Session No. 3A

Safety! Safety! Safety!        

The HNTB Platinum session will look at safety using transformational technology for Vision Zero, Road Safety Audit (RSA) using 3D/Lidar and the GIS Safety Data Integration Space. Each speaker will focus on three different stages of transportation lifeline. The first speaker will focus the safety on Vision Zero goals; on how video analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to greatly improve transportation safety through connected vehicles. The second speakers will show how LiDAR and 3D data analytics can perform intersection (corner) sight distance and stopping sight distance on a PennDOT District 6-0 pilot project in Montgomery County. The final speaker will look at an FDOT developed Safety Data Platform, built with ArcGIS that provides several methods to present and evaluate crash and safety statistics at one's fingertips. 

Moderator: Fernando Mascioli, P.E., PTOE, Pennsylvania Traffic and ITS Department Manager, HNTB Corporation

Advancing Vision Zero Safety Goals Thru Connected Vehicle Technology

Understanding how advanced technologies, including video analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are used to analyze data in real-time to provide actionable responses more importantly to complex traffic situations including road hazards, congestion and traffic collisions will be a vital for safety in the future. Our role in the industry is key and the advancement/implementation of how these technologies play an integral role in smart infrastructure.     

• Jeffrey Arch, P.E., Sr. Project Manager — Smart Cities/Connected Vehicles/Automated Vehicles, HNTB Corporation      

Road Safety Audit 3D

Being able to determine safety challenges effectively and efficiently on roadways has become a priority for many DOT’s and Municipalities and using 3D models to quickly identify safety concerns on a proposed design or existing infrastructure is now possible.  As part of HNTB’s on-demand safety work, RDV will present their recent work with PennDOT District 6-0 analyzing safety concerns on a 5-mile corridor in Montgomery County using LiDAR to identify intersection (corner) sight distance and stopping sight distance. This new pinpoint accurate method of performing sight distance analysis efficiently and effectively will make you rethink how we currently perform an RSA.

Larry Mohr, Business Development Manager for RSA 3D, RDV Systems Inc.

Road Safety Audit 3D

• Natan Elsberg, Founder and CEO, RDV Systems Inc                

Florida’s Safety Data Integration Space     

How do you evaluate the benefit cost ratio for a safety treatment or a safety project? Would you not want this information quickly without spending countless hours on crunching safety data on spreadsheets and reviewing pages and pages of safety reports?  Rakesh Sharma of HNTB will present on Florida’s Safety Integration Space. The presentation will look at this safety platform and go through the HSIP Implementation Dashboard currently being developed and maintained for Florida Department of Transportation. The dashboard provides several methods to present and evaluate crash and safety statistics to help users estimate return on investment and prioritize projects to enhance safety.

• Rakesh Sharma P.E., PTOE, PMP, CVP, Department Manager, HNTB Corporation                  

Bios

Jeffrey Arch brings 37 years of engineering experience in various transportation operations and technology projects. He is a traffic engineer by trade and has held a variety of positions with consulting engineering firms and vendors with technology platforms that enable him to provide unique perspectives on complex projects and the use of emerging technologies to facilitate safety. Arch began his connected vehicle career working around the table with the New York City DOT and others to formulate and advance Phase 1 of the NYC CV Pilot Deployment Project. He went on to manage CV research and development projects for the Federal Transit Administration while working with the Battelle Memorial Institute. In the past 3-years, Arch led the development of a Connected Vehicle Concept of Operations for the statewide New Jersey with a focus on safety and mobility and has developed specials provisions is support of NJDOTs connected vehicle ready infrastructure design projects. Arch is a 1984 graduate of Penn State.

Larry Mohr is an Executive Professional with over 30 years’ experience who has worked in a variety of industries and is consistently a member of the executive team. Business Development has been his primary role and he is committed to transactions that benefit both parties in any negotiation. Mohr has a passion for innovative products that truly revolutionize the current practices and make a difference to individuals. Mohr has a proven track record of working with clients at all levels to deliver a great experience. In most cases, the products or services are new to the marketplace and require special attention to validate that the product/service is needed. In addition, an integrity-based approach to value, contracting, and ensuring the product/service is providing the desired outcomes are also a strength. He is an advocate for fair and equitable business transactions and will be a client advocate to ensure the job is completed correctly. Mohr enjoys playing guitar, spending time outdoors, and his family. He is active in his community as a member of a school board and with his local church.

Natan Elsberg graduated from Penn State in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. He moved to Israel at the culmination of his studiesand worked as a project manager for a leading Jerusalem based firm specializing in geometric roadway design. Elsberg always had a strong background in computer systems and programming and quickly applied his knowledge to improve CAD systems and workflows. In 1999, he co-founded a local CAD consultancy business and provided services throughout Europe to major vendors in the field. In 2005, he co-founded RDV Systems with an aim to provide improved results for projects through advanced use of 3D digital modeling techniques. Elsberg received six patents from the USPTO for inventions related to advanced visualization and safety applications in the field. Today, his primary focus is on RDV’s Road Safety Audit 3D technology which is poised to dramatically improve the way new designs and existing roadways can be efficiently evaluated for critical safety issues relating to the 3D roadway environment. He graduated from Penn State in 1991 with a degree in civil engineering.

Rakesh Sharma is a Department Manager and Emerging Technology Lead for the HNTB Florida practice. Sharma has more than 17 years of experience in the fields of traffic engineering, traffic safety, and emerging technology. Sharma has been supporting the development of a data integration space platform for the State of Florida to support the use of available data in the existing mainframe system for decision-making on funding allocations in a user-friendly ArcGIS analytics application. The State is expanding the application to support analysis of the before and after calculations and return on investment by different work mixes and countermeasures deployed. Sharma is married and has two kids, 11 and 15. He enjoys living in the Florida panhandle region and is currently based out of Tallahassee.