GREATER YELLOWSTONE RURAL ITS PRIORITY CORRIDOR RURAL AUTOMATED HIGHWAY SYSTEMS CASE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to address the feasibility applicability and institutional issues of deploying AHS components in the Greater Yellowstone Corridor. To accomplish the project objectives a systematic research approach was developed to assess the safety challenges and infrastructure deficiencies of the Greater Yellowstone Corridor. The primary tasks consisted of a transportation system inventory, an accident analysis, an AHS countermeasure assessment and a benefit-cost evaluation. The research yielded several spot location applications with the potential to positively effect the safety challenges of the Greater Yellowstone Corridor. Potential technologies are friction/ice detection warning system, animal-vehicle collision warning, intersection collision warning and advanced horizontal curve warning. These are all near-term applications. Benefit-cost evaluations have indicated several multi-mile sections of highway in the Greater Yellowstone corridor where far-term countermeasures are applicable and feasible. Far-term applications include longitudinal and lateral warning and guidance. However, these applications require appropriate vehicle fleet penetration before any true benefits can be quantified. Market penetration may be facilitated by fleet vehicle deployment