Critical Issues Facing Deployment of National Transportation Communications for Intelligent Transportation System Protocols

Critical issues facing the deployment of the National Transportation Communications for Intelligent Transportation System Protocols (NTCIP) are discussed. NTCIP has evolved into a common communications protocol platform from which various transportation devices such as traffic controllers, variable message signs, and environmental sensor stations can be deployed. However, like any new development, the emerging NTCIP standards are facing several critical issues that practitioners must discuss and understand. Today, many municipal and state transportation professionals are inquiring about specifying NTCIP in their procurement documents. They would like to ensure that the specified products are indeed NTCIP compliant. System integrators are focusing on the mechanics of the protocols. Vendors are working to implement products consistent with intelligent transportation system standards that can be integrated into systems and will meet the needs of users. Some critical issues that have been identified through limited deployment experience with NTCIP are discussed, and guidance is provided for dealing with them. The issues include understanding the limitations of NTCIP, procurement, testing, and product availability. Finally, some details on current deployments at a few project sites in the United States are given to illustrate the underlying issues and concerns faced by transportation practitioners.