Transportation Planning Archives - Atlas

Advancing Railroad Safety in Georgia: Q&A with Dave Bearse

a-barbagallo — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:32:38 +0000

Q&A: Senior Rail Engineer Dave Bearse provides updates on the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety (Section 130) Program.

This week, Dave Bearse, along with LN Manchi and Fahreen Muhammad, will be in Atlanta, Georgia, participating in the , alongside transportation leaders committed to advancing safer rail systems nationwide. As a longtime rail safety partner to GDOT, Atlas brings nearly two decades of experience supporting GDOT’s Section 130 Program — providing technical leadership, strategic planning and collaborative coordination to identify risks and implement proven safety improvements at highway-rail grade crossings across the state. Through this work, Atlas continues to help strengthen Georgia’s rail network while protecting the communities it serves.

Q: What’s your role in the Section 130 Program?

I serve as the technical lead for the Atlas work within the Section 130 Program. My focus is on coordinating and overseeing the technical aspects of railroad safety improvements, working closely with GDOT, CSX Transportation (CSXT), cities, counties and other stakeholders.

Q: Could you provide some background on the Section 130 Program and its origins from your perspective?

The program originated in response to growing highway safety concerns in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when a high number of fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings promoted the federal government to invest highway safety funds in proven countermeasures such as flashing lights and gates. These improvements significantly reduced crashes and laid the foundation for today’s program, which now encompasses a broader range of safety and hazard elimination strategies — including passive warning devices, crossing eliminations, signing and pavement markings, crossing geometric improvements and incentives and construction support to facilitate crossing closures.

Q: Could you elaborate on how your team determines what crossings need improvement?

We work closely with GDOT and railroad consultants to identify crossings that need improvement. Our goal is to maximize safety benefits within the allocated funds. This involves recommending various improvements, such as flashing lights and gates, geometric improvements or suggesting the closure of certain crossings to reduce crash risks.

Q: Can you share some notable achievements or successes of the railroad safety program?

Over the years, the program has significantly reduced fatalities and crashes at railroad grade crossings. Notable achievements include the successful installation of safety features, as well as signing and marking projects to enhance awareness and visibility. Atlas prepared the Georgia Safety Action Plan and an update that were well-received by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

Q: Can you explain the technology behind railroad crossings and how it has evolved over the years, particularly in terms of safety and monitoring?

The technology at railroad crossings has evolved significantly from electromechanical relays in the early days. By the 1980s, these were replaced with computer systems. Nowadays, new installations come with a recording system, essentially a black box, that logs every event at the crossing. Railroads can remotely monitor and analyze this data to support more efficient and safer operations.

Q: How do you determine which railroad crossings need improvements or upgrades? Are there specific criteria or factors that play a role in prioritizing these enhancements?

Prioritizing improvements involves a comprehensive evaluation. Factors include the number of trains and vehicles, the type of warning devices in place, school bus and passenger train usage and crash history. This data feeds into a prioritization system, but it’s not solely based on numerical values. There are subjective elements, like sight distance, proximity to intersections and the crest at the crossing, that contribute to the decision-making process.

Q: Could you share insights into the collaboration with CSX Transportation and how they contribute to the Section 130 Program?

CSX Transportation (CSXT) is a key partner, sharing data that aids in maintaining and updating records for GDOT. The collaboration extends to implementing safety improvements, with CSXT agreeing to maintain the signals installed by GDOT in perpetuity. This partnership highlights the shared commitment to enhancing safety at railroad crossings.

Q: How has the landscape of railroad safety changed over the years? What trends or challenges do you foresee in the future?

Railroad safety has seen significant improvements, particularly with the widespread adoption of flashing lights and gate signals. However, challenges persist, such as the need for ongoing maintenance and replacement of aging infrastructure. Looking ahead, the focus will likely shift from installing new devices to maintaining and improving existing ones so they remain effective and safe.

Q: What role does data play in your decision-making process? How has it evolved in the last decade?

Data is integral to our decision-making process. With advancements in technology, there’s now an abundance of data available, including crash records, train and vehicle counts and warning device types. This data helps us identify high-priority crossings and allocate resources effectively. The transition in recent years involves recognizing the importance of maintaining and improving existing infrastructure rather than solely focusing on installing new safety devices.

Q: Are there any specific initiatives or innovations in the railroad safety sector that you find particularly promising or impactful?

The continuous improvement in technology, such as remote monitoring and recording systems, holds promise for enhancing railroad safety. Additionally, the industry’s recognition of the need to transition from installing new devices to maintaining and improving existing ones is a positive shift. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect further innovations that contribute to the overall safety and efficiency of railroad crossings.

Dave Bearse

Transportation Planning, Senior Rail Engineer

Dave Bearse has been employed as a railroad signal manager or railroad consultant for 40 years since civil engineering graduate school at Michigan Tech. His primary work since 2005 has been in support of GDOT’s administration of the federal Section 130 Program that funds highway‑rail railroad crossing safety improvements.

