ITS Oregon

There is now one more reason to visit Anchorage, Alaska this year for the 2008 National Rural ITS Conference! The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is offering a National Transit Database Rural Training Seminar to be held on Tuesday, September 2^nd just prior to the conference’s official kick-off. This training will be included in the Transit Track registration fee. For those individuals wishing to participate in the Seminar separate from the Transit Track, the cost is only $15.00.

To learn more and to register, simply download the conference registration packet from http://www.nritsconference.org/downloads/NRITS08regpk.pdf. If you’ve already registered for the conference and wish to take advantage of this additional training, send an email to info@nritsconference.org referencing your ID Number (found in your registration confirmation email), or call 866-633-8110.

The 2008 National Rural ITS Conference is sponsored in part by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Alaska University Transportation Center, Cambridge Systematics, Inc., International Road Dynamics, Inc., ITS Alaska, ITS America, USDOT ITS JPO, Open Roads Consulting, Inc., Quixote Transportation Technologies, Telvent and the Western Transportation Institute.

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) has announced that a free Webinar, “World Congress Technology Demonstrations,” will take place on June 25, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The webinar will provide participants with an overview of the largest fully-integrated demonstration of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadside communication technologies and services. These planned technology demonstrations will be operating on the streets and highways of New York from November 16-20 during the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems. For the latest information on the 15th World Congress on ITS, please visit www.itsworldcongress.org.

These technology demonstrations will provide conference attendees with a unique opportunity to experience Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII), a U.S. Department of Transportation initiative that is working toward deployment of an advanced vehicle and roadside communications network that could provide dramatic safety and mobility benefits. For more information on the Webinar, visit
http://www.itsa.org/press_release_content/c217_d2346/News/Newsroom/Press_Releases_.html.

Webinar participants will also be able to get real-time feedback via the Internet during the presentation, and will also be able to ask questions during a closing Q&A session. There is no cost to participate in the webinar, but registration is required. To register, visit http://itsamerica.premiereglobal.com/attendee/RegisterLogin.aspx?hubconfID=419614&qtID=1&act=reg&cp=6695.

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) today announced a call for entries for the “Best of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Awards.” The deadline for entering is September 8, 2008.

Presented by ITS America, the Best of ITS Awards is the only program in the world that honors the most innovative, effective, and influential achievements in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry. This highly competitive program recognizes the organizations whose projects have demonstrated specific and measurable outcomes and exemplified innovation by establishing a “new dimension” of performance.

Private businesses and public organizations will be recognized before an international audience on November 17, 2008 at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems in New York City.

Awards will be given in the following categories:

· Best New Product, Service, or Application

· Rural ITS Project of the Year

· Sustainability in Transportation

· Outreach

· Partnership Deployment: Business-to-Business or Government-to-Government

· Partnership Deployment: Public-Private

· Research and Innovation

More details and information on how to enter the Best of ITS Awards is available at www.itsa.org/itsa/files/2008BestITSAwardsApp.doc.

Lock in early registration, lodging and activity rates for the 2008 National Rural ITS Conference, September 3-5, 2008 in Anchorage, Alaska. Visit www.nritsconference.org to register and for more information. Early registration ends August 4^th, but accommodations, professional tours and several activities are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis so register early!

On Friday, May 23, ITS Oregon hosted a lunch meeting which included a presentation on the new Traffic Signal Controller Software and Central Traffic Signal System the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is implementing. The program was well received, with many representatives from city, county and state jurisdictions as well as design consultants, university researchers, transit representatives, and the system vendors attending. View the presentation below:

ODOT Traffic Signal System Presentation

The purpose of this solicitation is to provide an opportunity for one or more organizations to participate in the Development and Deployment phase of the Clarus Multi-state Regional Demonstrations. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), both agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), request proposals to result in the award of one or more contracts to private sector and/or academic institutions for the development and implementation of new, innovative Business-to-Government (B2G) services, and to some extent, Business-to-Traveler (B2T) services.

