DOT, FED HWY ADMN, Office of Acquisition Management, 400 7th St. SW, Room 4410, Washington, DC 20590

A -- ITS DEPLOYMENT ISSUES AND A PROPOSED METROPOLITAN AREA ITS MODEL DE PLOYMENT INITIATIVE DUE 093095 POC See Item #17. The U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) is seeking comments from all sources (public, private, governmental, academia, professional groups, public interest groups, etc.) on a wide range of issues related to deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), focusing on traffic and transit management and traveler information services in metropolitan areas. This request solicits comments on the following ITS deployment issues: 1.The cost of deployment, 2.Private sector information service providers, 3. Operations and maintenance issues, 4. Communications needs, requirements and costs, 5. Interagency and interjurisdictional cooperation, 6. Increasing professional capacity, 7. Public funding sources for ITS deployment, 8. Increasing local support for ITS deployment and 9. Proposed metropolitan area model deployment initiative. This is not a request for proposals or an invitation for bids. It is solely a request for information (RFI). ITS uses advanced communications, computer and surveillance technologies to address surface transportation problems. When effectively deployed, ITS services can improve traffic flow in congested urban areas, provide safer and more secure travel, reduce the harmful environmental impacts of traffic congestion, and help travelers and businesses achieve improved levels of productivity. The national ITS program is being advanced as a partnership between the private sector, academia and all levels of state and local government. A complete description of the ITS program is contained in the March, 1995 National ITS Program Plan, developed jointly by the US DOT and ITS AMERICA. The National ITS Program Plan is available from ITS AMERICA, 400 Virginia Avenue SW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20024-2730, phone (202) 484-4847. This RFI requests input on 1) broad issues related to ITS deployment, and 2) the objectives, approach and selection criteria for a proposed initiative on ITS model deployment in metropolitan areas. This proposed initiative is designed to accelerate national deployment of ITS products and services through example -- by supporting ''model ITS deployments'' in a limited number of metropolitan areas t educate the general public and local decision makers on the benefits of ITS user services, and to assess benefits and costs. By introducing the public to ITS products and services, the sites would serve as ''showcases'' for key local decision makers across the U.S. and the sites would support tours and seminars focused on the benefits of ITS investments by both the public and private sectors. To obtain a complete RFI, send name and address to FHWA, Office of Traffic Management and ITS Applications, HTV-10, Rm 3400, Washington, DC 20590, or FAX name and address via 202-366-8712, or ITE's Home Page at http://www.io.com/~itehq/ or the ITE Bulletin Board system, or contact ITS America's Clearinghouse. Comment Submission: The submission date for comments on the metropolitan area model deployment initiative in this announcement has been extended to September 30, 1995. The submission date for comments on the other ITS deployment issues has been extended to October 30, 1995. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent possible. Your input on these important issues is greatly appreciated, but responses will not be acknowledged. Responses should be mailed to the above FHWA address or E-mailed (preferred) to ITS-RFI@INTERGATE.DOT.GOV. (0261)

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