FHWA 25-18
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Contact: Nancy Singer
Tel.: (202) 366-0660

FHWA National Dialogue on Highway Automation in Phoenix Focuses on Traffic Operations

MESA, Ariz. – On October 24-25, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will host the fifth in its series of national dialogue meetings on automated vehicles and their impacts on U.S. highways and traffic operations.

“This new technology has the potential to make travel more convenient and efficient,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson.  “We also know that understanding the impacts of automation on traffic operations is essential to proper management of the transportation system.”

FHWA’s National Dialogue on Highway Automation in the Phoenix metro area follows guidance released by the Department earlier this month – “Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0.”  The document supports the safe, reliable, and cost-effective integration of automation into America’s surface transportation systems.  

The meeting in the Phoenix metro area will focus on traffic operations, including challenges related to mixed-fleet traffic – automated and non-automated – and operation scenarios with complex intersections, work zones, and signal prioritization.  The discussion will also focus on how to ensure the safety of emergency responders and others involved in traffic incident management.

Throughout the year, FHWA has held national dialogue meetings in Detroit, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Chicago to address the effects of automated vehicles on the country’s roadways, including planning and policy, digital infrastructure, and freight operations.  The next session, to be held in Dallas, Texas, will explore multimodal safety and infrastructure.

The insights received during the sessions will inform national research, policy, and programs, and aid in the development of a national transportation community for automation.  

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