While real-time information can be helpful when making routing decisions, forecasted information can be even more valuable. With that in mind, the Center is developing a number of tools that should assist in the traffic forecasting process.

First, the Center is developing technologies for fusing the data obtained from the vehicles themselves with data collected from other surveillance systems. For example, the TRANSMIT project currently uses electronic toll collection technology to collect data on a 22 mile section of the Garden State Parkway and NY State Thruway (and soon will be expanded to include 150 miles of roadway), a variety of facilities use inductive loops, microwave radar detectors, optical detectors, and passive acoustic detectors to collect real-time traffic information, and the NJ Turnpike collects various kinds of weather and roadway condition data.

Second, the Center is developing technologies for forecasting future traffic conditions. That is, algorithms are being developed that predict future traffic conditions (over an appropriate time horizon) based on the collected data and traffic simulations.

This application of TIDE technologies will be field-tested on one or more corridors in New Jersey. Natural candidates include the Urban Commuting Corridor (in Camden and Burlington counties) and the I-80 Corridor in the north. Other candidates include the Route 1 corridor and the Garden State Parkway.