PURPOSE:

To request that Council adopt a resolution authorizing the Deputy City Manager/Public Works and Capital Projects to execute an Agreement with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to receive real time traffic information from the Regional Integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (RIITS).

BACKGROUND:

In the early 1990�s, Metro began a project to provide an integrated traveler information system to the residents of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, as mandated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) through the national ITS architecture and standards.  The program was designed to provide real time traveler information to all segments of the county population for all travel modes in the county to improve management of the county transportation system.  The Metro, Caltrans, California Highway Patrol (CHP), and City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) were the initial participants in the program.  RIITS has grown to include Los Angeles County, Port of Los Angeles, LA County Fire Department, LA County Sheriffs Department, Long Beach Transit, Santa Monica Transit, and Port of Long Beach.

The RIITS system is intended to disseminate traveler information to public agencies involved in transportation and public safety and to Internet Service Providers (ISP�s).  The program is intended to ultimately encompass all public transportation agencies in the County with the purpose of sharing traffic and transportation information.  The currently available information on the RIITS website includes Caltrans freeway data, CHP incident information, and the Metro bus route and schedule information.  The data base will ultimately include congestion data on surface streets, Metrolink train schedules, and transit information from other transit agencies.

Burbank participation in the RIITS traveler information system will allow countywide travel information to be provided on the city website.  Upon completion of the Burbank ITS system, we will also provide travel and congestion information to the RIITS system, so that travelers in Burbank can determine travel times on our major city streets, bus routes and schedules in Burbank, and schedules of our local transit systems.

ANALYSIS:

Participation in the RIITS program will allow Burbank residents to gain access to unique, real time traveler information within Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.  We will also be able to contribute data to the RIITS system that will improve the ability of residents to choose an appropriate travel mode, travel route and travel time.  Information will be available for pre-trip planning as well as in-trip travel route selection.

The proposed Service Agreement with Metro will enable Burbank to receive free data on freeway congestion, incidents, bus and train schedule information and, ultimately, travel data on arterial streets.   The City can provide this information to residents of Burbank free of charge to assist the residents in planning and scheduling trips in the region.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no cost for public agencies to participate in the RIITS traveler information system.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that Council adopt the resolution allowing the Deputy City Manager/ Public Works and Capital Projects to enter into an agreement with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to participate in the RIITS traveler information system.

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