Cross-cutting Issues

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 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 describes the second in a series of studies to identify best locations for presenting information on an automotive head-up display (HUD). A total of 16 participants (8 under age 30, 8 over age 65) drove a simulator (at 3 controlled levels of driving workload) while responding to messages appearing at 8 locations on a HUD. Depending on the condition, participants either pressed buttons to indicate the gender (male, female) of a first name shown on the HUD or detected the appearance of a scrambled name. The overall pattern of the results was generally similar for both young and old drivers, though the driving performance of older men was better (less variable) than other age-gender groups. Their responses to HUD messages, however, were slower, and they committed more errors.

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

Nissan Motor Company Research Center

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

This paper defines rural ITS needs in Florida and discusses how rural ITS needs can be integrated with urban and regional ITS needs leading to a total integrated statewide ITS plan”. It is also the intention of this paper to also determine rural ITS priorities and geographical areas of focus in Florida based on the extent of documented problems and existing development strategies in rural areas. The rationale for development strategy illustrated in this paper can followed by other states not having a plan for rural ITS applications.

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR): University of South Florida – College of Engineering

Florida Department of Transportation

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

The ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) collects information on ITS costs, and maintains this information in the ITS Unit Costs Database http://www.benefitcost.its.dot.gov/). The costs database is a central site for ITS costs data and is based on the most recent data collected by the JPO. Its purpose is to make cost data available to public and private organizations. The database also provides data that the ITS JPO can use for programmatic and policy decisions, and education of ITS stakeholders. The database can be viewed and downloaded as a costing tool for ITS implementers. The costs database is updated bi-annually (September and March). The goal in updating the costs database is to ensure that the cost ranges established in the database are still valid and to attempt to fill gaps where data is missing with emphasis on operations and maintenance (O&M)data.

US DOT ITS JPO

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