Kentucky Traffic System Wins Accolades

LEXINGTON, Ky -- The Advanced Regional Traffic Interactive Management and Information System (ARTIMIS) in Northern Kentucky, won a "2003 Best of ITS Awards" at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America's (ITS America) annual meeting in May.
The awards ceremony showcased the year's most outstanding developments and deployments of advanced information and communication technologies for improving traffic and transit safety, security and efficiency. Recipients were honored in eight categories and ARTIMIS won in the Advocacy area. There were nine entries in this category and three finalists. This is the sixth award from three different organizations that ARTIMIS has won.

Leon Walden, The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's project manager for ARTIMIS said, "Any award by your peers is great, but the most satisfaction comes from knowing that traffic is flowing smoother and safer."

The ARTIMIS system manages traffic on more than 88 miles of highway in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky region. It provides information to motorists about travel conditions in time for alternate routes to be chosen. A local public relations firm and a well-respected ex-Cincinnati police officer have spearheaded a public awareness campaign to increase system usage and improve its local image.

The campaign included helping emergency response teams and law enforcement officers better utilize the system; sending monthly press releases to keep the media aware of the system; and implementing a strategic public involvement program to increase awareness among motorists in the local community. Videos were made to explain the system and presentations made to community groups.

A 2002 media analysis shows that nearly 99 percent of the clippings mention ARTIMIS in a neutral or positive light. The Web site is getting more than 100,000 hits per day and the system is now seen as the most reliable source of information in the area for motorists and other states are now looking at modeling the ARTIMIS program.

ARTIMIS is run jointly by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Ohio Department of Transportation. ARTIMIS Regional Traffic Management Center was the first to develop an area-wide 511 number to make it easier for both local and out-of-town motorists to access traffic and travel information.

ITS America, headquartered in Washington, D.C. promotes development and deployment of surface transportation technologies to save lives, time and money and improve quality of life.

By http://techlines.ky.gov/feedback2.htmTechlines