1.  **INTRODUCTION**

    1.  **Overview**

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) is the term used to refer to
the application of information technologies to surface transportation
needs. This deployment plan aims at improving the efficiency and safety
of the transportation system in the Cumberland Gap Tunnel (CGT) / US 25E
region. While ITS cannot solve every surface transportation problem, ITS
deployment does present the opportunity to aid in addressing the
region\'s transportation problems, and in achieving broader social
needs. This Regional ITS

Deployment Plan will help identify ITS applications that are most
relevant to the unique nature of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel / US 25E
region, and the needs of its travelers. In addition, the plan will
ensure that ITS deployment is conducted in an incremental, integrated
fashion, and in conformity with the National ITS architecture.

The Cumberland Gap Tunnel / US 25E region presents an interesting and
challenging context for developing ITS strategies because of its rather
rural character, unique natural beauty, winter weather and its
flourishing tourism industry. The regional ITS plan was developed around
three basic principles:

-   Timely and efficiently detecting, verifying, and responding to
    highway incidents;

-   Disseminating appropriately detailed, timely, and accurate traffic
    congestion information to the traveling public; and

-   Increasing tourism awareness to the public traveling through and
    visiting the region.

The Cumberland Gap Tunnel / US 25E Regional Deployment Plan (RDP)
summarizes the region's existing transportation conditions and
identifies various deficiencies and opportunities for ITS applications.
It also identifies the Market Packages and Equipment

Packages associated with the region's transportation priorities.
Finally, the document defines and prioritizes projects that have
regional benefits.

**1.2 Participating Agencies**

To facilitate activities, a planning advisory committee provided
suggestions and feedback. Stakeholders included representatives from a
variety of civic, traffic, and emergency response agencies serving the
transportation needs of citizens in Kentucky,

Tennessee and Virginia . Table 1-1 is a complete list of these
participating agencies and their representative. Additional and valuable
input has also been provided by the staffs of these organizations, and
by the staffs of the other public-, private-, and academic-sector
organizations that have assisted with this study.

**Table 1-1. CGT / US 25E Regional Intelligent Transportation System
(ITS) Regional Deployment Plan Agency Participants and Panelists**

+-------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| AGENCY / ORGANIZATION                           | STAKEHOLDER        |
+-------------------------------------------------+--------------------+
| -   Director, Cumberland Valley ADD             | -   John Bruner    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Knox County Judge- Executive                | -   Gerald West    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   President, Knox County Chamber of Commerce  | -   Roger Hart     |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Whitley County Judge -- Executive           | -   Michael        |
|                                                 |     Patrick        |
| -   Mayor, City of Williamsburg                 |                    |
|                                                 | -   Bill Neighbert |
| -   Laurel County Judge- Executive              |                    |
|                                                 | -   Jimmy Williams |
| -   Police Chie f, City of LaFollette, TN       |                    |
|                                                 | -   Earl Carrol    |
| -   Fire Chief, City of LaFollette, TN          |                    |
|                                                 | -   Wayne Gregg    |
| -   Executive director, Campbell County (TN)    |                    |
|     Chamber of Commerce                         | -   Betty          |
|                                                 |     Snodderly      |
| -   Assistant Campbell County (TN) Executive    |                    |
|                                                 | -   Jay Willoughby |
| -   Fire Chief, Pineville                       |                    |
|                                                 | -   Billy Robbins  |
| -   Police Chief, Pineville                     |                    |
|                                                 | -   Steven Greene  |
| -   Bristol District Administrator, Dept of     |                    |
|     Trans, Bristol, VA                          | -   Dan Marston    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   City Consultant, Caryville, TN              | -   Cade Sexton    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Mayor, Morristown, TN                       | -   John Johnson   |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   City Administrator, LaFollette, TN          | -   Terry Sweat    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Jefferson County (TN), Judge \\Executive    | -   Daryl Brady    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Jefferson County (TN) County Executive      | -   Gary Holliway  |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Police Chief, Jefferson City, TN            | -   Will Cark      |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Hamblen County (TN) County Executive        | -   David Purkey   |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Mayor, Tazewell, TN                         | -   Tony Beeler    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Mayor, Jonesville, VA                       | -   E. Ewell       |
|                                                 |     Bledsoe        |
| -   Police Chief, Jonesville, VA                |                    |
|                                                 | -   Kermit Wallen  |
| -   Harlan County Judge\\Executive              |                    |
|                                                 | -   Joseph A.      |
| -   Harlan County Engineer, Leo Miller and      |     Grieshop       |
|     Associates                                  |                    |
|                                                 | -   Leo Miller,    |
| -   Police Chief, Williamsburg                  |     PE, PLS        |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Fire Chief, Harlan County                   | -   Don Hamlin     |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Judge, Bell County -- Pineville             | -   Lynette        |
|                                                 |     Hutchinson     |
| -   Mayor, Pineville                            |                    |
|                                                 | -   Jennifer Jones |
| -   Mayor, Middlesboro                          |                    |
|                                                 | -   Robert Lee     |
| -   Police Chief, Corbin                        |     Madon          |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Fire Chief, Corbin                          | -   Ben Hickman    |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Mayor, Harrogate                            | -   JC Mullins     |
|                                                 |                    |
| -   Mayor, Cumberland Gap                       | -   Dennis Roaden  |
|                                                 |                    |
|                                                 | -   Bill Fultz     |
|                                                 |                    |
|                                                 | -   John Douglas   |
+-------------------------------------------------+--------------------+

