Minnesota Department of Transportation

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Project development

Engineering process | Planning

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Systems Engineering (SE)

Purpose

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) established 23 CFR §940 (Rule 940) based on a Federal Transit Authority (FTA) policy to foster the integration and deployment of regional ITS systems. The purpose of this guidance is to ensure that you implement Rule 940 on all applicable trunk highway projects.

When to use this subject

You must implement the ITS SE process for Rule 940 compliance on all ITS projects funded in whole or in part with highway trust fund dollars (on National Highway System (NHS) and non-NHS facilities).  MnDOT also requires you to follow the ITS SE process for Rule 940 on all state-funded ITS projects that will connect to or integrate with another ITS component, project, or system.

The ITS SE process applies to the following classes of ITS projects:

  • Class A-1: Programmatic ITS applications for standard traffic signals, road weather information systems, weigh-in-motion systems, and railroad-highway grade crossings
  • Class A-2: Programmatic ITS applications for dynamic message signs, traffic detection, video, ramp metering, communications, and flood warning systems
  • Class B-1: Freeway traffic management
  • Class B-2: Arterial Traffic Management
  • Class C: Large scale/complex ITS projects

The MnDOT ITS Systems Engineering Website has tools and resources to help you identify the class of your project.

For specific process information, contact one of the individuals above and see the ITS SE Process and other guidance in the Authority and Guidance section below.

How this subject fits into the overall project development process

Implementing the ITS SE process allows you to move your project forward, taking proper consideration of interoperability and future expansion needs to fully integrate ITS.

ITS SE is works in tandem with the highway project development process, starting in the planning phase, advancing to the letting date, and continuing through construction into the operations and maintenance phase.  The Highway Project Development Process ITS SE Requirement on the ITS webpage shows which aspects of the ITS SE process relate to specific parts of the project development process.

Organizations involved