To be eligible for federal highway trust funds, projects with ITS elements need to address four steps to ensure compliance with regional and federal ITS requirements. The requirements direct all ITS projects using federal highway funds to be developed based on a systems engineering analysis, which includes demonstrating how the project fits into the regional ITS Architecture. The following summary provides a quick overview of these key steps.

1. Is Your Project an ITS Project?
The first step is to assess whether your project includes any intelligent transportation systems (ITS) elements? ITS is defined as advanced information processing, communications, sensing, or control technologies that are used to improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. Examples include interconnecting traffic signals, transit signal priority systems, variable message signs, closed-circuit television cameras, automatic passenger counters, and traffic signal control software.

2. Meeting the Federal and Regional ITS Requirements
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) (continued forward in Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users [SAFETEA-LU]) requires that all intelligent transportation system (ITS) projects using highway trust funds (including the mass transit account) conform to the National ITS Architecture and ITS technical standards.

3. Fitting Your Project Into the Regional ITS Architecture
The third step is to demonstrate how your project fits into the Puget Sound Regional ITS Architecture. The Regional ITS Architecture defines a regional framework for ensuring institutional agreement and technical integration for the implementation of ITS projects in the Puget Sound region. It is designed to provide guidance and serve as a resource for the development of local ITS projects.

4. Conducting a Systems Engineering Analysis
The fourth step is to conduct a systems engineering analysis on your project. Systems engineering analysis is a structured process that is meant to assist with developing the final design of a system. The analysis should be on a scale commensurate with the project scope – that is, the more complex the project, the more complex the analysis. More information on systems engineering can be found in the FHWA/CalTrans publication called Systems Engineering Guidebook for ITS.

For complete information about the four steps to develop your ITS project, an illustration of how to develop a traffic signal system, as well as access to key resources, download the first file below.

ITS Architecture Documents

Developing your ITS Project
Updated ITS Architecture (2006)
Puget Sound Regional ITS Architecture is a framework for ensuring institutional agreement and technical integration for the implementation of ITS projects within the region.
Puget Sound Regional ITS Transit Architecture provides a more detailed focus on transit applications in the region.
Puget Sound Regional ITS Integration Strategy provides the recommended path for integrating the individual modal, organizational, and functional ITS applications into an integrated regional whole.
Guidance for Complying with Federal Requirements for ITS Projects in the Puget Sound Region assists sponsors of ITS projects in the region to comply with the federal ITS requirements. These requirements apply to all ITS projects funded with federal highway trust funds including the mass transit account.