Phase 1 Enabling Technology Readiness Assessment — Buffalo NY ITS4US Deployment Project

Gopalakrishna, Deepak; Serulle, Nayel Urena; Peck, Cindy; Sadek, Adel; Jones, Robert; Maisel, Jordana L.; Paquet, Victor; Stanfield, Edward; Okunieff, Polly; Qiao, Chunming; Still, Stephen; Dagli, Rahul; O’Sullivan, Katie · 2022 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This report presents the Phase 1 Enabling Technology Readiness Assessment (ETRA) for the Buffalo, NY ITS4US Deployment Project, a initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve mobility and accessibility for underserved communities. The project aims to deploy an integrated transportation system around the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, focusing on neighborhoods with low-income residents, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. The primary motivation is to provide efficient, affordable, and accessible transit options, including electric and self-driving shuttles, a customized trip planning application, and smart infrastructure for wayfinding and pedestrian crossing assistance. The assessment identifies and evaluates the maturity of the specific technologies required to meet the system’s operational concepts and user needs. The methodology involved identifying 18 distinct enabling technologies (ETs) derived from the project’s four major subsystems: the Complete Trip Platform, Community Shuttle Subsystem, Smart Infrastructure Subsystem, and Performance Measure Dashboard. The assessment excluded commercially mature technologies, focusing instead on novel or augmented features such as automated driving systems, mobile pedestrian crossing interfaces, and integration of public right-of-way accessibility data. A panel of operators, stakeholders, and technology experts evaluated each technology against the Federal Highway Administration’s Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework, which interprets ISO Standard 16290 criteria. The process involved assigning TRL ratings based on existing demonstrations, pilots, and implementations, followed by a risk assessment to identify potential deployment challenges and mitigation strategies. The findings detail the TRL ratings for each inventoried technology, revealing a range of maturity levels. Several technologies, including PROW feature integration (ET-1), navigation integration with smart signs (ET-4), mobile accessibility technology (ET-7), PROW data collection tools (ET-16), and Transportation Information Hub integration (ET-18), achieved a TRL of 7 or 8, indicating they are system-subsystem prototypes or validated in operational environments. Conversely, technologies such as community shuttle trip booking interfaces (ET-3), mobile pedestrian crossing interfaces (ET-5), and self-driving shuttle passenger information systems (ET-11) were rated at TRL 5, reflecting component validation in a relevant environment. Self-driving shuttle automated driving systems (ET-9) and in-vehicle monitoring technologies (ET-10) received mixed ratings between TRL 6 and 9. The report also categorizes risks associated with these technologies, providing mitigation plans for high-impact risks to ensure successful deployment. The significance of this assessment lies in its role as a foundational document for the Buffalo ITS4US project’s subsequent phases, including design, testing, and operation. By establishing a baseline for technology maturity and risk, the ETRA guides vendor engagement, partnership development, and the creation of financial and deployment plans. Furthermore, the document serves as a scalable model for other agencies seeking to deploy similar integrated mobility solutions. It highlights the specific technological gaps and readiness levels necessary to achieve "complete trips" for underserved populations, offering evidence-based insights into the feasibility of integrating advanced automation, smart infrastructure, and accessible digital services in urban environments.

Key finding

The assessment identifies eighteen enabling technologies with Technology Readiness Levels ranging from 5 to 8, establishing a readiness baseline for the Buffalo ITS4US deployment project.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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