SUPPORTING ITS THROUGH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: VIRGINIA'S STATEWIDE FIBER OPTIC RESOURCE SHARING PROGRAM

As Departments of Transportation continue to deploy intelligent transportation systems (ITS), telecommunications support continues to be a challenge. Telecommunications infrastructure and services have been estimated to make up 50% of the cost in ITS projects. Public agencies and the private sector are forming relationships in which new and existing resources are bartered on joint projects. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is currently engaged in such an arrangement and believes that it will greatly accelerate the commonwealth's ITS program. The arrangement shares in the installation of 1,500 mi (2,413 km) of fiber optic facilities and associated electronics within Virginia's interstate rights-of-way (ROW). Under the terms of the agreement, the private sector is granted exclusive access to interstate and primary road ROW to deploy a commercial fiber optic network. In exchange, VDOT receives fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure and services necessary to support ITS on a statewide basis. This paper details VDOT's pending public-private fiber optic resource sharing program. It evaluates practices and strategies used in the design, operation, and maintenance of the proposed telecommunications network. The paper chronicles project initiation, forming of relationships, design, and operations and maintenance concerns. It also looks at the various nontechnical issues encountered and how their negative impacts were minimized in crafting a successful partnering agreement. Based on VDOT's experience, this paper provides valuable insight for both public and private sector entities considering similar arrangements. The paper assists in identifying and selecting potential partners, negotiating contract details, ameliorating differences between sectors, and developing project logistics.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Conference proceedings available only on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Lopez, E M
• Conference:
  • Transportation Frontiers for the Next Millennium: 69th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Transportation Engineers
  • Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Date: 1999-8-1 to 1999-8-4
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 12p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication systems; Cooperation; Fiber optics; Infrastructure; Intelligent transportation systems; Interstate highways; Public private partnerships; Right of way (Land); State departments of transportation; State of the art; Telecommunications
• Geographic Terms: Virginia
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00770343
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Publication No. CD-006
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 25 1999 12:00AM