to south while only 15 miles wide at its widest point. This dictated the creation of a transportation system that heavily favored north-south routes dominated by Interstate 15. (See Figure 2.2.)

The area’s current roadway network includes several major interstate freeway systems including, I-215, I-80 and I-84 which provide east-west travel. I-80 extends east-west across the southern portion of Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains to the Park City area. I-215 serves as a beltway around Salt Lake City and I-84 serves as a second east-west connection in the northern part of the region connecting Ogden and Echo Junction. The area is also served by several principal arterials, which provide connections to the downtown areas of regional cities as well as the University of Utah, the Salt Lake City International Airport and major recreation areas.[2] (See Figure 2.3.)

Figure 2.2 Regional Freeway Systems

Figure 2.3 Downtown SLC Arterials

2.1.4 Overview of ITS Deployments – ATMS, ATIS, and Related Elements

The Salt Lake City ITS deployment is among the most comprehensive in the nation. During the Games, it included the following ITS elements:

· 120 miles of instrumented freeways continuously monitoring traffic flow

· 218 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) on freeways and surface streets

· 63 variable message signs (VMS) spread across the region

· 12 highway advisory radio (HAR) transmitters

· 30 roadway-weather information system (RWIS) data-collection stations

· a centralized control system encompassing 608 traffic signals, with over a thousand special signal-timing plans for regular traffic plus Olympic venues and events

· freeway on-ramp metering at 23 locations

· 350 miles of fiber-optics cable, plus extensive telephone and wireless links

· the CommuterLink Web site delivering traffic, Olympics, and other information

· an innovative “5-1-1” telephone service delivering traffic and other information

· a new light-rail system (TRAX) with traffic-signal preemption and other ITS features

· a Traffic Operations Center (TOC) serving as the nerve center for all the above, linked to satellite Traffic Control Centers serving other transportation agencies.

2.1.5 Travel Demand Management (TDM)

Because the Games were expected to significantly increase the number of person-trips being made in the Salt Lake City area, a coalition of SLOC, UTA, UDOT, and other government agencies led an effort to reduce traffic problems by managing the demand for travel by private autos. This Travel Demand Management (TDM) Program included two overarching strategies for two primary groups:

Spectators – For visitors (and for residents attending events) provide convenient alternatives to driving an automobile to the events. This included TRAX light-rail service, park-and-ride lots with shuttle buses to venues downtown and nearby, and shuttle services to outlying venues in the mountains.

Residents – For residents of Salt Lake City traveling to sites other than the Games, provide encouragement to alter their travel patterns to avoid driving during the times when Games events were underway. This includes personal and business travel, as well as truck traffic within and through the Salt Lake City area.

“Residents” were addressed by the TDM Plan, which defined a program of activities that sought to involve over a dozen transportation stakeholders in the Salt Lake City area. This included residents, major employers, commercial/retail businesses, schools, and other local interests, plus local and long-distance truckers who pass through the area. The Goal of the TDM Plan was to reduce the “background” traffic by at least 20%. The strategies used included increased transit use, carpools, shifting work hours earlier, shifting travel routes and times (especially for trucks), and other TDM approaches to reduce traffic.

In parallel, SLOC, UTA, UDOT and other agencies addressed the spectator population by developing the Olympic Spectator Transportation System (OSTS), which included:

· 19 park-and-ride lots with shuttle buses to downtown,

· the TRAX light rail system, with new overflow parking lots for TRAX riders

· publicly-subsidized contracted shuttle services to the mountain venues.

Over one-third of tickets to Olympics events were sold in Utah, so it must be recognized that many of the “spectators” were also Utah residents – in addition to the many “visitors” from outside Utah.

2.2 The Olympic Games

This section describes dimensions of the Games, the Olympic Spectator Transportation System and services provided, organizational structures, agency transportation roles, and the communications and transportation plans that were established to meet transportation needs during the Games.

2.2.1 Dimensions of the Games

The 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City were like no other Winter Games ever held, on several levels. The Games included the largest sport program in history with 78 events in 15 disciplines and seven sports – this included 10 more events than the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan. With nearly 2,400 athletes, more than 30,000 volunteers and 11,000 media representatives and 10,000 security personnel, this was by far, the largest Winter Games ever.

An average of 70,000-80,000 visitors arrived in Salt Lake City every day for 17 days. 65,000 visitors were welcomed to downtown Salt Lake every night. As a comparison, the Delta Center, which is located just west of downtown Salt Lake City and serves as home to the NBA’s Utah Jazz, draws a maximum of 17,000. It is located two blocks from the Salt Palace Convention Center, which can host up to 12,000.

By contrast, the last Winter Olympics in America took place in the small town of Lake Placid, New York – population 2,700 (1980). Salt Lake City is a bustling city of 800,000, and the Games took place over 900 square miles in wide-spread host cites that surrounded Salt Lake.

Beyond the sheer size of the Games, the issue of security and fears of terrorism following the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001 colored these Games like no other Olympics before. Extraordinary security measures were added, including a no-fly zone over the opening and closing ceremonies, security sweeps at all venues and measures similar to those used in the athletes' village after the terrorist attacks at the 1972 Summer Olympics. For the first time in a Winter Olympics, all visitors at all venues were subject to scans by metal detectors (nearly 1,000 of them). More than $300 million in combined federal, state and local funds were allocated for security for the Winter Olympics compared to $98 million spent at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta[3].

A comparison of recent major sports events is given in the table below. The record number of athletes, visitors, volunteers, plus the unprecedented number of events combined with extraordinary security measures, served to shape the 2002 Olympic Games transportation experience like no other in Winter Olympic Games history.

Table 1. Comparative Dimensions of Recent Olympic Games and Sports Events

Event	# of Athletes	# of Media	Ticket sales	# of Events
SLC Winter Olympics	2,399	11,408