"Citizens have come to expect that transportation agencies will use new technologies to help them get where they want to go, when they want to get there," Horsley wrote. "Investment in both infrastructure and high-tech are essential."

National Journal had asked transportation experts to react to Obama's call for more investment in infrastructure in last week's State of the Union address, which the magazine noted "had a decidedly high-tech feel." Horsley was among a group of three experts who responded to the question of what needs to happen in government and in the private sector to make the president's high-tech vision for infrastructure a reality.

Horsley noted that the Washington State Department of Transportation is demonstrating the effectiveness of "active traffic management," which uses variable overhead electronic speed-limit signs on Interstate 5 just south of Seattle, to slow down or speed up traffic when crashes occur ahead of drivers in traffic. This avoids stop-and-go traffic, reduces congestion, and lowers the risk of rear-end collisions.

Many high-tech practices between transportation agencies and the private sector are already taking place, Horsley wrote. The 2010 Urban Mobility Report published last month by the Texas Transportation Institute (see Jan. 21 AASHTO Journal story), used congestion data generated by the high-tech company INRIX. The firm uses cellular telephones to provide information about how traffic is flowing.

Collision-avoidance systems are growing in popularity. Most car manufacturers have introduced on-board "lane keeping" technologies to keep drowsy drivers from running off the road or from crossing into oncoming traffic. Likewise, they are marketing "adaptive cruise control" technologies to make sure vehicles traveling at freeway speeds keep a safe distance from the cars ahead. This not only enhances safety, it improves traffic flow by controlling the volume of vehicles lanes can carry. General Motors' "OnStar" cell phone technology automatically alerts emergency response agencies when a car so equipped is involved in a collision.

Pre-Pass is an electronic pre-clearance technology that allows trucks with proven safety records to get a green light when approaching a state inspection station. Eliminating such stops can save time and money. To date, more than half a million trucks have signed up.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, state DOTs, the automotive industry, and automotive suppliers are working toward implementation of a system which uses dedicated short-range radio technology to communicate information gathered from on-board automotive sensors from vehicle to vehicle and to roadway managers. This system can be used to avoid intersection collisions, reduce congestion, and provide consumer services such as finding the nearest available parking.

"States are increasingly using smart technologies to improve system performance, safety and reliability," Horsley concluded. "AASHTO, in partnership with organizations such as the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, are working to make sure that such technologies remain eligible for funding in the next federal highway and transit reauthorization bill."

The National Journal Transportation Experts Blog is available at transportation.nationaljournal.com.