INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS (ITS) DEPLOYMENT IN A MID-SIZE METROPOLITAN AREA

An Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is currently under development in the Greater Austin Metropolitan Area by the Texas Department of Transportation and the City of Austin Department of Public Works and Transportation. This paper describes the development of several components of the Austin Area-Wide ITS in seven key areas of ITS applications: 1) Traffic Control System, 2) Incident Management, 3) Public Transportation, 4) En-route and Pre-trip Travel Information, 5) Emergency Vehicle Management, 6) Commercial Fleet Management, and 7) Freeway Traffic Management System. System design concepts such as traffic management center functions, equipment capabilities, communications standards, and operations and maintenance considerations were identified. The existing involved agencies' facilities were also evaluated. The recommended system included a mixture of new fiber optic cable and existing twisted pair cabling. The system incorporated the sharing of data between various City departments, including Traffic, Fire, Police, and EMS, and the Texas Department of Transportation. A conceptual plan for an areawide traffic management center was developed including its required functions and responsible agencies.