Most transportation professionals agree that we cannot simply build our way out of urban congestion problems. Intelligent transportation systems provide the technology to enable people to make smart travel choices.

A long list of ITS achievements has led to the establishment of an Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Program in the College of Engineering at the University of Washington. This program is a multi-disciplinary effort between the Departments of Electrical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Technical Communication. Research efforts focus on the application of computer and communications technologies to solving transportation problems. The ITS research program actively collaborates with government and industry, making it a regional resource for advanced answers to transportation issues. Achievements thus far include:

• Feature stories on work by the ITS Research Program

• Transit Probes - A preliminary prototype designed to provide arterial and freeway speed estimates. Take a look and tell us what you think.

• MyBus - Variable Message Signs - King Count Metro Transit is installing variable message signs at selected bus stops. See a demonstration of the signs here and watch for them at stops along Aurora Ave. North.

• Multi-Modal Demo - A real-time demonstration of multi-modal, multi-agency traveler information conducted over a three-county region.

• ITS Web Services - Web services allow programs to interact with data servers and to retrieve content in a platform-indepedent manner. The ITS Web Services server is based on the Microsoft .NET framework.

• MyBus - Web pages to answer the question, "When will my bus arrive?"

• Busview - A JAVA applet designed to display real-time transit locations on a variety of computing and operating system platforms.

• Parking - Planning a trip to the Seattle Center? Check the parking availability before leaving home.

• TDAD - A database of TMS information to assist researchers and planners. Available via a web-based query interface.

• Transit Watch - The development of an Advanced Public Transit System/Advanced Traveler Information System (APTS/ATIS), that provides the location of transit vehicles in real time on a display at a transit transfer facility.

• Trafchan - The development of a traffic information channel which includes congestion maps and real-time video images from surveillance cameras. Trafchan is one of the featured technologies on UW2.TV, a station which broadcasts new, experimental technologies. It is now available via webcast and can be viewed at www.washington.edu/uw2tv/. Their schedule page lists the broadcast times for Trafchan.

• ITS Backbone - The development of a regional ITS backbone that allows agencies and organizations to share real-time data on current traffic conditions.
  NOTICE: Funding for Loop Data Feed has not been Renewed
  

• SST - The development of systems that support dynamic ridesharing - carpooling on demand.

• TrafNet - The development of an application to display real-time, Seattle area traffic conditions on your Window's-based PC.

• The development of wireless delivery systems that allow travelers to receive traffic information when and where they need it.