In 2009 QCIF developed a transport program of work, focussed primarily on traffic congestion. The transport domain is mature with significant federal, state and local government investment in data collection and analysis so QCIF leveraged our core strength of innovative data modelling and visualisation. The transport projects were either developed by QCIF staff directly or facilitated though the university partners and were operational and strategic in nature, focusing on improving traveller information and road infrastructure optimisation.

Improving Traveller Information
 

The Live Congestion Mapping (Coloured Roads) Project Providing drivers with real-time traffic information so they can avoid congested areas is critical to the improvement of transport networks. Working with the University of California – San Diego (UCSD) and the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) Queensland, QCIF developed a pilot map-based visual representation of the traffic state in Brisbane. Our specialised software takes data from the traffic light systems (STREAMS) to process and display on a road network and terrain map. Current traffic conditions are represented as colours with congested roads shown in red.

The project is currently waiting to be deployed on the new Queensland Government travel information website. It represents state-of-the-art data fusion capability between real time sensor data and map and terrain data. The project is expected to be deployed to specific mobile platforms (phones) as it is deployed in California, specifically the Apple iPhone initially.

Project Participants

The University of California San Diego, the University of Queensland, Transmaxx and the Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland

Smart Mobility Demonstrator Project
 

The major outcome of the Smart Mobility Demonstrator project was a video showcase of three travel scenarios where a futuristic personal mobility application, the Integrated Personalised Transport Assistant System (IPTAS), provides real time travel options and cost information. The IPTAS draws on smart infrastructure to provide the user in each scenario with various travel choices based on real-time information for all modes of transport.

This QCIF-funded project demonstrates a vision of the future and provides an exemplar of the types of smart infrastructure and applications needed for optimisation of transport infrastructure. It is a visual representation of the transport systems that could be realised if the objectives in the QCIF supported Transport Maturity Model for Brisbane were to be achieved. The Maturity Model was a joint QCIF, QUT, Queensland Motorway and IBM project.

Project Participants

The Queensland University of Technology and Thales
Road Infrastructure Optimisation

National Road Performance Indicators Project
 

Each year, Austroads collects and collates performance data on the Australian and New Zealand road systems and the road authorities that manage them. These data sets are termed National Performance Indicators (NPI) and best represent the economic, social, safety and environmental performance of the road system and road authorities.

In 2009, QCIF, working with the DTMR, applied advanced data management skills to enable the NPIs to be easily calculated from data sets obtained from STREAMS. The information enables DTMR to demonstrate congestion patterns on certain Brisbane road links including metrics such as traffic direction and time, day and month. This is critical for understanding the interconnected nature of the road network and to identify and compare road usage.

Austroads publishes updated data each year to provide important time series information for the transport industry and the community and to facilitate individual comparisons of the performance of the road system and road authorities.

Project Participants

Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland

Intelligent Motorways Modelling Project
 

QCIF, working with the Centre for Transport Strategy (CTS) at the University of Queensland and the School of Engineering at the Queensland University of Technology, identified a critical need to develop a major multi-faceted test-bed to further understanding of new active transport measures and traffic forecasting algorithms. In consultation with Queensland Motorways Limited (QML) and DTMR, the intersection of the Gateway, Logan and Pacific Motorways was identified as an ideal test bed because it was an area of interest to the road operators and was not undergoing any significant changes in structure or layout. The initial project scope involved equipping the CTS laboratory with new equipment and software to create a state-of-the-art modelling facility and a base micro-simulation model was completed at the end of 2009.

The next stage of the project will involve calibration of the model with real data followed by testing of new active traffic management methods including Variable Speed Limits (VSL) and predictive traffic algorithms to determine the traffic state at a given number of minutes into the future.

Project Participants

Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland, the Centre for Transport Strategy, Queensland University of Technology School of Engineering  

Smart Mobility Demonstrator Project
 

The major outcome of the Smart Mobility Demonstrator project was a video showcase of three travel scenarios where a futuristic personal mobility application, the Integrated Personalised Transport Assistant System (IPTAS), provides real time travel options and cost information. The IPTAS draws on smart infrastructure to provide the user in each scenario with various travel choices based on real time information for all modes of transport.

This QCIF-funded project demonstrates a vision of the future and provides a roadmap of the types of smart infrastructure and applications needed for optimisation of transport infrastructure. It is a visual representation of the transport systems that could be realised if the objectives in the QCIF supported Transport Maturity Model for Brisbane were to be achieved. The model was a joint QCIF, QUT, Queensland Motorway and IBM project.

Project Participants

Prof. Edward Chung, Dr. Jonathan Bunker, Miss. Deepti Muley, Dr. Joe Young, Mr. Mark Barry, Mr. Edward Chung, Queensland University of Technology

John Marychurch
Thales, Australia