Intelligent Transportation Systems Planning in a Medium-Sized,Relatively Uncongested Urban Area

Abstract

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) completed an early deployment study for the Des Moines, Iowa, metropolitan area in late 1997. The purpose of the study was to develop a strategic plan for intelligent transpotation systems (ITS) deployment and to provide initiative for the development of an ITS infrastructure. When FHWA sponsored the Des Moines metropolitan area’s early deployment study, Des Moines was the smallest metropolitan area to undertake such a study. Therefore, there were no similarly sized urban areas from which to draw examples. Furthermore, although the metropolitan area and traffic volumes are growing, congestion is not seen as a significant problem in Des Moines. As a result of minimal traffic congestion, there was and is some skepticism among the transportation stakeholders in the need for ITSs. The development of an ITS infrastructure is seen as even more problematic when the capital requirements for ITS must compete with the capital requirements of other, traditional transportation improvements. Despite the initial skepticism regarding the need for ITS and the ability to afford ITS, Des Moines-area transportation stakeholders have become very supportive of the initiatives identified in the plan. The generation of support for an ITS was developed through two galvanizing issues. The first was a focus on the safety benefits of an ITS as opposed to congestion reduction benefits. The second was to focus on the use of an ITS to mitigate the impacts of the reconstruction of I-235. I-235 cuts across Des Moines, running through the north side of the central business district, and has been the single most important factor in forging commuting and development patterns in the Des Moines area. As a result, arterial streets that parallel I-235 will be greatly affected by the diversion of traffic from I-235, which is likely to occur during reconstruction. An ITS’s ability to manage traffic under dynamic conditions provided an incentive for transportation stakeholders to rally behind the ITS strategic plan. The process used to develop the plan and review the plan’s recommendations is discussed. One of the issues that the plan attempts to address is the identification of technology appropriate for an urban area the size of Des Moines.