DENNIS W. STRONG, PE - President, Strong Concepts

Education

Master of Science, Transportation Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Purdue University

Registration

Professional Engineer, State of Illinois

Professional Associations

Transportation Research Board AHB40 Committee, past Chair of HCM Signals Subcommittee

Experience

The firm's primary area of practice is in the development of and training for professional-quality traffic engineering software. Mr. Strong's principal area of expertise is in the analysis, evaluation, and operational design of traffic signal control systems and in the computer software related to this field. He has considerable experience on signal system and software projects throughout the United States and abroad. He has managed and participated in signal system planning and design, areawide traffic studies, site traffic evaluations, parking studies, drive-in bank traffic planning, and other various traffic engineering projects. His specialized training in the use of computers for analysis, design, and control of transportation systems has been applied extensively in the preparation of project analyses and evaluations.

Previously, Mr. Strong was a Principal Associate with Barton-Aschman Associates, Inc. Over the course of his thirteen years at Barton-Aschman, Mr. Strong contributed to Barton-Aschman's development and training in state-of-the-art signal system analysis techniques and procedures. He also created and managed the firm's Technical Resources and Development department, being responsible for all of the firm's computer hardware, software and applications technology.

One of Mr. Strong's significant accomplishments is the authorship of a package of traffic engineering programs for microcomputers, TEAPAC, which has been licensed for use in hundreds of agencies worldwide. This integrated system of software uses the interactive environment of the microcomputer to its fullest potential, while providing a sophisticated but easy to use means of sharing information between the many programs in the package and batching together large analyses. In use for over forty years, this was one of the first traffic engineering packages in the world marketed for use on microcomputers, and remains in a class by itself as an integrated system of specialized application programs dedicated to traffic engineering.

Representative Projects

Research and education projects, including traffic operations, energy and safety developments, and microcomputer teaching assignments:

• Training seminars in Chicago, Lincolnshire, Evanston, DeKalb, Dixon and Bloomington, Illinois; Orlando, Tallahassee and Tampa, Florida; Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Phoenix, Arizona; Montpelier, Vermont; Helena, Montana; Nashville, Tennessee; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Indianapolis, Indiana; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, Nevada; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Bellevue and Olympia, Washington; Providence, Rhode Island; Denver and Boulder, Colorado; San Francisco and Irvine, California; Boise, Idaho; Omaha, Nebraska; St. Louis, Missouri; East Lansing, Michigan; Anchorage, Alaska; Seoul, Korea; Taipei, Taiwan.
• Designing Optimized Traffic Signals and Systems Using TEAPAC, PASSER, TRANSYT and CORSIM, Short Course, Louisiana State University, University of Central Florida, Orlando; University of Wisconsin, Madison.
• Timing Traffic Signals with TEAPAC, PASSER, TRANSYT and CORSIM, Short Course, University of Central Florida, Orlando; University of Wisconsin, Madison and University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
• Advanced TEAPAC Application Techniques, Short Course, University of Central Florida, Orlando and University of Wisconsin, Madison.
• Signal Timing in the 90's, Short Course, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, and Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
• Microcomputer Applications in Signal Timing, Short Course, Northwestern University Traffic Institute Center for Public Safety (NUTI, CPS), Evanston, Illinois.
• Computerized Traffic Signal Analysis Workshop, Short Course, University of Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee.
• Traffic Signal Design Software, Short Course, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Site Traffic Modeling and Operation, Short Course, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
• Workshop on Microcomputers in Transportation, Northwestern University Traffic Institute (NUTI), Evanston, Illinois.
• Microcomputer Applications in Transportation Engineering, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).
• Signal Capacity and Timing (SCAT) Project, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
• Energy Saving Traffic Operation Project (ESTOP), IDOT.
• Fully-Actuated Signal Timing Techniques, Illinois Section ITE.
• Effects of Roadside Obstacles on Traffic, IDOT.

Areawide signal system projects, including planning, physical design, and timing optimization of signal control systems.

