ITS Challenges for the Tri-State Metro Region

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have gone beyond futuristic ideals and are becoming mainstream tools for managing highway and transit systems, as well as for providing information to the public. ITS has shown itself to be a cost-effective means for making best use of the current transportation system in an environment where the ability to expand capacity has become increasingly more difficult and expensive. There are several projects already in place at the regional level (e.g. E-ZPass, Transcom's IRVIN system, and MetroCard) and at the local level (e.g. sub-area traffic management centers and transit system real-time train information systems). More major ITS systems are expected in the next few years.