UPDATE: Tuesday, June 15th, 2021
Consortium Holds Steering Committee Meeting
Members of the Western States Rural Transportation Consortium (WSRTC) met for a regular meeting recently. You can review the meeting’s agenda (pdf), presentation (pdf), and official minutes (pdf) here and on the WSRTC Documents page. Thirteen people participated in the meeting – representatives from the five Consortium member states, WTI/MSU, Montana Tech, FHWA, and Emeritus Member Ian Turnbull.
The meeting was called to order by Leann Koon on March 9th, 2021. After introductions, Leann welcomed everyone and reviewed the meeting’s purpose and agenda.
Leann started with an update on plans for the 16th Annual Western States Rural Transportation Technology Implementers Forum. Originally scheduled for June in Yreka, California, the Forum was postponed to October 5-7, 2021, after discussion with the WSRTC and the Forum planning committee. Seven topics are on the technical agenda. Speakers or representatives participating in the meeting gave an overview of what they intended to present at the Forum. Registration for the Forum is open! Check out the Forum website for more information and to register.
Sean Campbell and Ron Vessey updated the group on the status of the Pooled Fund and the associated task orders. WSRTC Phase II TPF-5(241) was granted a time extension with a new end date of March 31, 2023. A master agreement has been executed with Montana Technological University (Montana Tech) to facilitate a task order for maintenance of the One-Stop-Shop system and the Automated Safety Warning System Controller project. The balance of the remaining Phase II funds will go towards a two-year task order supporting the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Western States Forums, and member travel to several WSRTC meetings and host conferences. The group agreed to proceed with a third phase of the WSRTC Pooled Fund.
Doug Galarus gave an update on the One-Stop-Shop for Rural Traveler Information (OSS), the Automated Safety Warning System Controller (ASWSC), and plans for continued support, development, and maintenance of both systems. Leann Koon briefly discussed the Professional Capacity Building for Communications project, the Western States Forum Handbook, and COATS Phase 8.
Questions and discussion with the traditional ITS project roundtable closed out the meeting. Check out the meeting minutes (pdf) to read more about these rural ITS activities.
The WSRTC will meet for the annual meeting at the Western States Forum in October 2021.