Oregon

Department of

Transportation

OregonGreen Light Project

Mainline Preclearance Systems Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Scales Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI) Systems Transponders

Travel Advisory Systems Downhill Speed Information Systems Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS)

How Is This Accomplished?• Weigh-In-Motion systems check the

vehicles weight and height

• An automatic vehicle identification reader checks state records for registration, tax status, safety inspection status

• The driver is signaled with an in-cab device to either Report to the station or Bypass

Transponder readerTransponder reader

Over-Height detectorOver-Height detector

Weigh-in-motion Weigh-in-motion single load cells and single load cells and axle sensorsaxle sensors

MainlineMainline PreclearancePreclearance

Oregon Green Light System Checks:

Truck Size, Weight, Height

Transponder Signal to Identify Vehicle/Carrier

Records Related to Registration, Tax, and Safety

Single-Load-Cell (SLC) Scale Installation

Axle Sensor Installation

Loop Detectors System Electronics

Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI)& Over Height Detection

AVI Antennas

Infra-redOver Height Sensor

TYPICAL SITE LAYOUTTYPICAL SITE LAYOUTAVI READERS READ THE TRUCK’S TRANSPONDER

WIM SCALES MEASURE THE VEHICLE’S WEIGHT

LOOPS AND AXLE SENSORS DETERMINE LENGTH, SPEED

AND AXLE SPACING

TYPICAL SITE LAYOUTTYPICAL SITE LAYOUTAVI READERS READ THE TRUCK’S TRANSPONDER

WIM SCALES MEASURE THE VEHICLE’S WEIGHT

LOOPS AND AXLE SENSORS DETERMINE LENGTH, SPEED

AND AXLE SPACING

OVER HEIGHT DETECTOR CHECKS IF THE VEHICLE IS

OVER LEGAL HEIGHT

TYPICAL SITE LAYOUTTYPICAL SITE LAYOUTAVI READERS READ THE TRUCK’S TRANSPONDER

WIM SCALES MEASURE THE VEHICLE’S WEIGHT

LOOPS AND AXLE SENSORS DETERMINE LENGTH, SPEED

AND AXLE SPACING

AVI READERS SEND A RED OR GREEN LIGHT TO THE

TRANSPONDER

OVER HEIGHT DETECTOR CHECKS IF THE VEHICLE IS

OVER LEGAL HEIGHT

TYPICAL SITE LAYOUTTYPICAL SITE LAYOUT

AVI READERS SEND A RED OR GREEN LIGHT TO THE

TRANSPONDER

AVI READERS READ THE TRUCK’S TRANSPONDER

WIM SCALES MEASURE THE VEHICLE’S WEIGHT

LOOPS AND AXLE SENSORS DETERMINE LENGTH, SPEED

AND AXLE SPACING

Green Light

OVER HEIGHT DETECTOR CHECKS IF THE VEHICLE IS

OVER LEGAL HEIGHT

Mainline Preclearance

TranspondersDedicated Short-Range Communications

22 Oregon weigh stations

operational

Green Light sites

1,600,000

1,400,000

1,200,000

1,000,000

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

01999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011

17,615

850,000

1,100,000

1,425,0001,500,000

MCTD began keeping track of the number of trucks that “bypassed” weigh stations in January 1999. Four weigh stations were preclearing an average of 51 trucks a day.

There are now 22 stations preclearing 4,400 trucks a day.

Today, nearly 4,200companies

are equipped

Withmore than

40,000transponders

1,375,000

1,606,000

Information from the American Trucking

Association estimates the cost of operating a truck to be $1.96/minute.

An independent evaluation determined that the average time a truck spends in a weigh

station is five-to-eight minutes.

Based on these figures the carrier industry overall currently saves more than 125,000 hours of travel time and $14.7 million in

operating cost annually.

Types of Data Collected• Individual axle weights• Axle group weights• Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)• Axle spacings• Vehicle Classification• Date/Time stamp• Reports (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly)• Speed• Equivalent Single Axle Load’s• Weight warning/violation

Benefits of Data CollectionState Government — Where taxpayers demand

efficiency and cost savings

Highway Planning Traffic volume counts Vehicle classifications Frequency patterns (minimum/peak) Build for longevity (performance-based)

Bridge Planning Designs based on Weight/Configuration data Repair/Re-design of existing structures (change in patterns)

Infrastructure Preservation Save an estimated $20 million annually in Oregon in maintenance costs Address the problem with pavement damage from overweight trucks,

estimated to cost the U.S. $670 million annually

OSUOSU

“Green Light Preclearance Systems identify and stop more overweight trucks that would otherwise be allowed to proceed and cause millions in highway pavement damage”

Dr. Chris Bell

Independent EvaluationIndependent Evaluation

The “Green” Light ProgramThe DEQ completed emissiontesting in 2008. The resultsfound that trucks bypassing a weigh station experienceda 57% increase in fueleconomy, and reduced harmful pollutants (particulate matter, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons) by 36% to 67%. One study in particular found that these reductions achieve the highest per-value ton of pollutant reduced.

Winner of a 2000 Winner of a 2000 “Best of ITS” “Best of ITS” AwardAward

Semi-finalist Semi-finalist 2001 JFK 2001 JFK Harvard Harvard “Innovations in “Innovations in Government” Government” AwardAward

The Green Light weigh station preclearance program is a winner of the top award in the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 2002 Team Excellence Program. The “Exemplary Partner” award recognizes the work of ODOT’s Green Light team.

• 64 teams from around the U.S. entered the competition.

2002 AASHTO Award2002 AASHTO AwardOregon Green Light wins AASHTO Oregon Green Light wins AASHTO

Excellence awardExcellence award

Comments Comments oror Questions? Questions?

Contactthe

Oregon Department of Transportation

David Fiferdavid.a.fifer@state.or.us

503-378-6054