EasyWay
Evaluation Expert Group (EW EEG) Document – EEG/11/7
Incident warning on N205 against
incident, snow, stones, SAE
evolutions – ATMB network
Final Version
Issue: 2nd edition
Version: 3
Date: 25th January 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
REPORT TEMPLATE
4
1.
Key Evaluation Results
5
1.1.
Impact on Traffic Flow
5
1.2.
Impact on Safety
5
1.3.
Impact on Environment
6
1.4.
Other Key Results
6
Description of the Problem
7
2.1.
Site
7
2.2.
Issues Addressed
7
Description of the ITS Project
8
3.1.
Service Area
8
3.2.
Key Words
8
3.3.
Objectives
8
3.4.
Systems and Technologies Applied
8
3.5.
Costs
10
3.6.
Status of the Project
10
4.
Evaluation Planned
12
5.
European Dimension: Transferability of the Results
13
2.
3.
Annex 1: Technical Annex
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Site photos
14
Diagrams of the detection system in place
16
Photos of the VMS installations (Servoz and Egratz)
18
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REPORT TEMPLATE
Project Reference (From EasyWay Work plan): FR2_23 / SER43
Project Name: Incident warning system on RN205 for traffic incidents, snow, rock falls
EasyWay Region: SERTI
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1. Key Evaluation Results
Since the 1st May 2010, the section of the RN205 between the A40 motorway and the Mont Blanc
tunnel has been part of the ATMB concession network.
ATMB aims to ensure service continuity throughout its concession network, whatever the type of road
section (motorway, national road network, tunnel). For this reason, ATMB has been deploying
dynamic equipment on this section of the RN205 since May 2010, so as to ensure the same level of
service as on the rest of the motorway network. This equipment enables real time communication with
ATMB’s operations aid system: « SIERRA ».
The second aim of ATMB is to ensure efficient coordination of the dynamic equipment installed on the
road network, in order to guarantee maximum safety for users and optimal traffic flow.
1.1. Impact on Traffic Flow
This system aims to deal with an incident as soon as possible after it has occurred. The sooner traffic
disruptions are detected, the sooner corrective measures can be taken, reduce the impact of incidents
on traffic flow.
Once an incident disrupting traffic on the RN205 has been detected, ATMB can take measures such
as heavy vehicle stacking which uses specially designated motorway areas in Italy and France (le
Fayet stacking area in France and the Aoste stacking area in Italy).
Heavy vehicle traffic control measures mainly involve the closure of the Chavants, Chatelard and of
course the Mont Blanc tunnel. The Fayet rest area enables stacking of heavy vehicles climbing uphill,
whilst the Aoste rest area in Italy enables stacking of heavy vehicles descending downhill.
Another reason for heavy vehicle traffic control measures is winter viability: convoys of heavy vehicles
are led by a snow plough to stacking areas in the event of difficult driving conditions.
So far there have been insufficient incidents which have occurred to enable a detailed study of
scheme benefits to be undertaken.
1.2. Impact on Safety
This system aims to deal with an incident as soon as possible after it has occurred enables the area
to be made safe rapidly, so as to avoid a further accident. It also enables the relevant rescue services
to be deployed without wasting time. Time is gained in terms of incident detection, safety measures,
rescue service deployment and information transmission to the different partners and the media.
So far there have been insufficient incidents which have occurred to enable a detailed study of
scheme benefits to be undertaken.
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1.3. Impact on Environment
NA
1.4. Other Key Results
Users are informed of incidents and traffic conditions in real-time, prior to and during their journey via
the “Webtrafic” Internet site, through on-board equipment via “Autoroutes Trafic” and service
operators or via journalists over the 107.7 radio station.
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2. Description of the Problem
2.1. Site
The RN205 has been part of the ATMB concession network since May 2010. The section in question,
of this primary national road, is a dual carriageway nearly 20km long, located in the Haute-Savoie
region (74), between the Mont Blanc tunnel and the beginning of the A40 motorway at Le Fayet. It is
part of a major international route between France and Italy and is the preferred route for local traffic
of the Arve Valley between Le Fayet and Chamonix.
The RN205 has certain attributes that can make road operations difficult. There is a considerable
difference in altitude between the French control plaza of the Mont Blanc tunnel, situated at an
altitude of more than 1,200 metres, and that of Le Fayet, located at an altitude of 550 metres.
Weather conditions can be severe in winter and some areas are prone to be affected by falling rocks.
This road network has some unusual characteristics.
Heading upwards, the 2.8km long Egratz viaduct has pillars that are 80 metres high, the Chatelard
tunnel is 400m long, the Chavants tunnel is 1km long, there are 2 underpass approaches and a very
winding 4km climb to reach the Mont Blanc control plaza.
Heading downwards, the slope can reach 7% on certain sections with a road alignment dictated by
the mountainous environment, which led to the creation of two arrester beds on the Egratz slope to
enable emergency stopping of runaway vehicles.
