Cross-cutting Issues

This paper will discuss the process of deploying Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) at the highway-ferry terminal interface in Washington State. Demand for the ferry system has exceeded available storage capacity and is causing traffic safety and operations issues along the highway leading up to the ferry terminal areas. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Washington State Ferries (WSF) have only been able to address these problems with low cost “traditional” signing and striping strategies, due to a lack of capital financing for highway and terminal capacity expansion projects. These strategies have been applied inconsistently because of the need to take the “band-aid” approach resulting from funding shortfalls. As a result of this deployment process, WSDOT and WSF have made a major step in mainstreaming ITS. The next significant breakthrough will occur with the completion of performance evaluations.

Washington State DOT

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, May 19-22, 2003 Minneapolis, Minnesota

This case study explores the evolution of the I-95 Corridor Coalition - a “virtual” organization created in 1993 by twenty-six Northeastern transportation agencies. New approaches were needed to solve complex transportation problems prevalent in this twelve-state corridor. Recognizing the need to increase the capacity of existing systems through improved management and operations, these autonomous agencies formed a coalition to coordinate their use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and received USDOT “Priority Corridor” funds to enable this effort.

I-95 Corridor Coalition

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

This paper reports the results of a study of key success factors of integrated traffic management and emergency response systems. The study relied on the methods of survey research to specify a research model, create measures of the research variables, develop an appropriate sampling frame, administer the survey, analyze the results, and report and share the findings. The focus was on calibrating important success factors of integrated programs to reach clear conclusions about what works and what doesn’t work – and the circumstances that impact success or failure. The study is unique because it developed quantitative measures of the nature and quality of stakeholder relations. The measures are evaluated and assessed in terms of their usefulness for developing a better understanding of both the success factors as well as the limiting factors – the elements of collaborative inertia – that hold back projects from reaching their full potential. The findings are critical to stakeholders who recognize the benefits of working to integrate traffic management and emergency response systems and need to make the best use of their limited resources toward this goal.

University of Alabama

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, May 19-22, 2003 Minneapolis, Minnesota

This paper focuses on the primary public-private partnership (PPP) that often is formed after public-public partnerships have been created: those that occur as a result of the deployment of Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS). More specifically, the private partner can play a variety of roles that range from efforts that remain almost separate from public efforts to collect, fuse and disseminate data to those in which the private partner is hired to perform all ATIS related functions. Whether or not these partnerships are successful or effective has been difficult to assess in most metropolitan areas where deployment has already occurred. In general, using the criteria of numbers of users that subscribe to customized or specialized ATIS services, low numbers of users indicate a decided lack of success in many instances.

Department of Public Administration: University of Central Florida

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

Since the late 60’s the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) has been operating and expanding its Vehicular Traffic Control System (VTCS) in order to help manage traffic signal timing and coordination throughout the city. Currently over half of the city’s 12,000 plus signalized locations are under VTCS control. Due to the city’s vast size, NYCDOT currently employs various means of communicating with remote signalized locations. These communication methods include a city owned and operated coaxial cable system within the borough of Manhattan. In the remaining four boroughs, NYCDOT utilizes dedicated twisted pair telephone lines to communicate with the traffic signals on the VTCS system. In addition to the traffic signal system, NYCDOT employs the VTCS to operate over 70 traffic surveillance cameras within Manhattan.

New York City DOT

Presented at the ITS America Annual Conference and Exposition, May 19-22, 2003 Minneapolis, Minnesota