Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

ITS Studies

View the Final Report of the ITS Strategic Deployment Plan For Chittenden County (December 2005), and the Final Report for the Regional ITS Architecture for Chittenden County (April 2005)

What is ITS?

In the broadest sense, Intelligent Transportation System - ITS - is the application of technology to improve the operations of our transportation system. A more refined description, however, sees ITS as the use of telecommunications and computing technology to boost the efficiency of roadway, transit and emergency and maintenance vehicle response systems, and provide timely information on travel options. Federal legislation going back to 1991 has supported the research and deployment of ITS around the country. While early projects focused on the nation's larger urban areas, over time, small urban and rural applications have been developed and implemented.

CCMPO developed its first Intelligent Transportation Systems strategic deployment plan in 2000 in an effort to guide the planning and implementation of ITS in Chittenden County. In 2002, a report was produced, which provided detailed recommendations for ITS in project development.

Intelligent Transportation Systems in Chittenden County

Currently, the CCMPO is working on the ITS Plan Update which is intended to address the expanded realm of ITS in Chittenden County and to respond to specific recommendations and requirements needed to bring the MPO into compliance with current ITS program standards set by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for development of architecture and strategic plans as well as the Federal Transit Administration's National ITS Architecture Policy on Transit Projects.

The project will focus on the updating and expansion of the existing ITS Architecture developed for CCMPO as outlined in the Chittenden County ITS Strategic Deployment Plan approved by the CCMPO board in September 2000 as well as on updating the Chittenden County ITS Strategic Deployment Plan prepared in 2002.. These plans are available below:

Other ITS Studies

Title Year Description

Regional ITS Architecture for Chittenden County April 2005 This document outlines an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Architecture for Chittenden County, Vermont. The Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO), in cooperation with numerous local, regional, and state transportation and emergency management stakeholders, has developed this architecture to provide a framework for coordinated ITS deployment in the county over the next ten (10) years. The Chittenden County Regional ITS Architecture has been developed in conjunction with a parallel Vermont Statewide ITS Architecture initiative.

ITS Strategic Deployment Plan For Chittenden County December 2005 The Strategic Plan recommends specific, project-based initiatives for implementing the Regional ITS Architecture for Chittenden County, which provides an overall logical framework for ITS implementation in the region. This Plan and the Regional ITS Architecture for Chittenden County report, taken together, provide a roadmap for coordinated ITS deployment in the County.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Project Development April 2002 The objective of this project was to translate the recommendations of the Chittenden County ITS Strategic Deployment Plan into specific projects that can be incorporated into the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The study findings culminate with a deployment plan and schedule illustrating the recommended implementation timeline over the next 10+ years.

Chittenden County Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Deployment Plan September 2000 The FHWA has established the National ITS Architecture to ensure that ITS investments are compatible and conform to national standards. Further, FHWA has set forth a standard planning process for developing regional ITS deployment plans. The CCMPO's ITS Deployment Plan is consistent with the National Architecture.

You may need Adobe® Acrobat® to view some of these documents:

In July 2004, the CCMPO hired the firm of IBI Group partnering with Resource Systems Group, TranSystems, and ConSysTec to assist staff with the development of the ITS Plan Update.To date, three stakeholders meetings have been held with the IBI Group facilitating a diverse group including municipal staffs and representatives from CCRPC, FHWA, VTrans, DMV, BIA, CCTA, UVM and IBM. As a result of these meetings, IBI prepared a Draft Regional ITS Architecture website which is available for review at: http://www.consystec.com/ccmpo/web/_regionhome.htm.

The Draft was developed based upon information obtained at both the kickoff meeting in July 2004 and the stakeholder input workshop held in September 2004 as well as through other information gathering and follow-up activities. The Draft Architecture is based upon real transportation needs, such as congestion mitigation, traveler information, and incident management, identified by the stakeholders during this preliminary input phase...

As the architecture is a long-range, collaborative planning framework for ITS deployment in Chittenden County, the continued input of project stakeholders is paramount to its success. A representative from the IBI Group will provide an overview of the project and discuss the next steps in the project, including finalizing the architecture and integrating projects for the strategic plan. An important note is that any future ITS project using Federal funds must be consistent with the Regional ITS Architecture.

New York State's ITS Toolbox:

Late in 1998, the New York State Department of Transportation published its ITS Toolbox for Rural and Small Urban Areas. This document offers information on accident detection, traffic management, safety, road and weather information systems, and public transit and traveler information systems - matching these to specific rural and small urban area transportation needs. The resources identified in this guide will help our own planning efforts by identifying the most practical and effective ITS tools for our own needs. This document and other links providing information on New York State's ITS program are available on-line

ITS LINKS:

Vermont ITS Plan Update
Vermont 511 Travel Information Service
U.S. Department of Transportation - ITS
U.S. Department of Transportation - Rural ITS Toolbox
Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA)
ITS Cooperative Deployment Network
ITS International Magazine

For more information on ITS, contact Susan Smichenko at 802.660.4071 x17.