The Clarus Initiative, established in 2004, is a multi-year program administered and funded by the USDOT. The Initiative includes program management, stakeholder coordination, education and outreach activities, and the actual engineering and implementation of the Clarus System. Through the Clarus System, the FHWA is demonstrating a data management system for sharing quality checked surface transportation weather and pavement observations. Through the sharing of high quality, surface transportation-related observations from the Clarus System, it is envisioned that this enabling technology will aid in reducing the impact of adverse weather for all surface transportation users and operators.

Under a separate FHWA award, Contract No. DTFH61-05-C-00022, the Clarus System was designed based upon an overall Concept of Operations (ConOps) and requirements defined by Clarus stakeholders. Clarus System development was completed and implemented during a proof-of-concept deployment in 2006 to ensure that the system components operated and interfaced properly. The Clarus System ConOps, requirements, system design documents and test plan can be found on the Clarus Initiative website which is located at http://www.clarusinitiative.org/Archive.htm.

For complete details, visit https://www.fbo.gov/index?tab=core&s=opportunity&mode=form&id=4bfd9d92210c365fff5f68e945e0a7ba&cck=1&au=&ck.

ITS America is pleased to announce a Webinar series on the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems. This informative series is designed to educate attendees, speakers, and exhibitors on the World Congress’ program, exhibits, technology demonstrations, networking events, technical tours, and registration information from the organizers of the World Congress and ITS America staff. Premiering May 28, each Webinar will run approximately 60 minutes and is free of charge.

The first in the series of Webinars will provide participants with a general overview of the World Congress, including program highlights of ITS America’s 2008 Annual Meeting which is combined with the World Congress. “Welcome to the World Congress” will be held at 2:00 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. This highly informative, one-hour Webinar will be hosted by World Congress Organizing Committee Chairman Michael Noblett of Connexis LLC and ITS America staff.

Although there is no cost to participate in any of the World Congress Webinars, registration is required. Information on registration will be available soon at www.itsa.org/worldcongress.html. In the meantime, visit www.itsworldcongress.org for the latest information on the 15th World Congress on ITS. If you have already registered or are considering attending what is expected to be the largest ITS event of the year, make sure you mark your calendar for this interactive online presentation.

Please join ITS Oregon for pizza and soft drinks during our next lunch meeting.

Topic: ODOT’s new Traffic Signal Controller Software and Central Traffic Signal System

Date: Friday, May 23, 2008.

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: David Evans and Associates, Inc., 2100 SW River Parkway, Portland, Oregon, 97201.

Program: The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is making improvements for traffic signal operations to reduce delays and travel times on arterial roadways. ODOT recently procured a new local traffic signal controller software for the Model 2070 controller and is in the process of procuring a new central traffic signal system for the State of Oregon. The new central traffic signal system will be installed in Bend in the Fall of 2008 and will support remote access to traffic signals. The new system will significantly improve traffic signal operations within Oregon and ensures majority of public agencies in the state use a common traffic signal controller hardware and software platform. Jim Peters and Scott Cramer will present how this system will change traffic signal operations in the State of Oregon and describe the new capabilities that will be available for traffic engineers and transportation planners.

Presenters: Jim Peters, P.E., P.T.O.E., DKS Associates, is the Consultant Project Manager assisting ODOT with the procurement and installation of this new system and Scott Cramer, P.E., is ODOT’s Project Manager.

Cost: None.

Reservations: RSVP Ed Anderson at: mailto:Edward.L.Anderson@odot.state.or.us. Please RSVP by close of business Wednesday, May 21, to ensure enough pizza is ordered. Feel free to contact Ed if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!

The National Rural ITS Conference to be held in September 3-5, 2008 in Anchorage, Alaska, is seeking international representatives to speak at the Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO) Track to talk about their projects, applications, challenges and experiences especially on Truck/Train applications and Ice Road management. Other topics and ideas are more than welcome.

The track will feature Future of Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO) Safety, Florida’s Smart Roadside Program and other international experiences.

The conference has session and training topics range from the traditional (road weather information systems, CVO applications, etc.) to the innovative (climate change impacts, Native American transportation issues).

If you would like to participate at the CVO Track at this conference, please contact Patty Del Pozo at pdelpozo@itsa.org or at 202-721-4238. For additional information on the conference, please visit www.nritsconference.org.