An Examination of Alternative Funding Solutions for ITS Deployment

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.