2.2. Issues Addressed
Since 2010, ATMB has striven to provide the same level of service on this national road section as on
the whole of its motorway network. Dynamic equipment has therefore been installed, including;
signing equipment, weather sensors, and traffic counting stations, video equipment, and AID
systems.This equipment communicates with the operating aid system at the SIERRA control centre
located in Bonneville in Haute Savoie.
Arrester bed incident management on the RN205 is an example of dynamic field equipment
coordination that enables the SIERRA control centre to deal with incidents rapidly, therefore providing
a high level of service to users.
The system in place alerts the SIERRA control centre in real time when a vehicle enters one of the
two arrester beds on the Egratz slope. The SIERRA control centre operators, who permanently
monitor traffic (24/7), can therefore take any necessary measures to guarantee user safety and
maintain traffic flow.
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3. Description of the ITS Project
3.1. Service Area
The EasyWay Service areas are:
 Traveller Information Services,
 Traffic Management Services,
 ICT Infrastructure.
3.2. Key Words
Key words to describe the nature of the project and the applications used. Suggestions are as follows:
Traveller
Information Services
Traffic Management
Services
Freight and
Logistics Services
ICT Infrastructure
Data Management
and Exchange
On-trip Traveller
Information
Variable Message
Signs
Highway Advisory
Radio
Automatic Incident
Detection
Use of CCTV
Traffic Monitoring
Control Centres
3.3. Objectives
Related to EasyWay objectives* and objectives of the project Sponsor
*The EasyWay projects overarching objectives which are expected to be achieved by 2020 are as
follows:
 25% improvement in road safety by 2020,
 25% decrease in congestion, facilitate travel and mobility of people and goods by 2020, and;
 10% reduction in the impact on the Environment by 2020.
3.4. Systems and Technologies Applied
1) From field equipment to the SIERRA control centre
(Refer to the appendix for diagrams of the detection system)
The electromagnetic detection loops located at the entrance of both arrester beds inform transmission
equipment of vehicle presence. This transmission equipment is linked to the centralised technical
management system of the Chatelard tunnel near the area. The tunnel’s centralised technical
management system transmits vehicle presence information to the SIERRA operating aid system at
the Bonneville control centre. The same transmission equipment is queried by the CCTV system,
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which displays camera images on alert monitor n°16 of the SIERRA control centre if a vehicle is
detected in the arrester bed.
2) From the SIERRA control centre to field equipment (role of the SIERRA road operations aid
system)
Once a vehicle is detected in an arrester bed, the SIERRA road operations aid system sounds an
alarm. At the same time, the camera monitoring the area automatically displays images on an alert
screen on the video wall at the Bonneville control centre. This enables operators at the SIERRA
control centre to rapidly analyse the situation and if necessary, create an incident file in the SIERRA
road operations aid system. The system then dynamically proposes the most relevant actions to the
operator. For example the system may suggest displaying a message on the VMS upstream from the
incident, calling the nearest patrol officer to make the area safe, requesting rescue service
intervention, or sending incident information updates to listed organisations and partners etc.
3) The process of vehicle detection in an arrester bed
When a “vehicle detection in arrester bed” alarm sounds in real time at the SIERRA control centre,
here is an example of what is dynamically suggested at the SIERRA control centre in Bonneville.
 Alarm sounds until an operator takes action, so as to ensure the incident is dealt with rapidly.
This alarm is connected to the automatic display of video images of the incident on the SIERRA
control centre’s alert monitor. If deemed necessary, the operator creates an incident file in the
computerised log book of the operations aid system.
 The system suggests displaying a message on the VMS upstream from the incident, so as to
warn road users. The SIERRA system suggests a message to the operator, who decides
whether or not to approve its display. In this case, the message is displayed on the Egratz VMS
(upstream from the incident).
 The system suggests displaying a message on the VMS on the slip road leading to the RN205
network, upstream from the incident (VMS on the Servos interchange slip road).
 The system suggests calling ATMB personnel to intervene on site if necessary. It provides the
operator with contact details of personnel on duty.
 The system suggests calling rescue services if necessary. It provides contact details of the fire
service, the gendarmerie and the breakdown service that cover the area.
 The system suggests informing the relative state services to trigger « zonal » measures if
necessary.
 Information is provided to journalists of the 107.7 radio station, so that they may broadcast
messages over the radio.
 Automatic and systematic communication of incident information and updates in DATEX format
to state infrastructure services, to “Autoroutes Trafic”, who automatically update « Webtrafic »
maps and to service operators who update information on on-board devices.
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In summary, this system coordinates dynamic traffic detection equipment out in the field with the
Chatelard tunnel centralized technical management system, and with video equipment. It is linked to
the SIERRA operations aid system and has been operational since June 2012.
3.5. Costs
 Capital costs - ITS Technologies
o SIERRA: information transmission to the SIERRA control centre has been taken into
account in version 13 of the SIERRA operations aid system, which has been in service
since June 2012 and cost 20 k€.
