3 ways to be part of smart transportation

 Rachel Eckert, SLED consultant

Transportation is increasingly becoming more connected as part of ongoing smart cities/states initiatives. States are connecting transit and working on multi-modal systems to facilitate easier and quicker commutes that efficiently move people and goods throughout a region.

This requires a great deal of data, compelling state and local governments to look to the private sector to develop technology that can collect, store, analyze and visualize that data. This information can then be turned into things like mobile applications that allow users to purchase tickets for buses and other transit through one streamlined application.

Here are three ways state and local governments could be utilizing this data:

1. Improving roadway efficiency: Utilizing sensors already installed along roadways, state and local governments will be looking to IT companies for advice on the best ways to funnel as much traffic through their existing infrastructure as possible. How can lane configurations be used to their advantage? Can one-way streets increase traffic mobility? Localities will need analytics technology to make these decisions.
2. Merging transportation systems: Connecting transportation is more than just connecting us to the system, it also includes linking the transportation networks to themselves. No more can train systems run independently of bus systems; they need to be integrated. States and regions are working collaboratively to build multi-modal transportation systems that allow users to see all available regional transportation options. This type of connection is predicated on data sharing. State and local governments can benefit from a cloud-based infrastructure that allows them to share data seamlessly without the complicated back-end infrastructure.
3. Integrating connected or autonomous vehicles: There are many collaborative efforts underway to develop and refine connected and autonomous technology for our cars and roadways. These efforts are making great strides and with autonomous vehicles expected to comprise nearly 20 percent of cars in less than 25 years, many experts argue there isn’t enough being done to secure the technology. How will sensors in cars and on roadways avoid cyberattacks? The private sector will need to share its expertise on the proper cybersecurity protocols and technologies.

State and local governments are changing the way they approach their transportation infrastructure from a segmented collection of roads, trains and transit to an integrated, multi-modal approach that takes a holistic view. To hear more about the impact of technology and data and state and local transportation, view my new on-demand webinar “Tech Paving the Way for Smarter Transportation.”

Need help identifying the right state and local government data analytics decision makers? Contact immixGroup’s Market Intelligence team to learn about specific programs and contacts that have a pressing need for your IT solution.