2020

Transportation agencies that operate Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) field devices and systems continually adapt their communications infrastructure to meet emerging needs, improve efficiency, increase coverage, and improve operations. As agencies begin to implement connected and automated vehicle (CAV) systems, they are seeking backbone communications options that can serve multiple purposes. This research utilized a “customer-centric” (agency-focused) approach to document emerging practices for ITS communications infrastructure. The final report explores agencies’ long-distance data communications needs and options for related infrastructure, with focus on emerging technologies, including: considerations for selecting communications infrastructure; costs, benefits, and performance; options for ownership, leasing, and security; and developments in edge computing and cloud computing. The report also documents long-term management practices for long-distance data communications infrastructure assets including broadband access to agency owned right-of-way and sharing options; fiber tracking; managing leases and licenses; physical security of ITS devices and communications infrastructure; and cybersecurity practices.

ENTERPRISE members’ use of third-party probe-based traffic data is becoming increasingly widespread. Meanwhile, third-party probe data is emerging as a source for traffic volumes. To help ENTERPRISE agencies prepare for probe volume data being more widely available, this project documented 22 potential agency use cases for probe volume data and four business cases outlining benefits and implementation considerations. Traffic operations uses include real-time traffic management (e.g., events, evacuation routes, road closures), operational systems and automated functions (e.g., dynamic shoulder operations, incident detection), and performance management. Work zone use cases range from real-time monitoring to post-analysis and planning future work zones. Transportation planning uses include calibrating and validating travel demand models, estimating traffic impacts to plan for similar future events, and congestion performance reporting. Benefits cited for use of probe volume data include: significantly increased coverage of traffic volumes, less field detection devices, reduced or eliminated need for temporary short-duration volume counts, improved data insights, better situational awareness, more proactive congestion management, increased deployment of traffic management systems, improved accuracy of travel demand models, and more immediate access to traffic volumes for post-event analysis. The results of this project can be used by agencies to plan for and implement probe volume data across several agency functions and user groups.