This paper is to provide information about the fast-pace progress of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) planning and deployment at PENNDOT's District 2-0, which is located in the north-central part of Pennsylvania. The District encompasses an area as large as the state of New Jersey with a population of barely half-a-million. Apart from a few sporadic deployments in the region, the "real" ITS planning and deployment started in the year 2000. District 2-0 is the first district in Pennsylvania to develop a district-wide regional ITS architecture. There are two other ITS architectures developed in the state: Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The region covers all nine counties within District 2-0, in addition to some of the surrounding counties in neighboring districts to assure integration of ITS deployments. There are several ITS projects in the works parallel with the development of ITS architecture. In the northern part of the region is GIS/ITS Mapping; Communications and Automatic Vehicle Location Systems are within the second phase. Several environmental detectors (roadway weather information systems) are being deployed throughout the District. The District also is pioneering in the implementation of bridge de/anti-icing technologies on several bridges. The usage of highway advisory radio and dynamic message signs is wide spread. The region is also home to Pennsylvania State University. The University, with its dedicated ITS program and centers, works closely with the District and utilizes some of the brand new roadways as test beds to test and to gather data from several technologies relevant to ITS issues. The transit authority in State College, PA, Center Area Transit Authority (CATA), is in the process of piloting a "transit signal priority demonstration and research project" with possible future full-scale deployment. The 34-mile new extension of the interstate I-99 is under construction and a full-scale ITS deployment is expected within the next few years. The District's pro-active approach created an opportunity as never before in the commonwealth: By acting swiftly and decisively, funding has been secured to lay the conduit for fiber optics network that will be owned and operated by the District. The fiber optics network will provide unlimited bandwidth for ITS applications, including seamless surveillance, traveler information systems, environmental surveillance and control, and incident detection capabilities. In short, over the past two years, many changes have occurred in the District from an ITS perspective. Started from a sporadic deployment of ITS technologies, the District now is leading the way by employing proper planning and design procedures consistent with the ITS architecture and standards.
Abstract