 Capital costs – Infrastructure
o Equipment
 Installation costs – Technologies and Infrastructure
2010
2011
Arrester bed sensors + video
transmission + centralized
technical management
transmission + civil engineering
27 k€
Egratz VMS+ civil engineering
156 k€
Access prohibition signs
barriers+ civil engineering
336 k€
+
2012
TOTAL
34 k€
59 k€
20 k€
Interface with SIERRA
operations aid system
519 k€
Total
113 k€
632 k€
3.6. Status of the Project
This project has been operational since 29th June 2012
Here is the schedule for equipment installation and interfacing with SIERRA.
Equipment installation
 Egratz VMS upstream from the arrester beds
o
o
o
o
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Installation:19/10/2011,
Operational: 20/10/2011,
Integration on the E-Traffic front-end computer: 30/11/2011,
On-site validation: 06/12/2011.
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 Access prohibition signs and barriers at la Vigie and Servoz interchanges, upstream from the
arrester beds:
o
o
o
o
Installation: 23/11/2011,
Operational: 29/11/2011,
Integration on the E-Traffic front end computer: 30/11/2011,
Final validation: 23/02/2012.
 Egratz counting station:
o
o
o
o
o
Installation of loops: 20/03/2012,
Installation of traffic data acquisition material: 21/03/2012,
Operational: 03/04/2012,
Integration on the E-Traffic front-end computer: 19/04/2012,
Final validation: 27/04/2012.
 Connection with the Chatelard tunnel centralized technical management system and
connection with video equipment:
o
IP interface for alarm transmission: 24/04/2012.
Dynamic interface with version 13 of the SIERRA operations aid system
 Factory tests and validation: SIERRA v13: 29/5/2012
o
o
Integration of new equipment,
Transmission of the « vehicle detection in Egratz arrester bed » alarm from the
Chatelard tunnel centralized technical management system to SIERRA v13.
 SIERRA v13 made operational on 4/6/2012 at Bonneville.
 On site tests conducted on 13/6/2012 – reservation raised with regards to the system, as the
arrester bed alarm was not correctly transmitted to SIERRA (connection difficulties between
the dynamic alarm transmission equipment and the Chatelard tunnel centralized technical
management system).
 New on arrester bed field tests on the 29/6/2012, following corrections made by equipment
companies. The reservation was dropped; the system was made operational.
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4. Evaluation Planned
ATMB has only logged its road operations on the RN205 since May 2010. As for the arrester bed
alarm management system, it has only been operational since June 2012. It is therefore not possible
to provide an objective evaluation over such little time.
Over this period, it should also be noted that the road section in question has been closed twice to
traffic due to major road works: from the 16th April to the 15th June 2012 and from the 24th August to
the 7th November 2012.
Since the system was made operational on the 29th June 2012, 83 vehicles have been detected
between both arrester beds:

60 of these alarms are not to be taken into consideration, as they are not linked to normal road
operations. They effectively correspond to the presence of roadwork vehicles during the
periods when traffic cones were laid on this road section (roadworks to protect the road section
from falling rocks notably),

23 alarms were analysed more attentively by operators at the SIERRA control centre:
o
10 alarms correspond to snow ploughs passing near the arrester beds,
o
12 alarms correspond to road users who stopped near the arrester bed entrance for
reasons that were not linked to emergency situations (the operator was able to verify
this on the alert monitor at the Bonneville TMC),
o
Finally, 1 alarm corresponds to a light vehicle entering the arrester bed and unable to
get out. The operator was able to analyse the situation, make the area safe and
request intervention from breakdown services.
From a technical point of view, it can be noted that all the alarms had an objective cause; there was
no false alert.
From a road operations point of view, fortunately no heavy vehicle has been detected to date and it
has been shown that the alarm enables the operator to react rapidly to an incident.
Further evaluation of this system towards the end of 2013 would undoubtedly be more relevant,
following a longer period of use and in a context less disrupted by road works.
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5. European Dimension: Transferability of the Results
The technologies described in this report could be adopted in other countries or areas with similar
topologies.
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Annex 1: Technical Annex
Site photos
Photo of arrester bed: downstream view
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Photo of arrester bed: upstream view
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Diagrams of the detection system in place
VMS
counting
loop
counting
loop
Arrester
bed
Arrester
bed
Camera
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Tunnel du Chatelard
Operating principle
Loops
Equipment
Transmission
Transmission
Automaton
acquisition
equipment
equipment
acquisition
acquisition
Centralised technical
management
Equipment
CCTV
AID photo
Switching
matrix
The electromagnetic detection loops located in the arrester beds forward vehicle presence information
to transmission equipment.
This transmission equipment is connected to the centralised technical management system of the
tunnel near the area.
The centralised technical management system forwards vehicle presence information to the SIERRA
control centre.
At the same time, the same transmission equipment is queried by the CCTV video system, which
displays the camera images on alert monitor n°16 at the Bonneville control centre.
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Photos of the VMS installations (Servoz and Egratz)
Photo of SERVOZ - VMS
Photo of Egratz - VMS
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