Project Title:   ADVANCED RURAL TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION SYSTEM
     
Project Status:   In Progress
     
Project Type:   Deployment/Integration
     
Project Description:   This project is the FY 2000 ITS Integration Program earmark for Grand Forks, North Dakota, funding for which was obligated in mid CY 2001. Project objectives include:

- Deployment of ITS components that support integration of systems outside of metropolitan areas.
- Design and integration of ITS components currently in operation in traveler information systems, and
- Integration of Highway Management Systems with Incident Management, Emergency Management, and Operations and Maintenance Systems.

The project builds on the Advanced Transportation Weather Information System (ATWIS) deployed in the Dakotas. ATWIS is focused on rural settings, and has merged technologies in weather analysis, weather forecasting, telecommunications, and road condition monitoring to produce short term, site-specific forecasts in conjunction with the development of rapid and timely means of dissemination to travelers. Fusion of large quantities of data has spurred the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) designed to manage data to support production and timely dissemination of short-term, site-specific nowcasts/forecasts. The DSS enables evaluation of complex information to support identification of specific travel corridors. In addition to weather prediction models, other weather data to be integrated into forecasting tools include road weather observations providing road surface condition profiles with regard to water and ice coverage. These capabilities are complemented by sub-surface and soil moisture characterization techniques. The project will fuse all data sources to broaden the scope of ATWIS to include Emergency Management, Freeway Management, Operations and Maintenance, and Highway Patrol Systems thus creating a statewide, real-time road condition and incident reporting system.
     
Project Location:   Grand Forks, North Dakota
     
Project Partner(s):   FHWA, North Dakota DOT, University of North Dakota
     
Project Start Date:   September 2001
     
Project End Date:   September 2004
     
Estimated Total ITS Funds:   $393,211
     
Estimated Total Project Cost:   $944,985

Project Contacts:    
     
Steve Busek
FHWA North Dakota Division, HDA-ND
(701) 250-4343
Ext. 112
Leon Osborne, Jr.
U of ND, Regional Weather Information Center
(701) 777-2479
Ext.



U.S. Department of Transportation, Intelligent Transportation Systems