Cross-cutting Issues

The third phase of the City’s Advanced Signal System is currently being implemented. This third phase will implement a wireless communications to remote traffic controllers via an integration of Metricom’s Wireless Ricochet Network with Econolite’s ASC/2s traffic controllers. The City’s central system will utilize this packet radio network operating under the Star Mode, a proprietary, connectionless service, via a virtual private network configuration. The modems operate in the 900 MHz range, and the network handles all routing, contention, and retransmissions.

This paper will discuss the basic technology, the versatility of this packet radio network for communications with traffic signals, the new communications protocols being developed, and the future enhancements to this technology.

City of San Leandro

DKS Associates

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

This paper presents algorithms for vision-based detection and classification of vehicles in monocular image sequences of traffic scenes recorded by a stationary camera. Processing is done at three levels: raw images, blob level and vehicle level. Vehicles are modeled as rectangular patches with certain dynamic behavior. Kalman filtering is used to estimate vehicle parameters. The proposed method is based on the establishment of correspondences among blobs and vehicles, as the vehicles move through the image sequence. Experimental results from highway scenes are provided which demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.

University of Minnesota - Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Vision Laboratory - Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Presented at the 10th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, May 1-4, 2000 Boston, MA

The purpose of this paper is to define the typical development issues that must be realized and addressed by a local government when planning for a fiber-optic communications network. The case study utilized for this examination is the Miami-Dade County government, where the local transportation planners and engineers, not particularly versed in the telecommunications industry, are taking on the responsibility for defining a fiber-optic communications network.

The emergence of ITS in Miami-Dade County has stimulated a widespread interest in telecommunications. ITS infrastructure consists of components that gather, send, and receive information. If these individual components (and subsystems) operate only in isolation, the full benefit and effectiveness of ITS investment cannot be realized. These components must be linked and integrated to allow for real-time information (e.g., voice, video, and data) exchange between all of the agencies responsible for providing mobility and safety, and transportation system users. Optical fiber (or lightwave transmission) is one medium used to facilitate real-time information exchange. Clear definition of the county’s fiber-optic network requirements will serve as the key enabler for the planned ITS program in Miami-Dade County. Moreover, definition of this concept plan will lead to a better understanding and appreciation of ITS functionality and compatibility.

The approach taken in this paper is particularly useful to follow during the early conceptual stages of telecommunications network development. The paper begins with an introductory discussion of fiber and fiber-optic systems, and fiber network inventory within Miami-Dade County. An example of a communications needs assessment is presented based on local FDOT ITS objectives and a general sampling of county transportation-related agencies. Also, wireless options for ITS infrastructure communication applications are briefly outlined and compared. Barriers to fiberoptic network deployment are identified. A major portion of this paper summarizes case studies of several public-private partnerships that have resulted in the development of fiber systems. Finally, common steps to be undertaken in the development of a fiber-optic communications system serving ITS infrastructure are recommended. The general process documented herein could also be appropriate for other metropolitan areas.

University of South Florida - Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

Presented at the 10th ITS Annual Conference and Exposition, May 1-4, 2000 Boston, MA

This paper examines the use of transportation asset management (TAM) as a mechanism for “mainstreaming” intelligent transportation systems (ITS) into the transportation decision-making process. TAM is an emerging set of tools and techniques that comprise “… a comprehensive and structured approach to the long-term management of assets as tools for the efficient and effective delivery of community benefits” (1). Support for TAM as a guiding approach for managing publicly owned transportation facilities such as highway and transit systems has been increasing, although it is still in its early stages.

ITS is an emergent set of transportation “user services” that are enabled by the deployment and integration of advanced computing and communication technologies. A central concern of the ITS community has been how to incorporate or “mainstream” ITS into decisions about transportation investments. The traditional decision-making process is largely oriented towards large-scale investment projects, like highway expansions, bridges and transit systems, and is arguably ill suited for evaluating ITS investments.

Recent regulatory proposals have sought to modify the traditional planning process as a mechanism for mainstreaming ITS. This paper examines an alternative, which is to utilize the growing adoption of TAM by state departments of transportation as the springboard for mainstreaming.

George Mason University

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

Integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) services is dependent on various factors including leadership, technology, jurisdiction and financial strength of the implementers. In order to streamline policy decisions for integration of ITS, an Integration Relationship and Leadership Matrix (IRLM) has been developed and discussed in this paper. The potential role of an ITS implementer has been identified with one or more of the three categories – Lead, Participatory, and Regulatory – depending upon the agency’s relationship to various levels of integration. Several levels of integration and priority focus areas are identified. The IRLM is intended be an analytical framework for ITS integration decisions to be made within an agency as well as in a multi-agency regional context. The framework is designed to assist the ITS implementers to plan for optimal integration of ITS at local, regional and state jurisdictions, eventually leading to ITS integration nationwide.

University of South Florida

Florida DOT

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