Pamela Crenshaw
Office of Traffic Management and ITS Applications
The Year 2000 computer problem, also called the
"Millennium bug," stems from the early days of computers when memory
was an expensive item and it became standard practice to store only the last
two digits of the year. Many computerized systems may falter on January 1, 2000
by mistaking "00" for 1900, and some traffic control systems may not
recognize "00" at all and skip ahead to the year 2001. This could
cause major problems with traffic control systems that are often time of day
and date sensitive. According to The Kiplinger Washington Letter, "even
microwaves, thermostats, stoplights, and other gadgets may be affected. So much
of our transportation, financial, business and government operations are dependent
on computers that will be vulnerable."
There is major ongoing activity within the Office
of Traffic Management and ITS Applications and the Office of Technology Applications
concerning the Year 2000 (Y2k) computer problem with traffic management systems.
We are working with, Public Technologies Inc. (PTI), Institute of Transportation
Engineers (ITE), AASHTO and our other partners to get the word out through articles,
publications, and at national and committee meetings. The WORD to those who
operate and manage traffic control systems is:
- Do not assume that there is not a problem.
- Do not assume that if there is a problem that
someone else will provide a simple solution.
- Contact your system's developer/supplier to
determine if your system will be affected.
- Consider conducting a simulation of the year
2000 occurrence on your system.
For further information contact Mr. John McCracken,
202-366-2219 or Ms. Pam Crenshaw, 202-366-1482 at FHWA headquarters. Year 2000
information is posted on the U.S. Department of Transportation's web site: http:\\www.fhwa.dot.gov/y2k
