This report provides a Communications Plan for Phase 2 of a Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) project in Arizona. It addresses the basic communications problems that have been previously encountered, such as a lack of reliable communications links in rural areas, interoperability of the RWIS sites and communication infrastructure, and publication of the RWIS data to all interested personnel at the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). This report describes both a statewide communications architecture and the roadside to central processing unite communications connectivity. The communications architecture will allow for the statewide integration of the RWIS equipment, as well as including Truck Escape Ramp monitoring systems, potential Rest Area monitoring, water level flood monitors, remote area weather stations, and connectivity with variable message signs (VMS).

This report presents the methodology and results of a study to develop a strategic plan to deploy Intelligent Transportation Systems(ITS) throughout rural Arizona. Needs were identified by various stakeholders at Rural ITS Workshops, focus group meetings, and regional Coalition meetings around the state. These needs were then matched, where possible, to one or more of the 36 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) User Services defined in the National Program Plan and Advanced Rural Transportation Systems (ARTS) program. Using the National ITS Architecture as a guide, a conceptual system architecture was developed for Arizona, which includes integration with other architectures developed for previous strategic plans in the state.

This report presents the results of a study to develop a strategic plan to deploy Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) rural technologies along the I-40 corridor in northern Arizona. The report describes the participation of a coalition of over 100 stakeholders, both in Arizona and from neighboring states (California and New Mexico). The Final Report presents a summary of the findings and recommendations discussed in the fourteen technical memoranda.

A challenge for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will be to use a variety of practical, relevant congestion mitigation options in appropriate, collaborative and innovative ways to address current and future congestion problems. To meet this challenge, ADOT has undertaken the development of a comprehensive Congestion Mitigation Methodology for the implementation of a consistent and sustained approach to assess and manage the growing congestion problem on all elements of the state highway system. This effort has resulted in the development of practical strategies to solve Arizona's mobility and congestion problems. A significant step in the development of the Congestion Mitigation Methodology was building a consensus among traffic management stakeholders on effective definitions for congestion and for congestion management. Input on the definitions and state of the practice in congestion mitigation came from a national survey of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and State Departments of Transportation and from a statewide conference on congestion mitigation. The research project has produced recommendations for systematically quantifying congestion on Arizona's highways using a state-specific congestion index, and has also produced a database of available congestion mitigation strategies in Microsoft Access.