Informing travelers using connected vehicle technology
Challenge
Wyoming's extreme snow, fog, and high winds create dangerous conditions for freight and passenger drivers along Interstate 80.
- Human-centered design
Solution
Wyoming DOT and ICF are working together to design, test, and deploy wireless connected vehicle technology to improve monitoring and reporting of road conditions.
Result
One of the three USDOT-selected pilot locations testing Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC)- based technology for the purpose of helping mainstream its deployment across the country.
75 connected
400 outfitted
402 miles
I-80 is an essential east-west travel corridor, especially for freight vehicles. A lack of alternate routes means truck volume can take up to 70 percent of the roadway during seasonal peaks. Combined with Wyoming's extreme weather, drivers face dangerous conditions along this 402 mile stretch of roadway.
On average, the corridor experiences over 1,600 crashes annually, incurring societal costs over $860 million. This equates to 18 fatalities, 270 injuries, over 1,500 hours of road closures, and 1,300 crashes incurring property damage.
In 2015, the USDOT selected Wyoming's I-80 corridor as one of three pilot locations to deploy and test DSRC technology to improve safety and mobility along the roadway. Using vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure, and infrastructure-to-vehicle connectivity, WYDOT and ICF are working together to improve monitoring and reporting of road conditions to vehicles on I-80. To learn more check out the WYDOT Connected Vehicle Pilot website.