New York Department of Transportation Information for Motorists (INFORM) ITS Design

To improve the mobility and safety of Long Island motorists, NYSDOT operates one of the world’s premier leading-edge traffic information systems – Information FOR Motorists (INFORM). Thousands of road-embedded sensors, 435 cameras, and other information sources such as video detectors, passive acoustic detectors, and radar traffic monitoring devices gather real-time travel information that INFORM presents to motorists on electronic highway signs and through phone, the Internet, or mobile apps. INFORM helps motorists make informed travel decisions, reducing traffic congestion, optimizing travel time, reducing fuel consumption and emissions, and decreasing the accident rate. Supplementing these efforts, Highway Emergency Local Patrol (HELP) teams are available for roadside assistance to motorists during peak travel times. INFORM has been operating around the clock since the fall of 1986, making it one of the oldest traffic management systems in the U.S. NYSDOT continues to enhance the system with new features.

GPI is supplying engineering resources and expertise needed to design new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) elements, services, systems, and all related integration work to upgrade, expand, protect, and maintain the continuous operation of INFORM. GPI’s responsibilities require in-depth knowledge of a wide-ranging scope of technical, logistical, and procedural services. Specific tasks include impact assessment, final design of system elements and support equipment, traffic signal design, installation, monitoring, and inspection services during construction, engineering studies, integration and monitoring support services, updating as-built drawings using CADD and GIS format, technology upgrades and modifications, training of technical personnel, and field engineering services for maintenance of the system architecture.