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The Project Coordination Office Saving Chicago Millions in Infrastructure Improvements

a-barbagallo — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:11:35 +0000

Atlas Senior Civil Engineer/On-Site Project Manager Clinton McClure shares insights into Chicago’s Project Coordination Office, which he’s been a part of since 2012.

The ‘Building a New Chicago’ program, a $7-billion infrastructure investment announced by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012, generated an influx of transportation projects for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), spurring new innovations in the process.

To keep development on schedule, CDOT officials founded the Project Coordination Office (PCO), an internal management agency that could administer work between utility companies and other agencies that help improve the public right of way.

Along with connecting various stakeholders to improve information sharing, the PCO enables efforts to improve city infrastructure and reduces waste and duplication to boost savings across public and private agencies by an average of $22.8 million a year.

It consists of engineers and planners from prime consultant Collins Engineers and its various sub-consultants, including , an Atlas Company, where Clinton McClure has amassed 11 years of experience.

“We developed a mapping application called to visualize project data and identify problem areas that need coordination. DotMaps has been adapted to be used by city officials, utility companies, and even the general public with ChiStreetWork.” — Clinton McClure, Senior Civil Engineer/On-site Project Manager at Atlas

The PCO coordinates infrastructure projects across Chicago by gathering information from public and private utility companies about their capital improvement programs. Personnel are able to coordinate projects with special event planners like the Lollapalooza music festival and the Chicago Marathon hosted by Bank of America.

This includes using maps to identify areas where multiple projects will take place at the same time and communicating with those agencies to develop a succession of projects that minimizes the amount of new asphalt or concrete that is removed by future work. Projects are then recorded in a Memorandum of Understanding that all parties sign before construction takes place.

“An important aspect of the PCO is the open line of communication between us and our client. We’re working very closely to deliver timely infrastructure improvements that benefit the entire city. This program allows us to serve our community through serving our client.” — Dr. Jing (Connie) Li, PhD, PE, President of TranSmart

This ensures that all underground work takes place on a street before final asphalt resurfacing begins, allowing the road surface to remain undisturbed for longer than it would have been otherwise, saving both material and labor costs to the utility or agency that can be allocated towards future construction.

CDOT has recognized the value that the PCO has in promoting cooperation among various stakeholders and driving efficiency in infrastructure improvements.

“[The PCO] has improved collaboration with other agencies and service providers within the public right of way, helping save taxpayers millions of dollars while minimizing disruption for residents and businesses,” said Gia Biagi, a previous CDOT Commissioner. “With a busy construction season around the corner, we look forward to continuing to find ways to improve and streamline the process of delivering infrastructure improvements across Chicago.”[1]

And TranSmart has helped the PCO achieve these improvements, providing support for both project coordination as well as technical review of construction drawings submitted to CDOT for permit approval and GIS analysis of public data for planned construction projects, permits, and recently resurfaced streets.

“The PCO is proudly comprised of dedicated staff across our partner firms who deeply and genuinely care about their city. TranSmart has been a steady and committed sub-consultant partner on this project over the years and has played an important role in helping to create the powerful results that we have delivered for our client,” said Kelly Samara, program manager for CDOT-PCO.

PCO staff engineers include Dillon Rattray-Mattis, Bernard Lodyga, and on-site project manager Clinton McClure, P.E.

The PCO, which some records list as the first of its kind in the U.S., has saved the City $251 million due to its coordination efforts. Today the PCO continues to provide swift management of many infrastructure improvements that help boost the quality of life in Chicago.

[1] “CDOT’s Project Coordination Office Saved Chicago $23.7 Million in 2022” City of Chicago, February 27, 2023. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/future_projects_andconcepts/news/2023/february/ProjectCoordinationOffice.html

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Funding Opportunity: US Launches Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program

a-barbagallo — Wed, 31 May 2023 15:47:49 +0000

Communities experiencing high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions can now win federal funding for animal crossings and other related projects.

In an effort to reduce motor vehicle accidents and improve habitat connectivity, the federal government announced the , a $350-million initiative that aims to establish wildlife corridors along busy roads.

In the United States, between vehicles and big game occur every year — resulting in over 26,000 human injuries, about 200 human deaths, and at least $8 billion in associated costs.

Federal Department of Agriculture data suggests that crossing structures .

The structures pay for themselves relatively quickly by preventing costly and devastating accidents.”— Center for Large Landscape Conservation

General development and road building have disturbed animals’ age-old migration paths since the spawn of Former President Eisenhower’s national highway system.

This landmark legislation, the first-ever investment in addressing wildlife-vehicle collisions, will help transportation officials and environmentalists stitch the remaining wild landscapes back together into functional networks.

For questions about our capabilities, schedule your consultation today.

