The TIME Program has developed and expanded over the years. Some of the main initiatives the TIME Program is focusing on include outreach for the Move Over and Steer It, Clear It Laws, the Emergency Traffic Control and Scene Management Guidelines, incident debriefings, and the Freeway Service Team. For additional information on the TIME Program, as well as to obtain copies of outreach materials and order forms, please visit the TIME Program’s Web site.
For additional information about the STOC, please visit the STOC’s Web site.
511 System
511 Wisconsin is a free travel information service that provides real-time, route-specific information for travelers on the state’s roadways. For additional information on the 511 system or to obtain up-to-date travel information, please visit the 511 Web site.
Traffic Management, Planning & Operations for Evacuations: Current Practice and Lessons Learned
In November of 2009, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and their Traffic Incident Management Enhancement (TIME) Program sponsored a seminar on mass evacuation planning and preparedness by Dr. Brian Wolshon of Louisiana State University. Dr. Wolshon is a national expert on transportation system planning and management for mass evacuations. His presentation was videotaped and can be downloaded here in three parts, along with his PowerPoint presentation.
A recent federal study has indicated that a major evacuation occurs on average once every three weeks in the United States. These, along with recent national disasters like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina have provided a number of lessons learned that have opened the door for development of enhanced evacuation procedures and modeling/simulation capabilities. Here in Wisconsin, WisDOT is working closely with Emergency Management Agencies to develop evacuation guidance materials.
Questions on Dr. Wolshon’s presentation are encouraged and can be asked by contacting him directly at (225) 578-5247 or brian@rsip.lsu.edu. Any questions on WisDOT’s role in evacuation planning or on the TIME Program should be directed to the State TIM Engineer at (414) 227-2166 or timeprogram@dot.wi.gov.
Biography
Dr. Brian Wolshon is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Louisiana State University. He is also the Director of the United States Department of Transportation sponsored Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency at LSU.
Dr. Wolshon has authored numerous research papers, technical articles, and book chapters; and has served as an expert on numerous panels and committees for the Federal Highway Administration, National Academies of Science and Engineering, the Transportation Research Board, Institute of Transportation Engineers, and American Society of Civil Engineers. Since 2000, he has chaired the Transportation Research Board’s Subcommittee on Emergency Evacuation and has worked as a consultant to numerous federal and state agencies; national laboratories; and engineering firms on issues related to evacuation traffic planning and management. He has also appeared as a technical expert in media interviews for CNN, MSNBC, The Discovery Channel, TIME Magazine, the New York Times, and USA Today among many others.
