Approved by the Transportation Policy Committee on December 16, 2025
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on January 28, 2026
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 21, 2026

Policy

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports a well-integrated comprehensive approach to the design and deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). ITS can be a cost-effective means to improve safety, optimize transportation control, enhance system reliability and operational performance, and reduce congestion. Through advanced sensing, communications, and automation technologies, ITS provides real time information to support routing, mode and route choice, and system planning. ITS investments should be guided and prioritized by life-cycle evaluations that consider costs, benefits, risks, and system performance to ensure resilient, interoperable, and accountable transportation systems. 

ASCE supports: 

  • Coordinated federal, state, local, academic, and private sector leadership to advance the research, development, and deployment of ITS. 
  • Laws, standards, and regulatory frameworks that promote uniformity and compatibility in ITS procurement and deployment while enhancing cybersecurity and protecting data integrity.
  • Preservation of dedicated frequency bands and data corridors for transportation-related telecommunications used in ITS systems.

Issue

ITS has evolved into complex interconnected infrastructure that integrates multimodal data, sensors, edge and cloud computing networks, AI-driven analytics, automated decision tools, and information technology security systems. In addition, new vehicles are being designed and built with increasingly sophisticated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Connected and Autonomous Vehicle technologies that rely on ITS infrastructure. As ITS becomes more complex and technology continues to evolve, departments of transportation and public and private entities must ensure systems remain interoperable, updated, and secure. 

As ITS systems mature and expand, their maintenance and long-term performance increasingly depend on sustained institutional and professional capacity. Agencies responsible for operating and maintaining ITS face growing challenges in retaining specialized technical staff, managing vendor-dependent systems, and supporting continuous upgrades across the system life cycle. 

Rationale

ITS improves transportation safety, enhances system efficiency, and reduces environmental impacts through operations, real-time system monitoring, and adaptive response. Therefore, ITS enables public agencies and private partners to manage transportation networks more effectively, respond to disruptions more rapidly, and deliver more reliable mobility across modes. When properly implemented and maintained, ITS can help reduce fatalities, injuries, crashes, and property damage, improve travel time reliability, and minimize environmental impacts. 

As passenger and freight demands evolve, the value of ITS lies not only in deployment, but in sustained access to secure high-quality information. At the same time, real time and predictive information supports travelers and freight operators in making informed mode choice and routing decisions while reducing unnecessary congestion and emissions. 

The policy has worldwide applications
ASCE Policy Statement 454
First Approved in 1997

Other ASCE policies related to Intelligent Transportation Systems:
Policy Statement 495 – Operation and Management of Transportation Systems
Policy Statement 548 – Connected and Autonomous Vehicles
Policy Statement 367 – Highway Safety
Policy Statement 557 – Smart Cities