What Happened?
The Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority has plans to design an automated roadway system to increase efficiency and reduce collisions.
Goal
The Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority has applied for a Federal Highway Administration grant to design a state-of-the-art roadway system that includes traffic signal communication technology as well as new electronics for individual vehicles. These futuristic roadway advancements are focused enabling communication between road infrastructure and vehicles on the road. The overall goal is to make driving safer, more efficient and less hazardous to the environment, The Tampa Bay Tribune reported.
The proposal from the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority involves testing the new roadway system on real roads under real conditions. The expressway authority wants to connect autonomous vehicles to city roadway infrastructure through communication networks to alert drivers of upcoming traffic volumes, obstacles or other updates. Each vehicle on the road would be detected by roadway infrastructure to generate traffic data in real time.
If the expressway authority is selected to participate in the grant program, it would be responsible for 20 percent of the overall project costs. The first phase would involve the designing of the advanced infrastructure, followed by the building and testing of the technology. Finally, the technology would be deployed and maintained within the community for an 18-month pilot period before the expressway authority would outright own the system, The Tampa Bay Tribune reported.
According to local officials, a more advanced roadway monitoring system would offer more benefits than just traffic mitigation. Transportation planning projects will be greatly impacted by the data streams collected through the communication network, as well as pedestrian and bicyclist safety. City officials expect to make better use of existing roadways and lane designations to better service all residents while improving efficiency, The Tampa Tribune reported.
Intelligent Transportation Systems Grants
The Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority is one of many agencies applying for a U.S. Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems grant program. The goal of the program is to spur development of advanced transportation safety, mobility and environment sustainability through IT applications and communication networks. The program focuses on intelligent vehicles, intelligent infrastructure and the integration of the two in real-world settings.
Programs funded through the research initiative focuses on several areas of transit improvements including:
- Safety: driver advisories, driver warnings, vehicle and infrastructure controls
- Mobility: adjust traffic signals and emergency dispatch services to mitigate traffic and service residents
- Environment: optimize vehicle operation and maintenance for maximum fuel efficiency
- Technology and distraction: human factors research to ensure in-vehicle safety technologies keep drivers focused not distracted
Furthermore, the grant program is focused on long-term development of connected roadway solutions that address both immediate concerns and future needs of communities and key industries. In the near future, the Intelligent Transportation Systems office has outlined a strategic plan for 2015-2019. In the next five years, the ITS will center its research on realizing connected vehicle implementation and advancing automation.
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