**1.3 Organization of Document**

The following sections describe the contents of this report.

**1.3.1 Section 2 -- Existing ITS Inventory/Capabilities/Functionality**

This Section presents an overview of existing and planned roadway
facilities in the tri-state area. Current system characteristics
including traffic volumes, capacity, accident rates and congestion are
discussed. Existing ITS-type functions at the tunnel are also
highlighted.

**1.3.2 Section 3 -- User Needs**

This Section describes the process used to identify the user needs (i.e.
current deficiencies and issues and future needs) throughout the CGT/US
25E region and to preliminarily consider ITS strategies to address those
needs.

**1.3.3 Section 4 -- Regional Architecture**

This Section contains the regional system architecture, or ITS
blueprint, for the CGT/US

25E region. It presents the physical and logical aspects of the region
in accordance with the National ITS Architecture. It identifies the
functionality and information flows of the TMC as well as the standards
to adhere to upon implementation.

**1.3.4 Section 5 -- Program Areas and Projects**

This Section identifies the program areas and projects that are to be
implemented for the CGT/US 25E region in the next ten years. It outlines
how they were developed and organized and it provides specific
information on each ITS project. This Section is a crucial part of the
RDP, as it contains the background project information for use in
funding applications, project promotion, and further deployment efforts.

**1.3.5 Section 6 -- Deployment Strategy**

This Section of the RDP provides an overall view of ITS deployment in
the CGT/US 25E region. Each of the ITS projects described individually
in Section 5 of the RDP are reviewed collectively by program area. This
collective review provides the "big picture" of ITS deployment in the
region, as well as unconstrained cost estimates and timelines.

**1.3.6 Section 7 -- Cost of ITS Deployment**

This Section covers the cost of deployment Costs are broken down by
capital and operations and maintenance associated with the project.
Strategic deployment costs for short-term, medium- term, and long-term
deployment is explained. Finally, the total cost of the ITS deployment
is given.

**1.3.7 Appendices**

There are eleven appendices that contain more detailed information on
the Deployment Plan and the plan development process that was used.
Appendices A -- D contain traffic data for the Cumberland Gap Tunnel/US
25E region, which are the source data for the traffic data maps in
Section 2. Appendices E -- H contain detailed information on the

National ITS Architecture Market Packages and Equipment Packages
applicable to the Regional ITS architecture. Appendices I and J contain
architecture flow definitions and associated standards, respectively.
Appendix K contains detailed descriptions of the projects selected for
the Deployment Plan and cost estimates for the projects.

2.  **EXISTING ITS INVENTORY / CAPABILITIES /**

# FUNCTIONALITY

**2.1 Area Overview**

A Regional ITS project for the Cumberland Gap Tunnel/US 25E region was
initiated in

1999\. The area identified for application of ITS technology includes a
25-mile radius around the Cumberland Gap Tunnel plus the US 25E corridor
extending approximately

100 miles from the intersection of I-75 near Corbin, Kentucky, to the
intersection with I- 81 near Morristown, Tennessee. The traffic
operations center for the regional system will be located in
Middlesboro, Kentucky where the current Cumberland Gap Tunnel

Operations Center (TOC) resides. This plan covers a twelve county area
in the ITS region of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel / US 25E area. The
counties include: Bell, Harlan,

Knox, Laurel, Leslie and Whitley Counties in Kentucky; Campbell,
Claiborne, Grainger,

Hamblen and Union Counties in Tennessee; and, Lee County in Virginia.
See Figure 2-1 below for study area.

![](media/image1.png){width="4.623611111111111in"
height="4.623611111111111in"}

## Figure 2-1. Deployment Plan Area