Roads: Intelligent Transportation Systems

Using technology to improve our transportation system

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are advanced technologies that improve the movement of people and goods. CMAP promotes the use of ITS, and northeastern Illinois has been a leader in ITS applications for decades.

Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems Architecture

The Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems Architecture is a roadmap for transportation system’s integration in northeastern Illinois over the next 15 years. It represents a shared vision of how each agency’s systems will work together in the future, sharing information and resources to provide a safer, more efficient, and more effective transportation system.

The Regional ITS Architecture provides an overarching framework that spans all northeastern Illinois’ transportation organizations and individual transportation projects. Each transportation project can be viewed as an element of the overall transportation system, providing visibility into the relationship between individual projects and ways to cost-effectively build an integrated transportation system over time.

The Regional ITS Architecture includes the building blocks needed to implement strategies in the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan, including:

• Congestion pricing 
• Modernization of the existing highway and transit system 
• ITS components of major capital projects 
• Singal optimization  
• Regional traffic and incident management 
• Bus rapid transit and transit signal priority 
• Projects that improve the efficiency of freight travel

CMAP’s MPO Policy Committee adopted the current version of the Regional ITS Architecture in March 2022. Find more information in the Regional ITS Architecture summary and the Regional ITS Architecture maintenance plan.

Regional stakeholders can request changes to the ITS Architecture by filling out the request form and emailing it to ITS@cmap.illinois.gov.

Plan of action to improve transportation technology

The Plan of Action for Regional Transit (PART) includes recommendations for technology to improve the transit experience. PART recommends fully integrating transit fares across the three service boards — Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, and Pace — and other regional transit systems — South Shore Line, Amtrak, and Divvy — to provide a seamless and affordable experience across multiple travel modes.
PART also includes recommendations to enable faster and more reliable bus service, such as:

• Developing a regional bus priority plan, with dedicated funding for implementation
• Building staff capacity at roadway agencies to support bus priority projects
• Enabling automated camera enforcement for bus lanes and stops

The CTA and Pace both use the Ventra electronic fare collection system to provide faster, cheaper, and more convenient transportation to transit riders. The Ventra app allows riders to manage their CTA, Pace, and Metra fares and tickets in one place.

Pace also launched the Pulse Dempster Line. The Pulse buses feature transit signal priority technology, which extends green lights and minimizes red lights.

CMAP brings transportation professionals together through the Transportation Technology and Operations Coalition, to discuss intelligent transportation infrastructure and funding opportunities, among other topics.