Often starting with a core group of agencies that have a problem that needs solving, regional organizations can quickly become multijurisdictional with the power to lay down an institutional infrastructure so that other aspects of ITS can go forward, once the original problem has been tackled. Another example of regional ITS is the TransStar system in Houston. Created from a partnership involving the city, Harris County, the regional transit system and the Texas DOT, TransStar not only coordinates traffic management regionally, but also the use of new ITS technologies. The partners defined a regional architecture for TransStar based on standards for such things as traffic signal controllers, a freeway management system, transit facilities and a communications system. But like so many other ITS projects, TransStar was not built all at once.
Funding is always a problem.
At least Houston is thinking in terms of ITS funding. Many jurisdictions still haven't made the adjustment to spending transportation money on anything but roads and bridges. One problem is that many local jurisdictions have a backlog of road projects to complete. This puts ITS dollars in competition with highway money. Another funding hurdle may be Congress.