Real Time Measures of Effectiveness

This report describes research that is focused on identifying and determining methods for automatically computing measures of effectiveness (MOEs) when supplied with real time information. The MOEs, along with detection devices such as cameras, roadway detectors and roadside incident reports, help decision makers inform drivers as to the traffic situation at a given time. The report first defines MOEs and their purpose. A literature review of existing systems, input devices, instruments, and available algorithms for dynamically computing identified common MOEs is presented. Background information on advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) follows. The report next describes the recommended process for applying the raw data available from ATMS field devices and calculating MOEs for the individual ATMS components. The report validates the need for developing methods for continuously monitoring the performance of ATMS and evaluating its effectiveness in real time. It concludes that the cost and amount of time incurred by the current practice of field evaluations can be substantially reduced with the application of algorithms that can dynamically compute MOEs.