We're finally seeing progress in a plan to create an intelligent transportation system where our cars and our roads communicate to make our commutes a little smoother.
Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Michigan) and Russ Carnahan (D-Missouri) have introduced landmark legislation authorizing Uncle Sam to choose six cities to test "intelligent transportation systems." That's a catch-all phrase for applying many different technologies to our roads, the goal being integrated infrastructure that communicates with cars. We're talking about things like synchronizing traffic lights and beaming real-time traffic info into vehicles. There's nothing particularly shocking about this, as a lot of this tech already is used to some degree in industry.
"Many of these technologies are available today," Carnahan said. "It’s a matter of getting them into our communities, into our cars, into our handheld devices and really integrating how we all think about transportation."
We've been adopting some of these technologies piecemeal for years. Electronic toll collection lets you pony up without slowing down, for example. In some cities, public buses transmit GPS data, allowing riders to plan trips with greater accuracy. And several automakers are developing cars that "talk" to us and to each other. But House Resolution 995 is a milestone because it is the first attempt to integrate several technologies simultaneously.
"That’s huge," said ITS America President Scott Belcher, who joined Carnahan on a conference call last week. "And it has huge opportunity not only to deploy these technologies, to test them out at scale, but to create a public appreciation for, public acceptance of and demand for these technologies."
Although the bill enjoys some bipartisan support, recent years have not been kind to progressive transportation policies. Despite backing from the Department of Transportation and support from President Obama, several high-profile, high-cost projects have been shut down by cost-conscious governors. Consequently, arguments in favor of the intelligent transportation bill are being framed in terms of cost. Supporters of the legislation say it makes financial sense.
"This is a fiscally smart approach, a way to get a bigger bang for the taxpayer’s buck at a time when budgets certainly are tight," said Carnahan. "We’ve all seen the figures: Over 4.8 billion hours wasted by Americans sitting in traffic, just in metropolitan communities alone."
In an approach embraced by the Obama Administration for similar projects, the six cities will be chosen by competition. Applicants must justify the technologies and their specific route and usage, with the feds deciding who gets what. Proposals will go through state departments of transportation, allowing the feds to avoid the embarrassment of local resistance and resulting cancellation.
Not that anyone expects much resistance. While mass transit and high-speed rail too often are derided as socialist spending sinkholes, HR 995 builds on our auto-centrism and improves what we've already got -- namely, lots of pavement.
"That’s why they call it intelligent transportation," Carnahan said. "It allows us, with technology, to do more with our existing infrastructure. This is a very good use of our taxpayer dollars that will help stretch the dollars we do have."
Belcher added, “Not only are you leveraging limited federal dollars, but you’re also making very real infrastructure and technology deployments that, at least based on the information that we’ve got, are much more cost-effective than some of the traditional infrastructure investments that are available. And finally you’re building demand for a better transportation system, and that can only benefit everybody.”
HR 995 also comes as Congress prepares to finally tackle a new surface transportation bill, the massive legislation that will govern federal transportation spending for at least six more years. Proponents of intelligent transportation systems want to ensure the integration of technology and infrastructure is part of the discussion -- and the long-term plan.
“If we look at the broader, longer term transportation strategy for the country, there’s no accident to the timing here. We think this needs to be part of the national conversation going forward,” Carnahan said.
Belcher said any technologies will be considered within the criteria set forth by the bill and the DOT.
“The whole connected vehicle environment is very important and the US DOT is investing a lot of research dollars into doing that," he said. "Another collection of technologies that would be very attractive right now are those surrounding mileage-based user fees, because again we’re looking for new opportunities to fund the transportation system.”
Adopting connected-vehicle networks and a mileage fee would represent a substantial shift from the status quo and almost certainly would face opposition.
The Congressional Budget Office is scoring the bill, and will likely release projected cost figures soon. HR995 now goes to committee, where the sponsors are likely to seek more co-sponsors.
Photo: jfre81 / Flickr
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