Incident Management Program Area

Incident Management is the capability to manage unexpected incidents and planned events so that the impacts to the transportation network and traveler safety are minimized. This includes incident detection capabilities through roadside surveillance devices and regional coordination with other traffic management agencies. Depending on the nature of the incident, the response may include traffic control strategy modifications or resource coordination between the various transportation centers in the region. Incident response also includes presentation of information to affected travelers and sharing information with other agencies that might be impacted by the event. Activities pertaining to large-scale disruptions in the region are covered under the Emergency Management Program Area.

The incident management system is highly integrated with the freeway management system in NRO through the TOC. The TOC provides all dispatching and two-way radio capability, highway advisory radio, collection of real-time data to detect incidents, and CCTV to verify incidents.

The TOC monitors the Virginia State Police (VSP) Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system for incident detection. The TOC is continuing the transition to automatic system integration with VSP CAD and Fairfax County CAD systems as the main means of automatic incident detection as part of the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (MPSTOC). MPSTOC also co-locates public safety personnel (VSP, Fairfax County) with NRO TOC staff to increase efficiency in incident response.

In addition to the TOC, the Safety Service Patrol (SSP) assists and performs incident clearance, on-scene traffic management, and incident management data entry (shared real-time between TOC and SSP). SSP is responsible for identifying and responding to incidents that occur on the NRO roadway system. The SSP also identifies incident locations, monitors the impact of incidents, verifies incidents, and shares incident information with the TOC and other agencies, along with removing or assisting in removing obstructions from the incident scene.

The incident information sharing responsibility mainly resides with the TOC; however, SSP does share information with other agencies' field staff (e.g. police and other DOT patrollers) via CapWIN and phone calls. During incidents in which traffic is expected to spill onto arterial corridors, TOC operators notify the signal operation staff to implement appropriate signal timing plans to facilitate altered traffic volumes and patterns.

Incident management is also a major function of the VSP, which is responsible for providing public safety in the State of Virginia by responding to incidents that occur on the VDOT roadway system.

Incident notification is exchanged with regional agencies like CapWIN, RITIS, DC Public Safety and Emergency Management agencies, DC DOT, Maryland CHART (Coordinated Highway Action Response Team), toll operators, event promoters, and local jurisdictions. From the TOC, incident information is also provided to private entities, media, state-wide 511 services (through VDOT VATraffic – a statewide information portal) and other traveler information outlets.

The following strategies carry out incident management related activities:

Device Master Planning and Project Development
Formalize Command and Control
Continue CAD Integration
Expand and Modernize Safety Service Patrol (SSP) Program
Transition to Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (PSTOC)
Regional Incident Data Sharing
Establish Northern Virginia Incident Management Group
Expand Law Enforcement Traffic Signal Pre-emption
Automatic Incident Detection
Establish a Coordinated Efficient Clearance Program
Automated Coordination of Traffic Signals During Incidents
Integrate Incident Management Plan with ATMS

Market Packages

The market packages most associated with incident management include the following:

ATMS08 - Traffic Incident Management System
CVO10 - Hazmat Management
EM01 - Emergency Call-Taking and Dispatch

EM04 - Roadway Service Patrols

Roadway Service Patrols - Arlington TMC