Identify Ongoing Maintenance Costs Before Deploying Intelligent Transportation System Technologies.
Advanced Regional Mobility System Deployed in the Niagara Region of New York Aimed to Enhance Safety and Mobility Through Data Integration.
Buffalo
Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) Program Final Report
Summary Information
This study presented the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition (NITTEC)’s Advanced Transportation Congestion Management Technology Deployment (ATCMTD)-funded regional transportation data and decision-support system developed for the Buffalo Niagara Region, which includes four critical U.S.-Canada border crossings. The project objectives were to improve safety, reduce congestion, support freight operations, improve traveler information, and strengthen coordination among transportation agencies. The system combined regional transportation data, decision-support functions, performance monitoring, and data-sharing tools on a common platform. Additional project components included road weather modeling, traffic signal communications and transit signal priority, enhanced border delay monitoring, lane designation integration, video detection, and regional traffic model expansion. The project was carried out in two phases between January 2020 and April 2025.
The deployment resulted in several lessons learned.
- Identify ongoing maintenance costs before deploying new technologies, especially for software and external data procurement. Budget accordingly to fund annual subscription and other costs beyond initial deployment grants.
- Consider up-front planning and project management requirements before proceeding with deployment. If an entity is not equipped to take on these tasks internally, outside consultants may be needed.
- Develop clear system requirements to minimize impacts to the project timeline. All parties involved should understand the requirements and project needs.
