KTC-00-05
SPR188-98-1F

"Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan  (Final Report)", J.R. Walton, J.D. Crabtree, M.L. Osborne, J. G. Pigman, J.M. Weber, T.H. Grossardt, D.G. Hartman

    This report presents a Strategic Plan for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in
Kentucky. The purpose of this Strategic Plan is to offer a vision for ITS in Kentucky and to
identify key goals for each functional area of ITS. Some of the fundamental elements of
achieving the ITS vision are presented and discussed, including public relations and marketing,
operations and maintenance, and organizational structure. This plan serves as the foundation for
development of a Statewide ITS Architecture and an ITS Business Plan, both of which are
currently in progress.

    To place Kentucky’s Strategic Plan in its proper context, this report presents information
on the national ITS program, including some history and a description of ITS functional areas
and user services. An overview of the National ITS Architecture is provided, including a
summary of the architecture development process, a brief description of the architecture
documentation, and a discussion of the value of an ITS architecture.

    An inventory of existing ITS projects in Kentucky was conducted, and the resulting
project summaries are included in Section 4.0 of the report. Also included in Section 4.0 is a
map of Kentucky showing the project locations.

    Kentucky’s ITS Strategic Plan development began in early 1997. The Plan was
developed in two phases. The first phase focused on the areas of Advanced Traveler Information
Systems (ATIS), Advanced Rural Transportation Systems (ARTS), and Commercial Vehicle
Operations (CVO). The remaining areas of Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS),
Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS), and Advanced Vehicle Safety Systems
(AVSS) were included in the second phase of the project. The first phase results were published
in an interim report in May 1998.1 The final report, completed in June 2000, includes the results
of both phases of the project and is designed to be a stand-alone document.

    A survey of other states was conducted to determine the status of ITS strategic plan
development nationwide. The eleven states that had completed strategic plans provided valuable
information for guiding the development of Kentucky’s plan and for identifying the essential
elements of a strategic plan.

    A focus group meeting was held in Frankfort, Kentucky, in October 1997, to assist in the
development of a mission, vision, and goals for ATIS and ARTS. A second focus group session
was held in December 1997, involving state and local transportation planners. Results from both
meetings provided essential input for developing the Strategic Plan components for ATIS and
ARTS.

    Kentucky has had a well-developed CVO program in place for several years and is
recognized as a national leader in this area. Thus, Kentucky initiated strategic planning efforts
related to CVO long before the ITS Strategic Plan project began. The strategic plan for
Commercial Vehicle Operations developed out of the convergence of several parallel processes
in Kentucky, including the “Empower Kentucky” initiative (a statewide effort to redesign
government processes), the CVO working group (first convened in the summer 1996), and the
national Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) program. In an
effort to conceptually organize the various CVO activities in Kentucky, an inclusive visioning
exercise was held in early 1997. Out of this exercise emerged the six critical vision elements that
guided the CVO strategic plan.

    For the second phase of the project, another ITS focus group session was held in
November 1999, focusing on ATMS, APTS, and AVSS. The morning session included several
presentations on ITS, followed by afternoon breakout sessions. The results from the focus
groups were used by Kentucky Transportation Center staff to prepare a mission statement, vision
statement, and list of goals for each area.

    Section 6.0 of the final report contains descriptions of the mission, vision, and goals for
all six functional areas of ITS.

    Successful implementation of ITS technologies will require significant emphasis on
public relations and marketing. ITS is a new concept to many, and acceptance of new concepts is
not automatic. Thus, it is essential to provide accurate and useful information to transportation
decision-makers, providers, and users throughout the state. The value of ITS in enhancing the
safety, efficiency, and convenience of transportation must be actively promoted. Many different
strategies and techniques exist for marketing ITS. Kentucky is fortunate to have several early
“success stories,” which provide excellent opportunities to promote the virtues of ITS.

    State and national ITS programs have traditionally emphasized the goal of developing and
deploying systems. In most cases, little emphasis has been given to the operation and
maintenance (O&M) of those systems. ITS technologies present many significant O&M
challenges to traditional transportation agencies. Thus, it is essential that all new ITS projects
include full consideration of O&M from the earliest stages of planning. It is further
recommended that the Transportation Cabinet develop an ITS Maintenance Plan.

    A final consideration in implementing ITS is the organizational structure and the roles
and responsibilities of various ITS-related entities in the Commonwealth. Determining the best
organizational structure requires an understanding of administrative context, ITS mission, and
the commitment level of those in positions of leadership. ITS development and deployment
requires specialized knowledge and skills, and it is beneficial to bring those diverse skills close
together within the organization. Thus, it makes sense, in our current environment, to create a
special development/deployment staff to focus on ITS. However, it should be recognized that
ITS technologies, while currently viewed as unique, will become standard practices in the 21st
century.

1    Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan (Phase 1 Report); Kentucky Transportation Center,
    College of Engineering, University of Kentucky; Research Report KTC-98-9; Lexington, KY; May 1998.

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