LA's $3.5 mn on IT for 'personalised' Traveler

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA:  Now, a “personalized” traveler information system will empower motorists to choose the best route in LA. Iteris, Inc., a player in the traffic management market has announced that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has signed a contract with Iteris for the second phase of the El Segundo Advanced Traveler Information project.

The contract is valued at $3.5 million, starts in August 2009 and is expected to span a period of four years, which includes deployment, operations, and maintenance, a press release adds.

The Project is initially targeted at providing commuters who work near the Los Angeles International Airport area in a large employment center (El Segundo Employment Association), home to many aerospace and high-tech companies, with up-to-the minute traffic information to improve the to-work and to-home commute trips for employees in this area.

The Phase 1 project is built upon Iteris’ investment in Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) and resulted in the deployment of a highly successful pilot system. Phase 2 will provide access to real-time traffic information, such as congestion levels, speeds, incidents and cameras via the Internet, automated voice reporting, and community access television. Iteris’ personalized ATIS services also enable travelers to register their own commute routes and receive updates on traffic conditions on these routes via e-mail.

“Iteris welcomes the County’s decision to press ahead with this next phase of the El Segundo Advanced Traveler Information project,” stated Abbas Mohaddes, president and chief executive officer of Iteris.

“Los Angeles County has more traffic congestion than anywhere else in the nation,” added County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Director, Gail Farber. “Opportunities to build highway capacity or create viable transit options are limited. Therefore, providing clear and consistent information of travel time is not only a smart business practice, it is mission critical.”

“The transportation management objective in our view is simple; to empower all motorists, whether commuting to work or going to the beach, with a tool that allows them to make better choices for travel alternatives and routes,” continued  Farber. “This allows them to save time and money while improving the mobility and air quality condition of our region. Iteris provides us with the tools to make this objective possible and our goal is to demonstrate that the system can be operated, managed, and maintained by Iteris on a financially self-supporting basis.”

As the press release further adds, the Project complements Iteris’ development of traveler information systems which often form a part of a transportation agency’s 511 system. The Project marks a significant step forward over traditional 511 systems, in allowing travelers to subscribe for personalized services, in addition to the regular free services Iteris provides. The Project also goes beyond current freeway-based traffic information systems by providing information on arterial traffic conditions – a critical aspect of a typical trip.