IMPORTANT FOR PROJECT SPONSORS: 
     AMATS PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
          FOR COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS

To all agency sponsors of projects in the current 2004-2006 AMATS Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the 2006-2008 TIP currently under development:

AMATS has taken a lead role in ensuring compliance with the FHWA ITS Rule and FTA ITS Policy for ITS projects funded through the AMATS program of projects.  Future monitoring of compliance with federal ITS guidelines will be the responsibility of project agency sponsors.  The overall approach is based on "Self-Certification" by proejct agency sponsors affirming that they will comply with the federal ITS requirements.  The project agency sponsor has teh final responsibility for meeting and demonstrating compliance with the federal ITS requirements for their project prior to acquisition, construction, or implementation.

Provided below is an AMATS 3-step Checklist for all prokect sponsors regarding compliance with federal ITS requirements.  Please read this checklist!  Also attached is the draft TIP section, "AMATS Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Project Implementation Requirements" which includes more detailed guiduance for project managers.

For your information, ITS projects in the current TIP identified by staff are shown in the attached table with cross references to the Anchorage ITS Regional Architecture.  (Note: other projects in the TIP may have ITS elements.  It is the reponsibility of the project sponsor to make that determination.  See checklist below.)

• AMATS Checklist for Projet Agency Sponsors: Complying with Federal ITS
   Requirements
• Draft TIP ITS section: AMATS Project Implementation Requirements
  with New Policy on Self-Certification by Project Agency Sponsors
• Table 1.0: MOA Regional Project Implementation: List of projects in
   current TIP with contacts and Architecture references

Anchorage ITS Architecture Development

WHY AN ITS ARCHITECTURE?

On January 8, 2001, the US DOT published two important and related documents in the Federal Register: the FHWA Final Rule on the National ITS Archtecture and the FTA Policy on the National ITS Architecture.  The Rule/Policy implements Section 5206(e) of TEA-21, which requires that all ITS projects funded from the Highway Trust Fund be in conformance with  the National ITS Architecture and National ITS Standards.

The National ITS Architecture, adopted in 1996, provides a technical and institutional framework to guide the coordinated deployment of ITS by public agencies and private organizations alike. It defines the functions performed by ITS components and the various ways in which components can be interconnected. Although the architecture is national in scope, it can be localized for regions, corridors, and transportation authorities. It can benefit state and local transportation agencies, like the Municipality of Anchorage, by helping them to save time and money in achieving maximum benefits through the implementation of integrated ITS.

The FHWA/FTA Final Rule/Policy for applying the National ITS Architecture at the local level requires that Anchorage have an approved regional ITS architecture that is consistent with both the national and state ITS architectures.  In this context, an architecture is a framework, a systems analysis tool, which describes existing and planned transportation system-wide functions (activities, services, and information exchange flows), as well as system users (including vehicle drivers, pedstrians, multimodal passengers, fleet operators for passenger and freight, and operators of transportation systems and networks).  It allows planners to identify specific areas where ITS services and technologies can be used to address the needs, issues and objectives of travel mobility, safety and efficiency.  Finally, the architecture describes a systematic plan to show how all the technologies and services will be brought together - deployed - to function in harmony with each other.

MOA REGIONAL ITS ARCHITECTURE & CURRENT PROJECTS

During the past three years, the Municipality of Anchorage has been developing a regional Anchorage ITS architecture with the help of ADOT&PF's ITS consultant.  ITS projects needed in the future were identified through an extensive outreach process, and are included in the final Anchorage ITS Implementation Plan.

The final ITS Implementation Plan, approved by the AMATS Policy Committee, October 14, 2004, will be used as input to guide decisions for deploying ITS in the future for MOA, and will be addressed during development of the Long-Range Transportation Plan, and subsequent corridor plans.  The MOA Regional ITS Architecture Final Report, Version 1.1, has been modified to reflect approved changes, and is posted to the following link:  www.muni.org/transplan/ITSLibrary.cfm 

In the meantime, Anchorage is already deploying ITS projects.  The Final Rule/Policy defines ITS as electronics, communications, or information processing used singlely or in a combination to improve the efficiency or safety of a surface transportation system.  An "ITS project" is defined as any project that in whole or in part funds the acquisition of technologies or systems of technologies that provide or significantly contribute to the provision of one or more ITS user services as defined in the National ITS Architecture.

Examples of ITS projects, or projects which may have ITS elements (electronics, communications, or information processing), in the 2004-2006 Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), approved January 2005, includes but are not limited to, the following:

Table 3b, Highway Safety Improvement Program Set Aside
      Project 10 - Eklutna River Bridge Overheight Vehicle Detection

Table 5, CMAQ:
      Project 14 - IM Evaluation Program
      Project 18 - Traffic Control Signalization

Table 7, Transit:
        Project e - Fleet Improvement and Support Equipment
        Project g - Transit Center Planning
        Project i -  Automated Operating System/AnchorRIDES/People Mover
        Project k -  Management Information System
        Project x -  Ship Creek Intermodal Facility
        Project bb - Transit Center/Facilities

Table 8, Other Federal, State and Local Funded:
        Project 1 - Port Intermodal Expansion Project
        Project C - Rail Extensions, signalization & Remotely controlled power
                        switches (ARRC)
        Project F - Knik Arm Crossing
        Project K - Integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) Roadnet
        Project L - Condition Acquisition and Reporting System (CARS)
        Project V - Anchorage Paratransit & Disability Improvements
        Project W -Anchorage Ship Creek Intermodal Facility (ARRC)
        Project X - Port of Anchorage Intermodal Facility
        Project Y - Safety Information Exchange (CVO)
        Project Z - Credentials Administration (CVO)
        Project a - Electronic Screening (CVO)

Table 11, Safety Improvement Program
        Project 1 - Safety Database System
        Project 4 - On-Street Sign Inventory