Analyze system performance beyond traditional notions of average conditions to reveal impacts of various combinations of ITS and infrastructure elements and be sure to choose appropriate performance measures to fully understand theses impacts.

Seattle's experience with evaluating ITS alternatives.

Date Posted
09/16/2005
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Identifier
2005-L00031

Incorporating Intelligent Transportation Systems Into Planning Analysis: Improving Travel Time Reliability With ITS. Summary Of Key Findings From A Seattle 2020 Case Study

Summary Information

A transferable methodology has been developed for public sector investment that facilitated quantitative evaluations of projected ITS costs and benefits in concert with various conventional improvements. The methodology is called the Process for Regional Understanding and Evaluation of Integrated ITS Networks (PRUEVIIN), pronounced, "proven."

PRUEVIIN is not a model itself or a software product - it is a technique featuring the combined application of both regional travel demand models and commercially available traffic simulation software in an innovative scenario-based framework. This report summarizes the key findings from the Seattle case study and the development of the PRUEVIIN methodology.

Lessons Learned

Choose an appropriate method of analysis when considering an ITS project in the planning process.

  • Analyze system performance beyond traditional notions of “average” conditions to reveal important strengths and weaknesses of various combinations of ITS and infrastructure elements. Examination of higher than normal demand conditions, as well as adverse weather impacts, revealed that an arterial-to-expressway upgrade to SR 99 in the Seattle 2020 case study would likely be subject to unacceptable breakdown conditions on a regular basis.
  • Choose appropriate performance measures to fully understand the impact of ITS technologies. While improvements in travel time could be demonstrated, the benefits of ITS was largest in terms of reduced travel time variability and high-speed stops.



The PRUEVIIN methodology development effort and the Seattle I-5 North Corridor case study illustrate that current analytical tools, data, and staff can be extended to address key limitations of the current transportation planning process. Analyses based on the concepts of PRUEVIIN allow planners to move beyond the constraints of the artificial “average” conditions now built into traditional analyses. This not only reveals important characteristics of proposed alternatives, but also allows ITS to be considered directly and fairly in the planning process. The outcome of incorporating ITS into the planning process through an analytical methodology like PRUEVIIN is a better understood, more robust, and more cost-effective transportation system for the future.

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