The State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Bureau of Highway Operations engaged Macro to develop a project for enhancing data communications system interoperability capabilities between the State’s Traffic and Public Safety operations. The first phase of this project involved Macro conducting a statewide legacy systems inventory and user needs assessment based upon extensive stakeholder interviews representing several highway and public safety support functions across the state. From this survey, Macro developed a gap analysis of the State’s current communications infrastructure’s age, condition, and capacity, in relation to the level of infrastructure required to support the consolidated set of stakeholder needs for data (including video) communications between state, county, and larger agencies.

In addition to the technology evaluations, Macro identified key stakeholder groups and lead organizations, and their common objectives of relevant ongoing projects and programs for communications interoperability. Using proven, consensus based, decision making techniques, Macro assisted WisDOT in defining a high-level framework for coordinated operation of existing communications systems, and for incremental development of enhanced highway operations and public safety communications interoperability. One such tool Macro employed to develop such interagency consensus was to structure and facilitate a series of scenario-based tabletop exercises with focus groups representing both transportation and public safety. The process was proven effective in defining, assessing, and prioritizing operational and functional needs for interoperable mobile data radio communications between highway operations and public safety to better coordinate incident response.

A key objective of this project was to integrate and leverage the State’s prior investments in capital and staffing to extend and enhance current assets into new service capabilities. Upon interagency agreement of the recommended project plan, Macro developed a conceptual system design approach, leveraging as much as possible the pre-existing and ongoing State, County, and municipal-level communications investments.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA or, as more commonly know, “MUNI”) has engaged Macro through a contract with Booz Allen-Hamilton to provide professional engineering services related to replacing and updating MUNI’s aging radio system for use with digital voice, mobile data (e.g. AVL), and video. Macro’s work under this large engagement includes:

Project Management:

• Monitor schedule, submittal progress, and contract budget; issue monthly status reports.
  
  
• Provide monthly project report; input to DBMA; input to project schedule
  
  
• Survey existing communications facilities, such as key radio tower and dispatch sites, underground radio facilities, and representative above ground sites.
  
  
• Survey existing radio communications hardware equipment and its configuration at the sites noted above.

User Survey and Needs Assessment

Interoperability Studies and Planning:

• Perform interviews, gather data on potential consolidation with OEM, OPT, Security systems.
  
  
• Prepare a draft and final Radio System Consolidation Study. This study will become part of the Conceptual Engineering Report (CER) in later Task Orders.
  
  
• Conduct interviews and summarize needs leading to a concept of operations for interoperability plans and agreements.
  
  
• Develop a draft and final Interagency Interoperability Concept of Operations Report, to be included as part of CER in later Task Orders.
  
  

System Loading, Traffic, and Capacity Calculations

When implemented, the new wide-area radio system designed by Macro will support secure wireless voice communications, wireless data carriage for CAD and AVL systems and, in the future, live wireless video technology, for MUNI’s entire fleet of buses, historic streetcars, and world-famous cable cars.

Macro was engaged by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA), or more commonly referred to in Chicagoland as “the Tollway”, to complete a needs assessment and design recommendation to migrate their operations to the state's new "STARCOM21" statewide digital trunked radio network. The Tollway operates over 1200 mobile and portable radio units on snowplows, roadway maintenance trucks, treasury trucks, and a large State Police force attached to the Tollway to patrol over 275 miles of toll highway.

Included in Macro's scope focusing on the radio system was the selection and design of new, highly ergonomic, dispatch control center workstation furniture supporting radio control, CAD, AVL, voice recorders, and video surveillance monitors. Macro led contract negotiations and a competitive price analysis to ultimately add the Tollway onto the STARCOM21 at a cost 20% less than proposed by the radio system operator while adding many specially-developed features and functions. The Tollway has successfully completed the migration of its existing analog 800 MHz voice radio communications to the new, digital, APCO Project 25-compliant, 800 MHz STARCOM21 statewide system.

Macro has been a long-time system planning and engineering resource to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for a wide assortment of important communication system projects. One such project was to examine the existing and future communications usage on the George Washington Bridge (GWB), a major span over the Hudson River in New York City.

A large number of different communications technologies are needed for the safe and efficient operation of this busy bridge. The Authority’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) monitors traffic flow, detects incidents, and adjusts traffic patterns to minimize delays; their building management system monitors the HVAC and security of several buildings adjacent to the bridge; its CCTV cameras observe critical locations so remotely located operators can detect traffic problems and react to security issues; a SCADA system monitors and controls a variety of bridge system supervision and control locations.

In one assignment, Macro established all communications transport needs on the Bridge, both for the present and foreseeable future, and to estimate the total bandwidth and allocation required. We then located and designed the fiber nodes that are positioned along the fiber cable path where communication services will be provided for the various uses. Other important tasks for this assignment included a survey of available technology alternatives with a recommendation of the best approach for this application, estimated procurement and installation costs, maintenance recommendations and costs, and finally a design and project phasing plan.

In another, related project, our firm completed a final design to extend coverage of the Port Authority’s 800 MHz Police Radio system into areas inside of the Bus Terminal at the New Jersey side of the GWB. The Port Authority found that the coverage within the bus terminal was not adequate to allow effective communications between foot patrol officers and their supervisors. To correct this potentially dangerous problem, the Port Authority engaged Macro to design new, in-building radio equipment. This additional radio coverage now extends into the subway station adjacent to the bus terminal.

Our design included new antennas and bi-directional amplifiers mounted at the bus terminal to amplify and distribute the signal to the interior of the building. Using special equipment we own, our firm measured transmission loses within various areas of the bus terminal to better understand the signal strength that would be needed at the new antenna locations. The design also included redundant elements to improve the availability of adequate signal levels under conditions of equipment failure. Finally, we recommended the most appropriate technology to transmit the radio system’s communications from the main antenna at the top of one on the bridge towers to the building. In this case, side lobe signals were minimized so that nearby Port Authority installations did not experience noticeable radio interference.