The primary way regions and stakeholders plan for ITS is through the use of an ITS Architecture. More about the Regional ITS Architecture can be found here.
The development and maintenance of a regional ITS architecture is needed for two primary reasons.
- For the region to be eligible to use Federal funds for ITS projects, it must comply with the requirements for developing a regional ITS architecture as identified by FHWA Rule 940.9 and FTA National ITS Architecture Policy Section 5 (in other words, because FHWA and FTA said we must do so.
- It makes a lot of common engineering sense to plan, design and deploy ITS projects that work together so that infrastructure is operated as safely and efficiently as possible, regardless of the number of jurisdictions or operating agencies involved.
If the architecture is developed, but not used, it will benefit no one. To combat this possibility, the FHWA and FTA also require ongoing conformance to the architecture, and that if a project does not conform to the architecture that it be changed to do so. This requirement of conformance also inherently requires that the local stakeholders buy-in to the architecture and work together to develop integrated systems.
Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives
The Strategic Plan identifies ITS needs, guidance for implementation, and methods which can be used by transportation and emergency management agencies to deployment ITS so that it complements other ITS systems. This document encourages the further development of ITS in the entire region that is consistent with the following vision, goals, and objectives.
Regional ITS Vision Statement
The vision for ITS in this region is to deploy systems that improve mobility and safety, promote energy conservation, and reduce transportation system operations impacts on the environment.
Regional ITS Mission Statement
The mission of ITS is to enhance transportation and emergency management services for the region by applying advanced technologies and techniques, as effectively and efficiently as possible, for:
- Transportation management and operations,
- Public transportation management and operations,
- Traveler information systems,
- Safety initiatives,
- Commercial vehicle operations, and
- Emergency management.
Regional ITS Goals
The goals for ITS deployment in the region are consistent with National ITS goals and those priorities as set forward in the long-range Regional Transportation Plan. The general goals are:
- Increasing transportation system efficiency and capacity, including increasing transit usage and vehicle occupancies.
- Enhancing mobility, including through active management of both recurrent and non-recurrent congestion.
- Improving safety, including traveler security.
- Reducing energy consumption and environmental costs.
- Increasing economic productivity.
- Creating a viable and active ITS marketplace.
Regional ITS Objectives
To achieve these goals, the strategic plan defines several objectives essential to the successful deployment of ITS in the region:
- Continue to develop, operate, and maintain a regional integrated transportation management system, with Houston TranStar as the regional hub and communications to sub-regional centers.
- Continue to develop and operate real-time systems for collection current traffic data and to monitor traffic conditions in the region, extended freeway/tollway capability and building a robust arterial data collection and monitoring system.
- Create corridor management capability and institute processes and procedures to direct multi-modal resources across multiple jurisdictions and agencies in the most efficient manner.
- Provide capability detection and rapid response to incidents with appropriate resources to minimize impact on traffic operations, and bridging the gaps between transportation and emergency management systems.
- Continue to develop and deploy communication layers to transmit transportation data and information to and from Houston TranStar, and explore innovated communications as practical.
- Continue to develop and deploy an integrated traffic signal system in the region, using the concept of a formal regional traffic signal operations program.
- Continue to find innovative measures to use ITS during mobilization and response for significant weather emergencies, and bridging the gaps between transportation and emergency management systems.
- Develop and deploy traveler information systems that provide current and historical transportation information across all modes of travel for all users of the transportation network.
- Develop a robust ITS data archiving repository, which incorporates a performance measurement and reporting.
- Seek to promote and encourage public-private partnerships in development, testing, and deployment of ITS equipment, systems, and communications.
- Encourage innovation beyond standard/core software and/or system functionality so that evolving ITS concepts are measured for their potential benefits.
The above objectives may be met by encouraging compliance with and use of the current Regional ITS Architecture to document existing and planned regional ITS integration so that planning and deployment is done in a coordinated way.
The Houston-Galveston region has numerous agencies and jurisdictions responsible for providing transportation services, but the traveling public does not generally care about jurisdictional lines when stuck in traffic trying to get to work or home or figuring out how to avoid congestion or construction.
There is a common need among all agencies to provide ITS solutions to address safety and mobility, and it is important that these solutions be provided economically so that ITS can work across boundaries. Regional ITS integration will occur with participation and cooperation among agencies and organizations in this region. The aim of the TSMO Program Clearinghouse and the RITSA is to create a consensus for institutional integration upon which the stakeholders in this region address transportation issues together.
In a continuing effort to address the region’s environmental concerns and US National Ambient Air Quality Standards non-attainment, the impact of a continued increase single-occupant vehicles all trying to access the transportation network at one time (peak periods) is increasingly unacceptable. ITS technologies can enable relatively low-cost solutions to traffic congestion, improve safety, and maximize air quality benefits.
Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Systems Management & Operations Clearinghouse
