Plan for success of an ICM project by developing a knowledgeable and committed project team that can provide oversight, direction, and necessary reviews.

Lessons from the ICM Implementation Guide

Date Posted
02/20/2014
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Identifier
2014-L00667

Integrated Corridor Management: Implementation Guide and Lessons Learned

Summary Information

The Integrated Corridor Management: Implementation Guide and Lessons Learned document is intended for use by adopters of integrated corridor management (ICM) approaches and strategies to address congestion and travel time reliability issues within specific travel corridors. It introduces the topic of ICM and identifies the type of information system, known as the integrated corridor management system (ICMS), used to support transportation network managers and operators in applying ICM.

The U.S. DOT partnered with eight transportation agencies in large metropolitan areas, referred to as "Pioneer Sites," to research effective means of implementing ICM approaches in their major travel corridors. The guide discusses lessons learned that arose during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT’s) research initiative.

Lessons Learned

Developing and deploying an ICMS is not a trivial exercise. When establishing goals and objectives for developing a successful ICM project and planning for success, it is vital that the project team be knowledgeable and committed and that the managing agency be able to successfully assemble the team. Lessons to managing the team successfully include:

  • Confirm project responsibility, commitment and expertise. ICM project teams need to be committed to the process, provide the correct project expertise (e.g., systems engineering, software and hardware design and integration, communications, etc.), take ownership of the work products, and see the work products through to successful completion. It is imperative that all stakeholders take responsibility for their part in the project and play an active role in providing successful outcomes. Key activities that can seem time-consuming but provide significant benefit later in the project include: the definition of the current corridor and system assets (both physical and data), identification of corridor needs, and the development of a common vocabulary among partners to describe existing systems and proposed capabilities.
  • Obtain buy-in from all stakeholders. Before proceeding with the development of an ICMS, it is essential that the stakeholders be able to describe why the proposed system is needed and what the goals of the ICMS are.
  • Manage project procurements, costs, schedules, and risk to reduce the impact that multiple tasks have on a large project. Multiple procurements from multiple agencies are a challenging endeavor. If, as a part of the ICM project, one of the stakeholder agencies slips schedule or misses requirements in selection and procurement, this can affect the project as a whole. Procuring systems prematurely (prior to defining the requirements) could significantly impact the cost and schedule of the project.
  • Develop an acronym and terminology list that includes common definitions. When working with multiple agencies, it was found that terminology and acronyms can differ in definition. Developing an acronym and terminology list that includes common definitions improves coordination and communication.
  • Provide concrete project guidance. Make sure project guidance is concrete so the contractor is not confused or getting mixed messages. There should be a unified message when providing guidance. Developing a Project Management Plan and documenting all stakeholder roles and responsibilities is essential for project success.
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