Pay-for-Performance ITS Contract Increased Monitored Device Uptime from Approximately 50 percent to Over 98 percent.
Case Study Examined Performance-based Contracting to Improve Availability of ITS Field Device in the Triangle, Triad, and Metrolina Regions of North Carolina.
North Carolina, United States
Statewide ITS Resiliency Project
Summary Information
In 2022, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) owned and operated 689 cameras, 352 dynamic message signs, and four ramp meters. The agency determined that only about 48 percent of these ITS devices were consistently available due to maintenance issues. The downtime impacted the effectiveness of the state’s incident management and traveler information systems, prompting the agency to initiate a Statewide ITS Resilience Project. The goal of the project was to improve ITS device uptime to an aggressive goal of 93 percent.
METHODOLOGY
The project began with an initial assessment and repair phase targeting critical ITS devices to establish a performance baseline. A centralized dashboard was developed to track maintenance activities, monitor device health, and support continuous analysis of performance trends, enabling data-driven identification of recurring issues and high-risk devices.
FINDINGS
- NCDOT’s device uptime increased from 48 percent (statewide) and 59 percent (the study region) in 2022 to over 98 percent.
- This project enabled the implementation of a state-of-the-art asset management system for ITS devices and fiber infrastructure. By creating a centralized and unified process, this project also improved the NC811 locating process.