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Traffic and Incident Management “To-Go!”

a-barbagallo — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 14:46:09 +0000

Seconds count in effective Traffic Incident Management (TIM) programs. The ability of transportation agencies to quickly clear traffic incidents improves the safety of drivers, crash victims, and emergency responders. Instances of secondary crashes are reduced, and normal traffic flow resumes sooner when responders and system users have real-time access to information.

Managing traffic operations is a multi-disciplinary process that is planned and coordinated to detect, respond to, and clear traffic incidents such as crashes, wrong-way drivers, obstructions, and weather events. Using the advanced technologies of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can improve the ability of TIM programs and personnel to restore traffic flow as safely and quickly as possible.

Atlas, through its wholly owned subsidiary, TranSmart, provides wide-reaching, innovative, and high-value solutions for our transportation systems clients nationwide. Our solutions utilize leading technologies and data to improve operations, support efficiency and sustainability, and tackle basic transportation safety and mobility challenges.

In 2021, we helped the Illinois Tollway (Tollway) meet the demands of their limited access system of 294 miles of roadway in Northern Illinois with the development of the TIMS2GO Mobile Incident Response Tool.

The Tollway’s Traffic Operations Center (TOC) utilizes the Traffic and Incident Management System (TIMS) integrated advanced traffic management system to manage traffic safety. TIMS uses 1,356 cameras, 461 Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), multiple lane control signs, and the 17-mile SmartRoad on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), with active traffic management features connected to Illinois State Police Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD).

On average, more than 650 events are reported daily to the Tollway’s TOC for validation and management. Historically, the TOC has been the place for incident management staff to gather, monitor, and manage events. However, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in significant changes to the way the TOC operates as the Tollway worked to limit personnel exposure to the virus and shifted to a more remote operational environment. This prompted the Tollway to accelerate its efforts to bring the TOC to previous key staff.

The result is TIMS2GO which brings situational awareness to incident managers, Tollway leadership, and Illinois State Police by putting several key elements of the TOC in their hands via tablets, cell phones, and/or laptops. Incident details, streaming videos, congestion, Tollway vehicle status, ITS device status, and event histories are securely and rapidly accessible.

TranSmart led the needs considerations and design efforts with Parsons Corporation as part of the TIMS integration team to rapidly develop the mobile version of the operations center for key staff.

The TIMS2GO implementation goals and approach are perhaps best highlighted by the Tollway team in this video:

Outcomes:
The initial rollout of TIMS2GO has been completed for pertinent Tollway operations departments, key personnel, and select senior staff. The system’s implementation is scalable such that additional video servers can support increased video streaming demands over time. The Tollway is currently evaluating added features and connectivity opportunities with additional regional stakeholders as policy considerations allow.

TIMS2GO puts the critical elements of Traffic Incident Management monitoring into the hands of response personnel.

TIMS2GO supported recent collaboration between law enforcement and traffic operations by providing video of traffic disruptions tied to a planned public protest which was unrelated to the Tollway.

Team feedback has been favorable from several functional perspectives, such as:

Tollway incident personnel are actively using TIMS2GO to support operational awareness, monitor status at the scene and more efficiently communicate with the TOC, roadside assistance, and dispatch.
Responders can see and monitor responses with fewer trips outside the vehicle reducing the risk of injury.
Reduced telephone traffic to the TOC in coordination of incident response, helping to streamline the response.
ITS maintenance crews can use the system on site during repair activities to validate DMS and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) repairs.
Managers can readily access inventory and traffic data trends in formal and ad-hoc meetings to reduce post-meeting action items.
The implementation further strengthens an already strong relationship between the TOC and field staff.

ITS Outlook:
According to the ITS Joint Program Office (JPO), within the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration, the deployment and continued development of ITS technologies will transform our national transportation system and deliver “greater livability to our communities and to our daily lives.”

The federal government continues to invest in ITS for “greener, smarter, and safer” transportation. Mandated by the 2015 FAST Act, the USDOT is expediting the deployment and integration of ITS for passenger and freight transportation systems with a total national investment in deployed ITS already exceeding $25 billion. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act establishes funding for ITS projects at an annual average of $1.46 billion from the Highway Trust Fund, and $280 million from the General Fund. In addition, congestion relief, mitigation, and air quality Improvement projects can expect more than $3 billion in federal funding.

Through the recent acquisition of TranSmart, Atlas is well positioned to assist public and private clients with this growing number of ITS projects. Our ITS team is full service, with well-rounded staff capable of developing successful strategies and solutions like TIMS2GO. We support user needs, designs, operational integration, and full-service testing to ensure successful client outcomes.

TranSmart is heavily involved with other ITS applications including Connected and Automated (CAV) Vehicle technology and safety programs including video analytics testing tied to wrong-way drivers and lane blockage detection. These safety solutions are undergoing analysis and evaluation currently and can be gradually integrated into the client’s operations to align with their systems engineering processes.

Author:

Scott Lee, PE
Chief Engineer, Innovation and Technology at TranSmart, an Atlas Company
Current President of ITS Midwest

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