The Central Coast Region has a long history of planning and designing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).  Beginning in 1998, stakeholder agencies from the 5-County region (Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara) came together to collaboratively begin the process to determine the region’s viability to apply ITS to the area’s transportation challenges.  From 1998 through 2000, the stakeholder agencies, later identified as the Central Coast ITS Coordinating Group, worked in partnership with TransCore to develop the 2000 Central Coast ITS Strategic Deployment Plan (SDP).

The results of the 2000 SDP were highly encouraging. Not only did the Central Coast ITS (CCITS) Coordinating Group conclude that ITS technology had tremendous potential for improving regional mobility, safety, and economic competitiveness, the effort also developed the Central Coast Regional ITS Architecture, ITS promotional publications (e.g., brochure, video tape, presentation materials, etc.), list of specific ITS projects to implement over a phased timeframe, and solidified the Group’s commitment to ITS in the Central Coast. Subsequent to the development of the 2000 SDP and fully committed to the on-going implementation of ITS in the Central Coast, the CCITS Coordinating Group continued to meet to guide ITS planning and deployment activities.  The CCITS Coordinating Group has since become the body to advise the Central Coast stakeholder agencies on adherence / updates to the regional ITS Architecture, advise and assist them in seeking discretionary funding for ITS projects, and finally to coordinate and share information on planned or proposed ITS projects in the region.

In late 2007, the CCITS Coordinating Group, consisting of the MPOs / RTPAs from around the region, Caltrans, transit operators, the CHP and FHWA completed the Central Coast ITS Implementation Plan from a Caltrans grant award under the FHWA Partnership Planning program. The 2007 CCITS Implementation Plan updates the 2000 SDP and develops new products that will help each agency to better implement, operate, and maintain their ITS projects. 

The CCITS Implementation Plan consists of three sub-regional architectures, each focused within the geographic boundaries of the following MPO jurisdictions: AMBAG, SLOCOG and SBCAG.  When tied together, these three sub-regional architectures reflect an interregional system with a perspective that represents the entire Caltrans District 5 Central Coast Region.  The CCITS Implementation Plan will provide a more expeditious, unified, and consistent integration of ITS projects into the state and regional transportation planning and programming processes.

The CCITS Architecture has a time horizon that focuses on those systems and interfaces that are likely to be implemented in the next three to five years (2008 – 2013). The CCITS Implementation Plan covers the broad spectrum of ITS, including Traffic Management, Transit Management, Traveler Information, Emergency Management, and Emergency / Incident Management.

Implementation of ITS projects will occur to the extent that lead agencies take the initiative to develop, procure, deploy, and fund specific initiatives. To accomplish this, jurisdictional project sponsors will use the CCITS Usage Guide to take the necessary technical, institutional, and financial steps toward the successful execution of an ITS project.

For additional information on the Central Coast Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Implementation Plan, or ITS-related questions in general, please refer to this website’s contacts.