Skip to main content

Illinois Tollway looking to test connected vehicles

The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors is eager to participate in a federal pilot program to test new connected vehicle technology that would allow cars and trucks to share real-time information about traffic congestion and roadway conditions to help reduce crashes. The Tollway has applied to participate in the program which would allow its federal government contractor, CDM Smith Federal, to test the new technology on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), which is being rebuilt at a cost of US$2.5 bill
February 27, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The 7775 Illinois Tollway Board of Directors is eager to participate in a federal pilot program to test new connected vehicle technology that would allow cars and trucks to share real-time information about traffic congestion and roadway conditions to help reduce crashes.

The Tollway has applied to participate in the program which would allow its federal government contractor, CDM Smith Federal, to test the new technology on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), which is being rebuilt at a cost of US$2.5 billion with new, flexible infrastructure to accommodate the latest intelligent transportation systems (ITS) features.

This includes a 16-mile ‘smart corridor’ on I-90 which will use active traffic management features to provide real-time information to drivers using a network of cameras, sensors and overhead electronic gantries.

Nationwide, the Illinois Tollway is one of only five roadway agencies that is also a federally affiliated test bed for connected vehicle technology.

“This new technology has the potential to produce tremendous benefits for drivers,” said Illinois Tollway executive director Kristi Lafleur. “By taking a leading role in testing, the Illinois Tollway can be among the first transportation agencies in the nation to bring the safety advances that result from this program to its customers.”

The federal government is conducting the pilot program to encourage the testing and development of connected vehicle technology that allows vehicles to collect roadway and traffic information in real time and then wirelessly transmit it to other vehicles equipped with the technology.
Connected vehicle technology could ultimately provide advance warning to drivers to slow down before slippery pavement, congested areas or accidents that are blocking traffic lanes.

The 324 US Department of Transportation is awarding contracts ranging from US$2 million to US$20 million to partnerships involved in testing the new technology. The pilot project is expected to initially test the technology on Illinois Tollway vehicles, as well as buses and commercial fleet vehicles that agree to participate.
UTC

Related Content

  • December 11, 2013
    Siemens joins US DOT connected vehicle test bed
    Siemens Mobility and Logistics division has joined an affiliation of infrastructure device makers and operators to expand deployment of vehicle to infrastructure (V-I) communications. The affiliated test bed, organised by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), will focus on deployment of connected vehicle technology, the wireless exchange of critical safety and operational data between vehicles and specific road infrastructure l
  • January 9, 2015
    TTI, TxDOT to test connected vehicle technology
    Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has teamed up with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to undertake a four-year project to test connected vehicle technology on a portion of I35 in the state. Funded by a US Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant, the US$2 million project, called I-35 Connected Work Zone, will initially focus on improving freight movement along the construction corridor by providing long-haul trucks a steady stream of traveller information through on-board devices c
  • December 9, 2013
    SwRI and USDOT operate connected vehicle affiliated test bed
    In the US, the Texas-based Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is operating a connected vehicle affiliated test bed in cooperation with the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration. The DOT test bed project facilitates information exchange as well as access to tools and resources across other test bed facilities to support and encourage consistent future deployment of connected vehicle technologies. The project aims to advance the technology for full deplo
  • January 25, 2012
    Connected vehicle technology the solution to safety?
    A series of 'driver clinics' is under way across five states, as vehicle manufacturers and the US Government pin their hopes on connected vehicles becoming the next big advance in road safety. Pete Goldin reports. What would a car say if it could talk? Its first words might be: "Here I am". Many vehicles are communicating that very message to each other right now. Admittedly, this is in controlled environments of US Department of Transportation (USDoT) tests, but within the next few years 'connected vehicle