ITS Projects Book January 2003


Project Title:   MOBILE, ALABAMA ITS INTEGRATION
     
Project Status:   In Progress
     
Project Type:   Deployment/Integration
     
Project Description:   The goals of this FY 1999 ITS Integration Program project are the development of integrated, National ITS Architecture - conforming Freeway Management and Incident Management systems, and the planning for follow-on integration and deployment of Metropolitan ITS infrastructure.

The objectives of a freeway and incident management system which would apply to the Mobile area are to effectively perform such functions as surveillance and incident detection, information dissemination, and coordination with other traffic and freeway management systems and incident detection. Mobile has several building blocks of these components already in place but requires an integration approach in bringing these elements together to work in a unified manner. Two key components need to be implemented in Mobile: additional field and communication equipment. For example, the regional traffic management center in place does not have the necessary equipment for monitoring the appropriate arterials to aid in the dissemination of traveler information and provide surveillance and incident detection. Also, since the Mobile area has had only one ITS-funded project deployed, the Fog Detection Project, the purchase of additional equipment is critical to create a regional ITS architecture to support integrated ITS deployment.

The ITS integration plan will be developed as a long-range plan describing how the existing systems can come together, and by utilizing the National Architecture, to form a regional architecture through the use of market packages. The plan will be able to set both short-term and long-term goals and objectives. Market packages such as Network Surveillance, Incident Management, and Traffic Information Dissemination can provide useful information by linking agencies and informing the public through user services. User services can include identifying scheduled/planned incidents (e.g. construction activity), detect incidents, formulate response actions, support initialization of response actions (Mobile County Emergency Management Center), and predict hazardous conditions.
     
Project Location:   Mobile, Alabama
     
Project Partner(s):   Alabama DOT, City of Mobile, County of Mobile, Metropolitan Transit Authority, South Alabama Regional Planning Commission
     
Project Start Date:   September 1999
     
Project End Date:   December 2003
     
Estimated Total ITS Funds:   $1,979,000
     
Estimated Total Project Cost:   $2,311,000

Project Contacts:    
     
Linda Guin
FHWA Alabama Division, HDA-AL
(334) 223-7377
Ext.
Bob Kratzer
Alabama DOT
(334) 242-6253
Ext.



U.S. Department of Transportation, Intelligent Transportation Systems