Traffic Operations Asset Management Systems (TOAMS)

Book excerpt: The efforts in promoting traffic operations asset management systems (TOAMS) face significant difficulties. Two fundamental reasons explain this situation. First, asset management principles have been continuously developed based on traditional transportation assets of pavements and bridges. Traffic operations assets (TOAs) on the other hand, have different characteristics with greater uncertainties when determining assets' life-cycle. As a result, asset management principles will need some fundamental adjustments when implemented for TOAMS. Second, the integration of two culturally different activities, operations and planning, creates immense confusions among practitioners. This is especially crucial when addressing analytical tools compatibility, scope of analysis (local vs. regional), and limited training received by planning practitioners about operations and vice versa.