The 324 US Department of Transportation's 831 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced $2.571 million in grants to expand the use of real-time travel information in 13 highly congested urban areas across ten states. Known as integrated corridor management, or ICM, the grants will help selected cities or regions combine numerous information technologies and real-time travel information from highway, rail and transit operations.
Such tools can help engineers make better decisions about congestion management by recommending where traffic should flow and onto which systems commuters should be shifted based on up-to-the-second data. Travellers can use real-time information to avoid congestion and find alternate routes or transportation systems, such as transit or rail. Shippers can receive information concerning the entire network, not just one route.
"State-of-the-art technologies like these make the entire transportation network better, safer, and more reliable for commuters, businesses, and freight shippers," said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "An efficient transportation system is at the heart of a healthy national economy."
Many state and local agencies across the country offer similar travel information, but separately. This new effort takes real-time information a step further by combining updated congestion and incident data from various state and local agencies.
"This takes real -time travel information to a new level," said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. "Innovations like these are 21st century tools for our 21st century economy, and will make our nation's transportation system even more coordinated and effective."
"New technology has great potential to improve riders' experience with transit," said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan. "By expanding the use of real-time information in cities across the US, from Portland, Oregon, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we can make it easier for people to make informed choices about the best ways to get around, whether it's by bus, train, bike, or other ways of travel."
The ICM technologies rely on many data sources simultaneously, such as live camera feeds, hundreds of traffic speed and volume detectors, pavement sensors and even weather monitors to gather, transmit and analyse information.
Two ICM systems are currently operational in the US, on US75 in Dallas, Texas, and on I-15 in San Diego, California and the lessons learned there are helping to improve other deployments. San Diego's I-15 traveller information app is tied into ICM response plans and provides real-time updated information about traffic incidents and alternative routes to local drivers.
"I am very proud of our successful pilots in San Diego and Dallas," said Greg Winfree, Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. "Integrated corridors provide real benefits for travellers, and we would like to see those benefits spread throughout the US."
Such tools can help engineers make better decisions about congestion management by recommending where traffic should flow and onto which systems commuters should be shifted based on up-to-the-second data. Travellers can use real-time information to avoid congestion and find alternate routes or transportation systems, such as transit or rail. Shippers can receive information concerning the entire network, not just one route.
"State-of-the-art technologies like these make the entire transportation network better, safer, and more reliable for commuters, businesses, and freight shippers," said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "An efficient transportation system is at the heart of a healthy national economy."
Many state and local agencies across the country offer similar travel information, but separately. This new effort takes real-time information a step further by combining updated congestion and incident data from various state and local agencies.
"This takes real -time travel information to a new level," said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. "Innovations like these are 21st century tools for our 21st century economy, and will make our nation's transportation system even more coordinated and effective."
"New technology has great potential to improve riders' experience with transit," said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan. "By expanding the use of real-time information in cities across the US, from Portland, Oregon, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we can make it easier for people to make informed choices about the best ways to get around, whether it's by bus, train, bike, or other ways of travel."
The ICM technologies rely on many data sources simultaneously, such as live camera feeds, hundreds of traffic speed and volume detectors, pavement sensors and even weather monitors to gather, transmit and analyse information.
Two ICM systems are currently operational in the US, on US75 in Dallas, Texas, and on I-15 in San Diego, California and the lessons learned there are helping to improve other deployments. San Diego's I-15 traveller information app is tied into ICM response plans and provides real-time updated information about traffic incidents and alternative routes to local drivers.
"I am very proud of our successful pilots in San Diego and Dallas," said Greg Winfree, Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. "Integrated corridors provide real benefits for travellers, and we would like to see those benefits spread throughout the US."
