Time for Change

Scott F. Belcher of Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) tells US Infrastructure why the new administration needs to invest in technology if it is to truly bolster our transportation infrastructure system.

As the new Obama Administration works with Congress to put in place new policy agendas to repair our ailing infrastructure system, pass transportation reforms as part of a new surface transportation authorization bill, and advance legislative solutions to other critical issues like energy, climate change, and homeland security, 2009 looks set to be a challenging yet exciting year. An aggressive agenda provides an unparalleled opportunity to advance the deployment of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and related technological innovations that must play a key role in solving our infrastructure, economic and environmental challenges.

Each year, more than 40,000 people die on America’s roads, 2.7 million are injured.  That cost to America’s economy totals at least $230 billion – while the human pain and suffering is beyond measure.  Imagine a fully-loaded 737 airliner falling out of the sky every day. Lawmakers would hold investigations and stop all other business until the problem was solved. The same urgency and commitment is needed to stop these same preventable tragedies on our nation’s roads.

The average rush-hour commuter in the US spends nearly a full workweek stuck in traffic each year. Traffic congestion costs our economy billions of dollars each year in lost productivity, wastes precious time and fuel, generates needless emissions, creates safety hazards and driver frustration and harms our quality of life. Allowing congestion to grind our cities to a halt every day is unacceptable, especially when we have the tools available to manage and reduce this gridlock.

What’s more, the transportation sector is responsible for over a quarter of all US CO2 emissions, in addition to other environmental and energy challenges. Technologies are now available that can improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles and drivers, reduce inefficient traffic patterns and unnecessary fuel consumption, facilitate shifts to transit and other non-motorized transportation, and help sustain our environment for future generations.

Add to these challenges the fact that the Interstate Highway System, while highly successful and a great enabler for America’s industrial and commercial success, has celebrated its 50 year anniversary and is very much in need of a twenty-first century upgrade. The estimated annual costs to fix and maintain our transportation infrastructure ranges from $225 billion to $340 billion – far more than can be generated by the current fuel tax-based public funding system. New, innovative financing mechanisms including increased private sector investment are needed to fix our infrastructure and build a safe, smart and energy efficient transportation system for the future.

Funding
ITS solutions are now working to reduce traffic congestion and its economic and environmental consequences, help prevent accidents and improve emergency response, give drivers and transportation managers real-time information to deal with roadway conditions, and enable innovative financing methods to pay for our nation’s transportation system. The message is simple: we must make better use of today’s technologies and innovations to solve the nation’s transportation infrastructure challenges.

It is critical that state and local transportation agencies pursue ITS solutions that will create jobs across numerous industries including the high-tech, automotive, engineering, IT, manufacturing and environmental sectors. 

According to the US Department of Transportation (US DOT), an average of 50 percent of ITS project spending is for direct labor as compared with 20 percent for new highway construction, making ITS an attractive investment from a purely job creation standpoint. And, integrating ITS into transportation projects can significantly improve economic productivity by reducing congestion, which is critical for businesses, truckers and shippers and consumers whose jobs and livelihood depend on an efficient and reliable transportation network.

Tools like traffic light synchronization, incident detection and management systems, traveler information, electronic tolling, ramp signaling, dynamic message signs, weigh-in-motion truck inspections, and smart transit systems can all be deployed quickly to put people to work while also providing long-term benefits in terms of less congestion, fewer accidents and a healthier environment.

It is encouraging that the US DOT has also recognized this critical opportunity and has provided guidance through the Federal Highway Administration (FDA) recommendation that transportation agencies include ITS and other operational elements in their transportation projects as they work to effectively invest monies received through the economic stimulus.

We must also not lose focus on the critical need for reform in the next surface transportation authorization bill and the September 30 expiration of the current legislation provides an opportunity to pursue new, innovative solutions and build a smarter transportation infrastructure.

Many transportation agencies and businesses are incorporating the latest technologies into passenger and commercial vehicles, highways, transit systems and traffic operations centers. However, in order to accelerate the widespread deployment and effective use of ITS solutions, fundamental changes are needed in the nation’s approach to transportation policy.

What is needed
The current SAFETEA-LU legislation eliminated dedicated funding for deployment of ITS, and provides only $110 million per year for ITS research and development.  These funding levels are grossly insufficient to support the critical role that ITS must play in modernizing our transportation infrastructure. The current law lacks proper incentives for transportation agencies to use all of the tools at their disposal to improve system performance.  Dedicated funding for deployment and operation ITS, combined with meaningful policy reforms, will result in significant improvements in the transportation system while also providing tremendous opportunities for the ITS industry. 

ITS America has been working with its members to develop legislative priorities for the next surface transportation bill. 

Funding should be linked to aggressive performance goals to ensure that the public investment results in measurable improvements in safety, mobility and the environment. To improve the performance of our transportation system, the next authorization bill should provide dedicated funding and incentives for public agencies and private sector partners to deploy and operate ITS solutions that will prevent traffic accidents and fatalities, reduce gridlock, improve the environment, and build a smarter multimodal transportation network. 

While we are making better use of today’s technology, the next authorization bill should at least double funding for research, development and demonstration programs that will advance the next generation of ITS solutions, including vehicle collision avoidance technologies, advanced congestion management systems, and new approaches for collecting and disseminating real-time traffic, transit and multi-modal traveler information.

A significant investment should be made in the initial deployment of a nationwide communications network between vehicles and with the roadway, known as vehicle infrastructure integration (VII) or IntelliDrive, that will enable the next generation of critical safety, mobility, commercial and consumer applications.

The next transportation bill should also include major real-world demonstrations of ITS-enabled financing alternatives for supplementing and ultimately replacing the current gas tax, including a mileage-based user fee and variably-priced tolling systems.

While the ITS community is better positioned than ever before to make a difference in the next transportation bill and other upcoming legislative battles, it is critical that the transportation community continues to send the message to congress and the new administration that the federal government needs to begin investing seriously in the deployment and integration of currently-available technologies into our transportation infrastructure system.

Scott F. Belcher is President and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America).