Cross-cutting Issues

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has begun the rWeather Program to collect and disseminate real-time and predictive statewide road and weather information. The program is being accomplished in two phases. In phase I, WSDOT is gathering all available data and developing better ways to more accurately predict detailed weather conditions. These high-resolution weather forecasts are then being integrated with information from road condition models developed for use in Washington State.

Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC)

Washington State Department of Transportation - Advanced Technology Branch

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

This paper provides an overview of implementation activities for transit-oriented traffic signal priority operations in Columbus, Ohio. The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), City of Columbus, and Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) are moving forward with plans to introduce transit priority operations along major transit routes in the COTA service area. The agencies have worked together to develop an efficient transit priority scheme that begins with an implementation of 32 intersections along one major corridor (North High Street), and is expandable to cover most bus corridors in the City without extensive roadside or in-vehicle hardware investment.

The concept involves the use of continuous Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) monitoring for

COTA buses, connectivity of the AVL system with the City’s Metropolitan Traffic Control

System (MTCS), and the use of standardized communications between the MTCS and modern local traffic controllers. The concept reduces the need for extensive field hardware and communication, thus reducing complexity and cost, while permitting flexible signal operations and timing schemes to maximize efficiency of bus operations without unduly penalizing cross-street traffic.

Wilbur Smith Associates

Central Ohio Transit Authority

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

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

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was tasked by the Federal Highway (FHWA) to review the requirements of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) applications for spatial data and location referencing, and to determine whether any Federal action was necessary to ensure that those needs are met. The ‘Nationwide Map Database and Location Referencing System’ project and follow-on work inventoried public and private digital map data sources, defined ITS functional and technical spatial data and location referencing requirements and standards, and tested location referencing formats proposed for standardization. A major finding from this work is that successful location referencing within a mix of public and private sector databases is hindered by differences in spatial data models, mapmaking procedures, street naming, and other database details. Since national ITS interoperability depends on unambiguous location referencing, understanding of these differences and use of spatial data standards to mitigate their effects is required. Although potentially re-usable standards are being developed in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ITS has unique spatial data standards requirements. Specific recommendations include adding location identifiers to the national ISP-Vehicle Location Referencing Standard (SAE J1746) and developing new standards or recommended practices for street names and road identifiers, for spatial data models, and for spatial data handling software interfaces.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The University of Tennessee - Systems Development Institute

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

Three transportation field devices (traffic signal controllers, dynamic message signs, and environmental sensors) are now being deployed using National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocols (NTCIP). Several technical and procurement related issues have been identified and solved during these deployments. This paper focuses on the lessons learned from these deployments that are serving as "field tests" to help the transportation community refine NTCIP deployment techniques. NTCIP has evolved into a common communications protocol platform from which various transportation devices such as traffic controllers, dynamic message signs, and environmental sensor stations can be deployed. Municipal and state transportation professionals are specifying NTCIP in their procurement documents. They would like to ensure that the specified products deliver interoperability (ability to mix device types on a communications channel) and interchangeability (ability to replace device hardware in a vendor-independent manner) benefits that this standard can provide. System integrators are focusing on the mechanics of the protocols. Vendors are working to implement products consistent with ITS standards that can be integrated into systems and will meet the needs of users. However, several key issues such as the lack of procurement specification details and the absence of system and component acceptance testing procedures have added to an already difficult situation. This paper highlights some of these technical and process difficulties and provides an update on the current status of ITS standards for traffic and transit management.

Texas Transportation Institute

PB Farradyne Inc.

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

Emerging technologies are causing massive changes throughout the country. One of the most notable changes is evident in Kansas, where Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology is providing new solutions to difficult problems in operating and managing Kansas highways.

ITS are systems that utilize advanced technologies, including computer, communications and process control technologies, to improve the efficiency and safety of the transportation system. These systems encompass a variety of components that may be deployed by public and private agencies. The fact that these systems are often deployed incrementally by a number of agencies makes it especially important that they be coordinated. The focus is on the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) ITS activities in the Kansas City Metro Area (KCMA), statewide and regional to show the benefits that come with partnerships for shared resources. KDOT’s need for and use of fiber optic infrastructure to meet current and future ITS projects is planned for through a strategic deployment plan for KCMA and with a system wide planning effort for the state.

This paper will discuss the background to ITS in Kansas, the current environment, and the development of urban and rural partnerships with KDOT. These partnerships will harness technologies toward improving Kansas’ highways and providing comprehensive transportation.

Kansas Department of Transportation

TranSystems Corporation

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