MINNESOTA'S STATEWIDE ITS DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are intended to improve the movement of people and goods through the use of advanced technology. In the U.S. state of Minnesota, the Minnesota Guidestar program is charged with shaping a better transportation system through leadership in technology research, testing and deployment, institutional progressiveness and innovative partnerships. In its first six years of existence, the program launched 60 ITS initiatives involving more than 70 public, private and academic sector partners, who currently contribute over 22 percent of the total program costs and resources. This paper describes the evolution of this statewide ITS program, which is based on a series of customer-driven initiatives including the Rural Scoping Study, completed in 1994, and a subsequent project, the Polaris statewide architecture study, completed in 1995. For the covering abstract, see IRRD 490001.