Approved by the Transportation Policy Committee on January 24, 2023
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on April 19, 2023
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 22, 2023

Policy

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports multi-modal, multi-disciplinary, and systems approaches to Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). ITS can be a cost-effective means to improve safety, optimize transportation control, performance, and operation, minimize congestion, and increase security while providing real time information to aid in route and travel mode choice and planning. ITS projects should be implemented based on a systematic assessment of the life-cycle costs and benefits, as well as the opportunities and risks.

ASCE supports:

  • Federal and state participation and guidance in order to advance the research, development, and deployment of ITS.
  • Public and private investments in ITS projects.
  • Collaborative partnerships among private entities, academic institutions, and state and local governments.
  • ITS procurements that comply with national security data- and cyber-security policies, laws, rules, and regulations.
  • Preservation of a dedicated frequency band for transportation-related telecommunications.

Issue

ITS consists of multimodal data, sensors, edge and cloud computing networks, software, hardware as well as the information technology security systems needed to protect the nation’s transportation management systems and the traveling public. In addition, new vehicles are designed and built with increasingly sophisticated Automated Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) technologies. The multiplicity of ITS components and the need to ensure they are able to support competitive and evolving technologies require departments of transportation and the public and private entities that provide equipment and services under their authority and direction to promote and achieve the following essential objectives:

  • Well-managed and properly supervised public-private partnerships.
  • Close coordination with the telecommunications industry and regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission.
  • Adherence to national security laws, rules, and regulations.

Rationale

ITS technology continues to provide opportunities for improving transportation safety and efficiency while offering a wide range of independent yet coordinated actions by public and private sector participants. ITS implementation can continue to help reduce crashes and fatalities, improve travel time reliability, and minimize environmental impacts. 

As development and expansion of technology and telecommunication systems continue continues, private and publicly available ITS data and information with critical data and cyber protections in place will promote more effective transportation management systems and demand management. Further, it will provide pertinent information in real time to travelers and freight movement operators to assist in mode choice and route selection.

The policy has worldwide applications
ASCE Policy Statement 454
First Approved in 1997