As we kick-off National Transportation Week, it’s important to recognize that in order to build a world-class economy that can compete globally, America must continue to invest in the use of real-time information to make our transportation infrastructure smarter, safer, and more efficient.

In 2013 and beyond, it’s clear that infrastructure and technology are no longer separate.  Those who build roads now use intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to measure and improve infrastructure performance and make investment decisions about road upgrades and replacements. These project decisions leverage the available open-source data, allowing us to develop first-class transportation solutions.

Last week, the White House, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation, recognized 12 Champions of Change that have embraced the concept of “Transportation Technology Solutions for the 21st Century” across the country. These Champions are providing leadership in the development or deployment of high tech transportation solutions to relieve congestion, improve safety and efficiency, increase mobility, or promote environmental sustainability at the local, state or regional level. 

Following in the footsteps of those who built the foundation of our nation’s transportation infrastructure, these Champions of Change are using cutting-edge technologies and ITS data sharing tools to improve our roadways, railways, runways and waterways.

I am proud to say that three ITS America members received recognition as 2013 Transportation Champions of Change. Each is challenging the status quo to bring positive change to the nation’s transportation system by leveraging open-source data and technology.

Michael Pack, Director of the CATT Laboratory at the University of Maryland, Dr. Thomas Dingus, Director at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and Sue Groth from the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology, exemplify the qualities and characteristics of transportation innovators.  They are at the forefront of deploying high-tech solutions for data sharing and dissemination that improve the safety and efficiency of our nation’s roadways.

As the Director of the CATT Laboratory at the University of Maryland and the creative director of Regional Integrated Transportation Information System or RITIS, Michael Pack is dramatically changing the way public agencies think about information sharing and the importance of better visual communication and transparency.  Imagine a data system that collects information about the response to a highway incident and puts it on the Web in real-time; RITIS does just that.

RITIS is an automated transportation data sharing, dissemination, and archiving system that facilitates better communication between government agencies and the public. RITIS automatically fuses, translates, and standardizes data obtained from multiple agencies in order to provide an enhanced overall view of the transportation network. Participating agencies are able to view transportation and related emergency management information through innovative visualizations and use it to improve their operations and emergency preparedness. RITIS also uses regional standardized data to provide information to third parties, the media, and other traveler information resources including web sites, paging systems, and 511.

The CATT Lab’s research and development activities provide a bridge between the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) community, the information technology community, and other disciplines essential to the successful application of ITS to make our nation’s infrastructure more efficient.

Under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dingus, the Virginia Transportation Technology Institute (VTTI) has been instrumental in conducting transportation safety and human factors research. Honored as a Champion for Change, Dr. Dingus is developing and testing connected vehicle technologies that are expected to save thousands of lives each year on the nation’s roads while improving mobility, driver convenience and the environment. 

Dr. Dingus has led a team of researchers to develop a data acquisition system, providing an opportunity to gather continuous video and driving performance data in real-world driving conditions. To date, these systems have been installed in nearly 4,000 vehicles deployed across the U.S. and in several foreign nations. This method of data collection and analysis provides unprecedented information about the causes of crashes to designers and policy makers who can develop countermeasures that will lead to reduced crashes and fatalities.

Our third ITS America member, the Minnesota Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology (OTST) was selected for their work to reduce fatal and life changing crashes on Minnesota roadways, while enhancing mobility for all users. OTST was specifically recognized for designing, testing and helping to deploy dozens of life-saving Rural Intersection Conflict Warning Systems (RICWS) throughout Minnesota, while leading a national effort to do more of the same throughout rural America. These systems save lives at rural intersections that might otherwise not warrant or afford more traditional traffic control devices or geometric improvements.

The future of transportation is here, and the 2013 Transportation Champions of Change are committed to improving our nation’s transportation infrastructure by leveraging real-time data to keep our citizens safe and our economy moving for generations to come. These transportation innovations are merely the beginning of what can be accomplished when critical real-time data is released and shared for public analysis. 

Together, the public and private sectors need to continue breaking down the barriers to a shared culture of innovation and creativity. This will not only help create a more sustainable transportation network, but also spur greater economic opportunity across our nation.

Scott F. Belcher is the President and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. Follow him on Twitter @scottbelcher3 and join the conversation @ITS_America.