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Designing, Procuring, Managing, and Integrating A New Software Subsystem Within an Evolving Traffic Management System

• Jul 18, 2023

Research Description

Research Problem Statement: As agencies progress toward the next generation of their Traffic Management Systems (TMSs), a significant extent of new functionality is often integrally tied to an implementation of a new software traffic management system software as a part of a new or updated system. The TMS software is typically be integrated within a software subsystem of the TMS, or it may be a standalone modular structure and software, which is integrated into the TMSs software subsystem. The TMSs software subsystem could use a proprietary or commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), open-source, or customized software produced by agency staff, external developers, or a combination. Agencies will benefit from an understanding of options and practices in designing, procuring, and managing software subsystems to address current and evolving needs for traffic management and their TMS.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to synthesize best practices and develop a technical report identifying the key issues to consider and challenges with planning, developing, procuring, integrating, and managing new software subsystems, software for traffic management services and functions, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) within the structure or architecture of a TMS. Objectives: The review of literature, scan of practices, synthesis, and technical report to be developed will identify issues agencies should consider with respect to:

•Needs, requirements, and issues to consider in the planning and design of new software subsystems or upgrades to an existing or new TMS. •Issues to consider in the procurement of new or updated software subsystems to an existing or new TMS. •Checklist of issues to assess the capability, performance, technical, and other issues to consider with assessing a TMSs existing software subsystem, installed software programs, and APIs. •Configuration, design, integration, procurement, and management issues to consider with assessing existing, new development, acquisition, or installation of a new software subsystem and software programs on a subsystem. •Requirements, methods, procedures, tools, and resources to test, accept, and initialize the use of new software programs, APIs, or a software subsystem with an existing or new TMS. •Issues, requirements, data elements, requirements (e.g., formats), testing, and acceptance with integrating APIs and software programs being integrated into the TMSs software (or operating platform) and data subsystems. •Configuration management plans, policies, procedures, tools, and practices to consider in support of managing TMS software subsystem, programs, and APIs installed and being used. •Issues (e.g., ability to install or modify, security) to consider when deciding to procure or develop software (e.g., proprietary, commercial off the shelf, open source) or APIs to be integrated with other TMS software and data subsystems. •Staffing (e.g., knowledge, skills, abilities, position descriptions, level of effort and staffing needs) and resource issues (e.g., services to contract) to consider with maintaining, managing, and supporting the operation of a TMSs software subsystem, software, and APIs.

Agency Needs & Gaps in Practice: Technical resources have been developed to support agencies planning for and procuring new software operating systems and traffic management software for TMSs. Technical resources do not support options for integrating and managing new or evolving software subsystems, traffic management software, other types of software and APIs for TMS. Similarly these resources do not address the options available to support and manage the use of a TMSs software subsystem, software programs, and APIs in the cloud or on an agency managed server centrally or from different agency TMSs or locations.

Problems/Issues to Be Addressed: There are a multitude of potential options for configurations and software variations that could be applied to a software subsystem to meet agency TMS needs. Agencies face uncertainty in how best to consider software subsystems, traffic management software, and other software programs with planning, designing, procuring, installing, and initiating new or improved TMSs. Planned or Ongoing Related Projects: The TMC PFS is initiating a project in 2021 focusing on the range of issues for agencies to consider with procuring, managing, and using open source, commercial off-the-shelf, or proprietary software and APIs. The information compiled for this project will serve as an input into and allow this proposed project to build off of and incorporate this information, allowing it to focus on the different processes (e.g., planning, design, procurement, implementation) of a software subsystem or software (e.g., traffic management) and APIs to run on this subsystem.

Expected Outcomes/Benefits to Users: This project would provide information on successful practices and issues to consider when there is a need for a new or upgraded software subsystems, traffic management software, or next generation of an agencies TMS. By sharing these industry and agency practices will support agencies making cost effective decisions involving software subsystem and traffic management software needs in the planning, design, procurement, implementation, management, and operate an existing or the next generation of a TMS.

Proposed Products: The following products will be developed as part of this project: White paper synthesis current practices, technical report, technical presentation summarizing project findings, and webinar.

Intended Audience: Managers, transportation engineers and planners, maintenance, IT, research community, or others having a role in the assessment, allocation of resources, maintenance, or management of the software platform and software used by TMSs.

This proposal was identified in May of 2023 as a high priority project to be advanced for consideration and selection by the NCHRP Program by the members of the Traffic Management Center Pooled Fund Study. This proposal has also been identified as a high priority and is supported by the TRB Standing Committee on ITS.

Schedule: 24 (or 30 months)

Estimated cost: $325,000

Additional Supporting Information

This proposal was identified in May of 2023 as a high priority project to be advanced for consideration and selection by the NCHRP Program by the members of the Traffic Management Center Pooled Fund Study. This proposal has also been identified as a high priority and is supported by the TRB Standing Committee on ITS.

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Submitted By

Jon Obenberger

FHWA

703-304-2385

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