Estimate of 100% ITS Delployment Costs in Seattle
Seattle, Washington, United States
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) conducted a study to explore the potential benefits and costs of fully deploying ITS operational strategies in large, medium, and small metropolitan areas. ITS deployment and operations were modeled for Seattle, Cincinnati, and Tucson, respectively. The strategies developed for Seattle and Cincinnati were based on 2003 traffic conditions while those for Tucson were based on traffic conditions forecast for 2025. The analysis considered a 25 year period, and the annual costs to implement, operate, and maintain each system were adjusted to 2003 dollars. This summary report presents the costs of the Seattle ITS full deployment scenario.
ITS Strategies
Extracted from Table 1 in the source report, the details of the ITS strategies for the Seattle full-deployment scenario are presented below.
Strategy
|
Deployment
|
Coverage
|
|
---|---|---|---|
Arterial Traffic Management Systems | Central Control Signal Coordination | 2,760 intersections | 100% of urban intersections |
Emergency Vehicle Signal Preemption | 2,760 intersections | 100% of urban intersections | |
1,030 emergency vehicles | 100% of emergency vehicles | ||
Transit Vehicle Signal Priority | 830 intersections | 30% of urban intersections | |
2,260 transit vehicles | 100% of fixed-route transit vehicles | ||
Highway Advisory Radio | 6 transceivers | 4% of arterial miles covered | |
Dynamic Message Signs | 30 locations | Located on the approach to all major automobile ferry terminals |
|
Freeway Management Systems | Central Control Ramping Metering | 165 on-ramps | 65% of on-ramps |
Highway Advisory Radio | 13 transceiver | 70% of freeway miles | |
Dynamic Message Signs | 85 locations | 100% of freeway miles | |
Transit Management Systems | Fixed Route Automated Scheduling and Automatic Vehicle Location | 2,260 transit vehicles | 100% fixed-route transit vehicles |
Fixed Route Security Systems | 2,260 transit vehicles | 100%fixed–route transit vehicles | |
40 transit stations | 100% of major transit transfer stations and park-and-ride locations | ||
Incident Management System | Incident Detection, Verification, Response, and Management | 32 freeway service patrol vehicles | 100% of freeway and expressway miles |
Emergency Management Systems | Emergency Vehicle Control Service | 1,030 emergency vehicles | 100% of emergency vehicles |
Emergency Vehicle AVL | 1,030 emergency vehicles | 100% of emergency vehicles | |
Telemedicine | 100 ambulances | 100% ambulances | |
Electronic Payment Systems | Electronic Transit Fare Payment | 2,260 transit vehicles | 100% of fixed-route transit vehicles |
Traveler Information | Telephone– and Web–Based Traveler Information System | Region-wide | 40% market penetration |
Kiosk–Based Traveler Information | 20 kiosks | 100% of major transit transfer stations | |
Crash Prevention and Safety | Railroad Crossing Monitoring Systems | 12 rail crossings | 5% of major arterial at–grade rail crossings |
Commercial Vehicle Operations | Weigh–in–Motion and Safety Information Exchange | 2 check stations | 100% of check stations |
Combination Screening and Clearance–Credentials and Safety | 2 check stations | 100% of check stations | |
60,000 equipped commercial vehicles | 40% market penetration | ||
Supporting Deployments | Traffic Management Center | One | 100% of region |
Transit Management Center | One | 100% of region | |
Emergency Management | One | 100% of region | |
Information Service Provider Center | One | 100% of region | |
Traffic Surveillance—Closed Circuit Television | 1,520 locations | 100% of freeway, expressway, and urban arterial miles | |
Traffic Surveillance—Loop Detectors | 3,270 locations | 100% of freeway and expressway miles 100% controlled signals |
Systems Costs
The table below, extracted from the source report (Table 4), shows the annual average life–cycle costs required to implement, operate, and maintain the ITS strategies identified above. The estimated annual cost was $132.1 million for the full ITS deployment and operations in the Seattle metropolitan area.
ITS Deployment Strategies |
Annualized
Life-cycle cost (Millions in 2003 Dollars) |
Percentage of
total costs |
---|---|---|
Arterial management systems |
$12.1
|
9.1%
|
Freeway management systems |
$7.0
|
5.3%
|
Transit management systems |
$8.9
|
6.8%
|
Incident management systems |
$7.7
|
5.9%
|
Emergency management systems |
$1.8
|
1.4%
|
Electronic payment systems |
$5.9
|
4.4%
|
Traveler information |
$2.4
|
1.8%
|
Crash prevention and safety |
$0.5
|
0.4%
|
Commercial vehicle operations |
$23.0
|
17.4%
|
Supporting deployments |
$62.9
|
47.6%
|
Total costs |
$132.1
|
100.0%
|
Private sector costs |
$22.4
|
17.0%
|
Public sector costs |
$109.7
|
83.0%
|
The public sector was expected to fund 83 percent of the ITS strategies and the private sector 17 percent. The private sector funds were to be used to equip the commercial trucks to enable automated screening and clearance of the trucks at check stations.
One of the strategies identified was emergency management systems. Deployment data included the number of emergency vehicles and ambulances equipped with control service, automated vehicle location, and telemedicine. At full deployment, 1030 emergency vehicles and 100 ambulances were estimated to be equipped with ITS devices. The annualized life-cycle costs of emergency management systems for Seattle were estimated at $1.8 million.
Benefits and Costs of Full Operations and ITS Deployment: A 2003 Simulation for Seattle
Federal Highway Administration
ITS Joint Program Office