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 paper provides an overview of how ITS systems have historically been deployed and describes current trends to introduce a more formal systems engineering processes. The paper provides an overview of a state-of-the-art process and introduces the importance have having independent validation and verification in order to ensure that the project results in a successful deployment that meets user needs and expectations.

Trevilon Corporation

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

As one of the four priority corridors originally established by the US Congress under the ISTEA legislation, the Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee (GCM) Corridor has been the scene of numerous, ITS projects. One of the largest and most complex is the Gateway Traveler Information System (TIS) which is being led by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Parsons Transportation Group is assisting IDOT in their work. It involves the collection of transportation related data within a three state area and distribution of this data back to the sources as well as to the public and information service providers. It also includes provision for joint control of field devices across jurisdictional boundaries. While the Gateway interfaces with traditional traffic data sources such as traffic management centers, it also interfaces with non traditional/non standard sources such as 911 centers and weather sensors. This paper details the identification of these sources, the identification of what useable data these sources could provide, the identification what data these sources could possibly use and the process of arranging for data to be shared. Details are provided on how data filtering is applied, development of memorandums of understanding and negotiations with source staff that are unfamiliar with ITS. Sources which have been successfully interfaced include Northwest Central Dispatch (regional 911 center), the Illinois State Police, and IDOT’s weather detectors. Discussions are currently underway with Chicago 911 and the Chicago Transit Authority.

Illinois Department of Transportation

Parsons Transportation Group

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

In the spring of 1997, the Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee (GCM) ITS Priority Corridor began work on coordinating operations of Variable Message Signs (VMS) and Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), as part of the Gateway Traveler Information System. A Task Force of the three state area (Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin), a toll authority (in Illinois) and major cities (Chicago and Milwaukee) undertook the first efforts to develop integrated policies and procedures, applicable to about 100 existing or pending VMSs and 12 HAR systems. Based on previous work and a new North American survey, the Task Force identified 41 coordination issues, prioritized them and formulated pertinent policies and guidelines. The results are now being refined and will be deployed on the Chicago area expressway system and in a demonstration area between Illinois and Indiana along I-80/94/294.

This paper summarizes the policies and guidelines and their on-going evolution and deployment, discussing on the manual implementation of the procedures in the demonstration area prior to automation. Issues of both agreement and disagreement are reviewed, providing a status report on institutional, technical and operational aspects of important traveler information in a heavily traveled area. A critical issue is how to define the Atarget audience@, i.e., local commuters vs. through travelers, and the associated message terminology. Another issue is use of active vs. passive message content (e.g., when to tell drivers to exit a freeway or tollway). The long range vision is to move from shared information to shared control of information devices, a challenge that may take several years to achieve.

Parsons Transportation Group

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida

The San Diego Intermodal Transportation Management System (IMTMS) is a regional project consisting of the integration of four transportation modal management systems: the Intermodal Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMSi) for freeway management, the Regional Arterial Management System, Transit Management System, InterCAD Incident Management System and Advanced Traveler Information Management System for Information Service Provider dissemination. A separate project for event management, called the Mission Valley ATMS/ATIS System provides a data and video Intertie between the City of San Diego and Caltrans and will fall under the regional IMTMS umbrella. A regional communications network will be built (and leased) to support connection of the modal management systems. Systems connecting to this regional network will conform to the Common Object Request Broker Architecture specifications being developed for the Southern California Priority Corridor Showcase network. These specifications also conform to National ITS Architecture standards for Center to Center communications. Part of the specifications include an Interface Definition Language, a lingua franca for describing transportation objects in a common format across dissimilar systems.

National Engineering Technology Corporation

Presented at the 11th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, June 4-7, 2001 Miami Beach, Florida