Managing complex data flows in the wisconsin lane closure System

The Wisconsin Lane Closure System (WisLCS) serves as the central acceptance and reporting system for Wisconsin DOT (WisDOT) lane closures and restrictions statewide. It was developed by the Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison through sponsorship by WisDOT Bureau of Highway Operations to address several emerging needs with respect to work zone operations and data reporting. In particular, the WisLCS will provide lane closure information to the Wisconsin 511 Traveler Information system when it launches in 2009. The WisLCS system was developed over 18 months and has been operational since April 1, 2008. This paper describes how the Wisconsin Lane Closure System (WisLCS) utilizes a datacentric approach to enhance the functionality of the lane closure process and open it up to related systems. The WisLCS was designed to enhance closure operations at WisDOT by tracking a wider range of closure types compared to existing systems and by providing more dynamic, realtime closure status information. Our challenge was to take the many different data needs arising from these requirements and build a system robust enough to handle a complex array of data elements at the same time developing user interfaces that both collect and present the data in a straightforward and logical fashion. The approach taken by WisLCS was in the development of a lane closure data model, implemented as a collection of closure data objects. These data objects encapsulate all the data elements necessary to capture every aspect of a closure, including traditional “static” elements such as time, location, and project details, and more dynamic elements such as status, history, and authorization attributes. An important feature of the WisLCS closure data model is its integration with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) State Trunk Network (STN) GIS. Developing WisLCS to the STN allows our system to ‘push’ lane closure information to other systems in a standardized and easily integrated format. It also facilitates integration with internal transportation applications at the Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Lab. For example, the WisLCS Capacity module utilizes STN-linked data from an established WisDOT vehicle volume data source and helps to determine appropriate thresholds for use in the lane closure decision making process. Moreover, the STN based data model is intended to facilitate future development of map-based reporting and interface tools.