Many states and regions have web-based and/or telephone-based traveler information systems. Some information is rapidly changing and is only of interest to travelers in that region, such as congestion and incident information. Some information is more slowly changing and is of interest to distant travelers who will be passing through the area in the near time frame, such as lane or road closures due to construction or weather.
A truck driver heading northwest out of Chicago does not care about the current travel time on a road segment in the Minneapolis area, but the driver does care that I-90 across southern Minnesota is closed completely due to extreme snow conditions. The truck driver needs to know that information before reaching Tomah, WI, where the choice is made whether to take I-90 or I-94.
Currently, in order to gain information about a cross-country trip, the traveler must access each state or region’s individual traveler information systems along the route and piece together the big picture. This is made more difficult by the fact that no standard exists for naming web sites to ensure that the traveler can easily find each site reporting on the route.
There would be value in having a single nationwide traveler information system that provides information that is of interest to the cross-country travelers. This system would not provide information that is only of regional interest, such as current congestion or incident information. Each state or region would provide their information of nationwide significance to this single system in the standardized format of the nationwide system. A traveler could access this single system and find out information affecting their entire cross-country trip from one system. Another scenario would be that multiple private
States and regions may additionally provide information of regional interest on their own separate systems. The nationwide system could provide a link to the state or region’s local system. Each state or region’s separate systems do not have to be standardized across regions since one region’s information of regional interest is not of value in a different region.
Because a nationwide ATIS crosses state lines, the USDOT would be a candidate for deploying and operating such a system. However, the USDOT does not have authority to operate systems on state roads. Therefore, ENTERPRISE, as a pool of multiple states, should consider the best means to bring a nationwide ATIS into existence.
The objective of this project would be to do preliminary analysis for a nationwide ATIS and recommend the best approach for implementing the system.
Project Activities
This project will be executed by 4 key tasks, as follows:
- Task 1: Define a concept of operations for a nationwide ATIS, including documenting who would use the system for what purpose and what the outcome would be.
- Task 2: Define information that should be considered to be of nationwide significance (as opposed to of regional interest only).
- Task 3: Analyze the feasibility of a nationwide ATIS, including benefit-cost, technical feasibility, and non-technical considerations.
- Task 4: Analyze possible approaches for implementing a nationwide ATIS and recommend one or more approaches to pursue.
Deliverables
The following products will be delivered from this project:
- Deliverable 1: Draft & Final Concept of Operations Working Paper
- Deliverable 2: Draft & Final Feasibility Analysis Working Paper
- Deliverable 3: Draft & Final Implementation Recommendations Working Paper
- Deliverable 4: Draft & Final Report incorporating working papers