The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) has selected the multidisciplinary consultancy Arcadis US Inc, to provide technical support services and facilitate planning activities related to connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) and their impact on highway infrastructure.
The purpose of the project is to keep the DOTD up to date on industry trends, while preparing Louisiana for the future of transportation. Arcadis’ multi-year, US$2m contract includes developing a strategic CAV implementation plan with LaDOTD, and performing intelligent transportation systems (ITS) architectures and system engineering analysis for connected and self-driving vehicles.
The contract also covers providing similar services for transportation data mining and dissemination, electronic toll collection (ETC) systems, advanced traveler information systems (ATIS), and advanced transportation management systems (ATMS).
As part of the project, Arcadis will analyze emerging technologies in roadway infrastructure. Cars, trucks and tractor trailers will soon be mass manufactured with new connected technologies that will allow them to instantaneously ‘talk’ to one another, as well as communicate with roadway infrastructure, which will alert drivers quickly to upcoming traffic hazards.
Using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications and dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) frequencies, connected vehicles traveling on specially equipped roadways can help save lives. The National Highway Transportation Safety Alliance estimates that connected cars could reduce collisions by 80% for non-impaired operators.
Arcadis has provided mobility services to the DOTD, including planning, design and maintenance of intelligent transportation systems, for the last 15 years. As part of this new contract, the company will be partnering with California-based Iteris Inc., and the Alliance Transportation Group Inc from Texas.
Arcadis, along with HR&A Advisors and Sam Schwartz Consulting, recently issued a study, Driverless Future: A Policy Roadmap for City Leaders, that reveals how the move to ridesharing and ridesourcing services could shift millions of drivers away from personal cars in the USA’s major cities.
“By analyzing the latest technologies, emerging policy and legal framework, as well as evolving big data impacts, our smart mobility experts can generate comprehensive strategies to aid state departments of transportation in creating safer roadways for the future, while synchronizing existing and new infrastructure with connected and autonomous vehicles,” said Marwan Abboud, senior vice president for traffic, planning and intelligent systems at Arcadis.
“We are excited that Louisiana has chosen to partner with us in developing proactive smart mobility plans that will incorporate the needs of commuters, freight delivery from ports, interstate drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians and travelers across the state.”