• DeKalb, Illinois. Signal timing optimization of city-wide signal system on state-of-the-art master system, including training of city staff in all techniques used for their on-going signal timing program.
• Anchorage, Alaska. Signal timing optimization of city-wide signal systems, including training of city staff in all techniques used for their on-going signal timing program.
• California Energy Commission. Development of improved signal timings for communities and counties throughout the state, including collection of field data, timing plan development and installation, field testing and fine tuning, and plan evaluation: San Francisco, San Jose, Richmond, Redwood City, Contra Costa County, and Upland, California.
• Indianapolis, Indiana. Evaluation of areawide signal system control needs, trade-off analysis of alternative control systems, and recommendation of an action plan to achieve areawide signal system coordination.
• Gaithersburg, Maryland. Development of a functional specification of system equipment and turn-on timings for an areawide signal system serving both the community and a regional shopping mall.
• Denver, Colorado. An evaluation of traffic flow impacts of the city's proposed downtown transit mall, as well as bus and auto progression in the east corridor.
• Decatur, Illinois. Evaluation of operation of all signalized intersections and systems, preparing recommended timings for each. Detailed study of 10 critical intersections for operational improvements. Prioritized list of long-range improvements.
• Chicago, Illinois. Development of coordinated timing plans for six miles of Roosevelt Road, including subsystem definition and multiple control programs. Preparation of "before" study for comparison to conditions after implementation.
• Buenos Aires, Argentina. Feasibility study of alternative ramp system configurations and adjacent arterial streets and signals for proposed Av. 9 de Julio tollway penetrating the CBD.

Small-area signal system evaluation and design study, including evaluation of impacts of new development on traffic flow, benefits of coordinated operation, specification of functional requirements, selection of equipment, development of operational characteristics and control timings, and physical design of control systems: Schaumburg, Oak Lawn, and West Dundee, Illinois; Des Moines, Iowa; Los Gatos, California; Butler, Pennsylvania; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Springfield, Missouri.

Areawide traffic study, including traffic control device inventory and evaluation, traffic flow analysis, signal system control, parking evaluation, and thoroughfare planning: Aurora and Morton Grove, Illinois.

Site traffic study, including evaluation of market area, generation of projected traffic demands, evaluation of street and intersection performance under projected loadings, and site design to accommodate potential demands: West Lafayette, Indiana, Davenport, Iowa, and Baytown and Lufkin, Texas (shopping centers); Northbrook, Illinois (office); and Libertyville, Illinois (office/manufacturing).

Drive-in bank traffic planning, including estimation of future demand, evaluation of drive-in characteristics, operational design of required facilities, and geometric design of necessary site access, control, and drive-in facilities: Schaumburg and Barrington, Illinois.

Selected Publications

"New Calculation Method (IQA) for Existing and Extended HCM Delay Estimation Procedures," 85th Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board, January, 2006.

"Incorporating the Effects of Traffic Signal Progression Into the Proposed Incremental Queue Accumulation (IQA) Method," 85th Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board, January, 2006.

"Recent and Pending Changes to Chapter 9 of the Highway Capacity Manual (Signalized Intersections)," 79th Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board, January, 2000.

"1994 Changes to Chapter 9 of the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual (Signalized Intersections)," Compendium of Technical Papers, 64th Annual Meeting of ITE, October, 1994; and 74th Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board, January, 1995.

"Using the 1985 HCM, PASSER and TRANSYT in Harmony," Compendium of Technical Papers, 61st Annual Meeting of ITE, September, 1991.

"Real-World Use of the 1985 HCM - Analysis of Signalized Intersections," Compendium of Technical Papers, 59th Annual Meeting of ITE, September, 1989.

"A Practical Way of Using the 1985 HCM - Signalized Intersection Methods," Proceedings of the North American Conference on Microcomputers in Transportation, ASCE, June 1989.

"Seven Myths of Managing Microcomputers," Proceedings of the North American Conference on Microcomputers in Transportation, ASCE, June 1987.

"Needs and Trends of Transportation Software and Hardware," Proceedings of the National Conference on Microcomputers in Urban Transportation, ASCE, June 1985.

"Making TRANSYT Usage Easy with Micros - A Case Study," Compendium of Technical Papers, 54th Annual Meeting of ITE, September 1984.

"Improving Urban Traffic Flow Through Signal Retiming - California Experience," Proceedings of Conference on Urban Transportation Innovations, ASCE, July 1984.

"Applying the New Age of Micros to Traffic Engineering," Compendium of Technical Papers, 52nd Annual Meeting of ITE, August 1982.

"What Can Microcomputers Do for Me in Transportation Engineering Analysis?" Short Course on Microcomputer Applications in Transportation Engineering, ITE, August 1982.

"ESTOP Guide for Estimating Traffic Operations Benefits," Illinois Department of Transportation, May 1981.

this page last updated September 01, 2016