ITMS Operational Test of Advanced Traffic Management and Traveler Information Systems : Integrated Traffic Management System Program in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Improving the efficiency of the nation's highways remains as one of the key objectives of the IVHS community ever since the applications of advanced technology to highway transportation began to receive the attention it is now getting. One of the primary initiatives in the drive to satisfy this goal is to better manage and control the movement of traffic in the typically congested urban highway environment. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul already has one of the most advanced traffic control and management systems in the nation. Mn/DOT has a significant data collection and processing capacity as well as the ability to disseminate information via changeable message signs and highway advisory radio. The Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) program aims to integrate the existing traffic management systems and coordinate their operation via a comprehensive communication network.