As congestion increases and transportation resources become more burdened and scarce, every method available must be explored to improve the management of transportation systems and the transportation network. Transportation professionals must take the view that the entire network is one connected system and must be managed that way. This concept is in essence the concept of transportation system integration. Once this viewpoint is adopted, appropriate physical methods can be determined to integrate systems throughout the region. The paper discusses some types of system integration and methods for implementing integration. In the state of Washington, the mobility problem is beginning to be approached in an integrated manner through programs such as the Freeway and Arterial Management Effort (FAME). The arterial control and integration project within FAME will help determine the integration needs of the agencies with control systems in the Seattle region. At the same time, integrated control of the Washington State Department of Transportation freeway and arterial systems is being investigated. Nine different task areas within the FAME work plan are described. In this paper it is argued that barriers to the success of integrated control systems must be addressed, and transportation professionals must be willing to work to overcome them if integrated systems are to become the rule rather than the exception. It specifically discusses jurisdictional, technological, and theoretical barriers to integrated system control. (A)
Abstract