AMES, IA — The National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) announces the winners of its 2021 Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Awards Competition. Now in its third year, the national contest represents the latest TSMO projects and programs that are increasing the efficiency of America’s existing infrastructure to address air quality and improve the safety and mobility of the traveling public. The Iowa Department of Transportation won in the Work Zones Using TSMO category, for the Comprehensive Work Zone Management Program.

NOCoE released case studies for each of the winners in the 2021 competition. In the coming year, NOCoE will release the case studies for each of the projects entered in the competition. Transportation practitioners and decision-makers can access more than 100 case studies available on NOCoE’s website.

“The TSMO industry continues to demonstrate that the traveling public benefits when existing infrastructure is operated and managed effectively," said Patrick Son, NOCoE Managing Director. "These awards and their case studies are an effort to transfer knowledge of these practices across the industry.”

The focus on Work Zones and Project Selection and Prioritization categories this year corresponded with a previous NOCoE peer exchange and NOCoE Summit addressing these practices in relation to TSMO.

“The multi-disciplinary nature of TSMO necessitates that we recognize a wide range of projects, to demonstrate how TSMO is being used across the country,” Son said. “For example, TSMO projects are now being incorporated into larger transportation planning efforts to improve work zone safety and efficiency, which is saving the lives of highway workers and motorists alike.”

The NOCoE TSMO Awards were open to cities, counties, MPOs (RPO, COG), state DOTs, and private sector organizations. The winner in each category automatically becomes a nominee for the Overall TSMO Award, to be presented in late Spring.