Future Funding for ITS in Texas (0-4451-S)

The formal goals set forth in 1996 by the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the deployment of intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies, accompanied by TEA-21 funding support for these deployments, has resulted in significant progress for ITS in the United States in recent years. The next several years, however, represent a new and critical phase for ITS deployment - one where such deployment can no longer rely on public funds as the sole source of financial support. In order to achieve the ultimate goal of a "fully-integrated system" of transportation technologies, new strategies, approaches and/or opportunities must be identified or developed. The objective of this research project was to examine a variety of approaches and alternatives for acquiring future funding for ITS deployment within the State of Texas. This objective was accomplished through the following activities: 1) identifying important cross-cutting issues; 2) summarizing the best existing resources for information on this topic; 3) identifying alternative funding solutions; and 4) dividing new funding alternatives and/or concepts into near-term opportunities versus long-term strategies.