Designing Tools for Assessing Readiness of Rural Communities for New Technologies

Everett, Jerry; Khattak, Asad; Pandey, Venktesh; Nagarajan, Sudhagar; Usman, Sheikh M.; Alaka, Oladimeji Basit; Saeidi, Soheila · 2025 · ROSA P / Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2) Region 4 University Transportation Center (UTC)

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Abstract

This report outlines a novel methodology designed to modernize transportation planning in rural regions in the Southeastern United States, characterized by low-density areas and small towns. The integrated framework facilitates a planning process that encompasses problem identification, innovative solutions, thorough analysis of these solutions, and collaborative prioritization and decision-making of transportation projects. A component of this initiative is an Automated Vehicle Readiness Framework that combines data on infrastructure, digital connectivity, and social vulnerability. Using interpolation, we create high-resolution surfaces, complemented with entropy-based weighting and clustering algorithms to categorize readiness zones. Moving beyond traditional incremental approaches and recognizing the unique challenges of rural areas, e.g., limited mobility and connectivity, we developed a website called Techniques for Assessing Community Technology Readiness (TACTR) to provide professionals access to a repository of emerging technology information, analytical tools, and readiness models for rural areas. TACTR leverages transportation knowledge with analytical tools, capitalizing on recent advancements in vehicle automation, machine learning techniques (e.g., case-based reasoning, text mining), new modeling and simulation techniques such as spatial analytics, new database technologies, and computational capabilities. This transformative approach for planning will enhance mobility and efficiency of digital and physical transportation infrastructure and services in rural areas.

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