OAHU METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
Intelligent Transportation Systems
Posted July 22, 2003
OahuMPO is responsible for coordinating transportation planning on Oahu. As part of this effort, OahuMPO has developed the Oahu Regional ITS Architecture (ORITSA), consisting of an Executive Summary, Operational Concept, and Integration Strategy, that support and enhance ITS interoperability and joint operations intiatives among Oahu's transportation and emergency response providers.
The Operational Concept and Integration Strategy provide a framework for institutional coordination and technical integration of ITS systems on Oahu. This framework will enhance multi-modal transportation operations on the island and lead to traveler safety and mobility improvements and reduced traffic delays and operational costs. The architecture will also help OahuMPO meet federal transportation planning and funding requirements thereby ensuring that federal funds for ITS projects can be secured for in the future.
The Oahu Regional ITS Architecture was endorsed by the OahuMPO Policy Committee on April 17, 2003.
What is ITS?
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is the application of advanced sensor, computer, electronics, and communication technologies that are applied to transportation systems to provide a complementary means to maximize the safety and efficiency of transportation infrastructure. Examples of ITS functions that are commonly deployed include:
- Provision of real-time traffic condition information to travelers through various means such as Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), and the Internet.
- Improved information sharing and dissemination to support real-time decision making, e.g., emergency and incident response.
- Improved management of normal operations & maintenance operations, such as the use of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems.
- Enhanced operational efficiency such as the implementation of signal priority systems for transit.
- Improved safety through various tools including transit bus and bus stop surveillance, and advance warning of hazardous road conditions through traveler information systems described above.
Why an ITS Architecture?
Many agencies on Oahu are currently designing and deploying a variety of ITS projects. Generally speaking, these projects are being developed to meet individual, or specifically defined, transportation needs that have been identified by stakeholders. However, many agencies also recognize the importance and value of developing these projects into a regional system. To foster a broader view of interjurisdictional system deployment and operations, an Oahu ITS Architecture has been developed.
The development of an ITS architecture is the initial step in the planning and management of ITS deployments. An ITS architecture defines the institutional and technical linkages necessary to plan, design, implement, operate, and maintain ITS. The National ITS Architecture, adopted in 1996, provides a technical and institutional framework to guide the coordinated deployment of ITS by public agencies and private organizations alike. It defines the functions performed by ITS components and the various ways in which components can be interconnected. Although the architecture is national in scope, it can be localized for regions, corridors, and transportation authorities. It can benefit state and local transportation agencies, like those on Oahu, by helping them to save time and money in achieving maximum benefits through the implementation of integrated ITS.
