Highway segments with dynamic message signs found to have 16.6 percent fewer crashes than those segments without the signs.

Evaluation of ITS deployments across Michigan.

Date Posted
01/04/2018
Identifier
2016-B01116
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Costs and Benefits of MDOT Intelligent Transportation Systems Deployments

Summary Information

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)’s strategic plan for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) revolves around attaining and demonstrating key mobility, safety, productivity, energy and environment, and customer satisfaction benefits at a reasonable and sustainable level of investment. The research team was tasked with evaluating the return on investment of the newest major ITS construction projects, which have introduced a large number of new applications and devices. The evaluation was based on data from the different traffic operations centers (TOCs), surveying the public, and analysis with statistical modeling, microsimulation, and a tiered cost-benefit analysis.

Methodology

The study team analyzed the safety impact of ITS devices on crashes by developing a negative binomial model. The analyses looked at segments with DMS or other ITS devices. The crash reductions reported are for segments with that technology present. They considered DMS as one category and CCTV and vehicle detectors (MVDS) as another.

Findings

The analysis indicated that one DMS is likely to reduce 16.6 percent of crashes while other ITS devices reduce crashes by 1.9 percent. The following table shows the crash reduction by each of the TOCs:

 

 

Observed Crashes
Reductions by DMS
Reductions by CCTV and MVDS
Total Reduction
Southeast Michigan TOC
5,559
556
211
767
Western Michigan TOC
2,543
155
31
286
Statewide TOC
1,508
116
30
146
TOTAL
9,610
827
372
1,199


Total crash reduction savings from these MDOT ITS deployments are estimated by the study team at $20 million.

 

 

Goal Areas
Results Type
Deployment Locations