Your Chamber hosted Mario Jorge, San Antonio District Engineer for TXDOT last week to get an update on the Traffic Incident Management program (TIM), a partnership initiative the Chamber has been involved in since 2016. The TIM initiative focuses on improving safety and efficiency of traffic incident response through coordination and cooperation between transportation agencies, law enforcement agencies, emergency response agencies, and the private sector. Those in attendance include representatives from Bexar County, the City of San Antonio, the City of Schertz, Alamo Area MPO, TXDOT, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, San Antonio Mobility Coalition, and the Chamber’s 2018 Transportation Committee Chair Alan Kramer.
The TIM aims to minimize response and clearance times by rapidly clearing all incident and debris from the freeway travel lanes while ensuring safety for first responders, support teams, and the public. The program recommendation strategy includes efforts to improve or implement: towing, crash response, Safety Service Patrol, TransGuide Operations, communications, and Incident Manager & Training.
Jorge highlighted the recent funding allocation from the Alamo Area MPO to implement a Safety Service Patrol (SSP), a three-year private contracting program. AAMPO funded TXDOT $13.5 million dollars, $4.5 million each year. The program will include incident traffic control, minor crash clearance and stalled vehicles as well as gas, minor repair and debris pick-up. Approximately 210 miles throughout Bexar County and the surrounding areas will be covered with eight dedicated routes with full weekday coverage between the hours of 6:00am – 10:00pm, and two trucks on standby nights and weekends. The service is free and available to all drivers.
Jorge says the goal is to coordinate with local, state, and county law enforcement to position the SSP to be first on the scene, instead of the Fire Department. That would require, among other things that a SSP dispatcher operate out of TransGuide. TXDOT plans to expand coverage to include Loop 1604 in the future once construction is completed. Jorge says TXDOT plans to launch the program in the next 6-9 months. TXDOT will be exploring all funding options, including support from the City of San Antonio and Bexar County and sponsorships to cover the AAMPO local match requirement and keep the program going beyond three years.
Jorge also mentioned efforts to implement remote tow authorization. While is appears legally viable, it would require an San Antonio Police Department policy change. Jorge also highlighted TXDOT’s efforts to promote “Move It,” a campaign aimed at educating drivers about the state law requirement to move vehicles off the freeway. They have developed and distributed brochures and freeway messaging. Click http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/sat/move-it.pdf for an electronic brochure.
Your Chamber will remain engaged as the program progresses.
