Western states rural transportation consortium phase 2

The Washington State Department of Transportation received a $125,000 Formula Grant award from the Federal Highway Administration on March 9, 2022 under the Highway Planning and Construction program (CFDA 20.205). The funding will support the Western States Rural Transportation Consortium Phase 2 project to facilitate collaboration and information sharing on rural intelligent transportation systems applications among transportation agencies in multiple Western states.

Key activities to be undertaken with the funding include annual workshops for the participating states to discuss rural ITS needs, standards, and implementation projects; presenting WSRTC research at conferences to transfer technology; and maintaining a website to share workshop reports, project details, and presentations. The overarching goals are to enhance safety, improve mobility for people and goods in rural areas, and promote regional economic development through collaborative deployment of ITS solutions.

Project description

Wsrtc is a continuation and broadening of the original california oregon advanced transportation system (COATS). COATS began in 1998 as a collaborative effort among the california department of transportation (CALTRANS), the oregon department of transportation (ODOT) and the montana state university, bozeman's western transportation institute (WTI) to investigate the use of intelligent transportation systems (its) in rural areas. The intent of the COATS project was to facilitate the use of its to enhance safety, improve the movement of people, goods and services, and subsequently promote the economic development of the BI-state region and to begin deployment of those solutions. Scope of work: hold multi-day annual workshops for discussion and exchange of information and knowledge about each state's rural its needs, standards and applications. Each of these workshops will focus around planning and implementation of incubator and spin-off projects that meet the wsrtc objectives. Support the presentation of wsrtc research at local and national conferences with the purpose of technology transfer. Provide the western states rural transportation technology implementers forum to define, support and share technology of mutual interest. Implement task orders, as requested by the wsrtc steering committee. Develop and maintain the wsrtc website which will display workshop reports, incubator and spin-off project reports, and presentation material used at local and national conferences with the purpose of technology transfer.