CHICAGO-- The Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) Work Program Committee today approved the Strategic Early Deployment Plan for a four week public comment period. The proposed plan is the blueprint for integrating technology into the transportation system to ease congestion and give transportation users more information to make travel decisions.
These technological improvements are known collectively as Intelligent Transportation Systems, or ITS, and range from computers that coordinate traffic signals to satellite technology that tracks trains and busses to provide better information to riders. The plan was developed to coordinate these individual technologies into a regional system.
"Strategic Early Deployment Plan sounds a little bit militaristic, but most of these technologies were actually developed for the military," said David Zavattero, CATS Deputy for Operations. "Hopefully, this plan will help give us the edge in the war against traffic delays, congestion, and [auto] emissions."
CATS will accept written comment on the Strategic Early Deployment Plan through May 14, 1999, and an Open House will be held on Wednesday, April 28, 1999 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 300 W. Adams St. in Chicago. The Open House will be preceded by a media briefing session at 2:30 p.m.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the Strategic Early Deployment Plan, contact the CATS Communciations Division at (312) 793-3460.