Travel Time on Arterials and Rural Highways: State-of-the-Practice Synthesis on Arterial Data Collection Technology

5. Conclusion

Real-time travel time information can be valuable to both motorists and transportation agencies. While freeway travel time practices are relatively well established, the arterial environment poses unique challenges, and few practitioners have experience collecting travel time data on arterial roads. This report provides practitioners with information on the current and emerging technologies available for ATT data collection, summarizes current practice, and provides a set of key considerations and questions to ask when planning and operating an ATT program.

Although ATT data collection is a relatively new and rapidly evolving area, ATT can be successfully implemented when a project is properly planned and executed. The importance of proper planning cannot be overstated. Successful implementers have carefully considered project objectives and have provided detailed implementation plans. Regardless of the latest specific data collection technology released, asking the right questions is paramount, beginning with planning, continuing to the selection stage, and culminating with execution and evaluation. Practitioners who focus on asking the right questions and heed the lessons learned by colleagues will greatly increase the chances of a successful implementation.