WSRTC is a continuation and broadening of the original California Oregon Advanced Transportation System (COATS). COATS began in 1998 as a collaborative effort among the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Montana State University, Bozeman's Western Transportation Institute (WTI) to investigate the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in rural areas. The intent of the COATS project was to facilitate the use of ITS to enhance safety, improve the movement of people, goods and services, and subsequently promote the economic development of the bi-state region and to begin deployment of those solutions [1]. This included the use of ITS to provide solutions to transportation challenges in rural areas such as non-recurrent congestion, weather, safety, tourism, mobility and freight movement [2]. Listed below are COATS Phases and the major deliverables of each phase: COATS Phase I - July 1998 to June 2002 A regional ITS architecture Two Caltrans rural Traffic Management Centers (TMC) were constructed in Redding and Eureka Numerous Caltrans and ODOT ITS field element sites were installed Siskiyou Pass winter operations guidelines COATS Phase II ¿ July 2002 to June 2006 Evaluation of ITS Technologies in Rural Work Zones Case Studies of Maintaining ITS Devices in Rural Areas Communications and Power Improvements for Rural ITS Field Devices Oregon ITS Performance and Benefits Plan COATS Phase III July 2006 to June 2008 COATS Integrated Corridor Management One Stop Shop 2006 and 2007 Western States Rural Transportation Implementers Forum COATS Phase IV July 2008 to June 2010 2008 and 2009 Western States Rural Transportation Implementers Forum Radar Speed Sign Deployment Guidelines Fredonyer Summit Icy Curve Warning System (ICWS) Evaluation During the COATS Phase III effort, the Western States Rural Transportation Technology Implementers Forum (WSRTTIF) was created to bridge the technology transfer gap between practitioners. WSRTTIF consisted of nuts-and-bolts presentations that allowed frank discussions on how technology projects were implemented in the field. The WSRTTIF provided insight into not only the need for collaboration on rural ITS technology transfer, but also operations and safety research. The COATS Steering Committee determined that it was in the best interest of the project to broaden its area of service to the western United States. This included a refocusing on three primary areas, technology, operations and safety, while leveraging research dollars to provide reliable, robust solutions to common rural transportation issues.

The purpose of the Western States Rural Transportation Consortium (WSRTC) is to promote innovative partnerships, technologies and educational opportunities to facilitate and enhance safe, seamless rural travel throughout the western United States. The WSRTC shall also provide a collaborative mechanism to leverage research activities in a coordinated manner to respond to rural transportation issues among western states related to Technology, Operations and Safety.

- Hold multi-day annual workshops for discussion and exchange of information and knowledge about each state';s Rural ITS needs, standards and applications. Each of these workshops will focus around planning and implementation of incubator and spin-off projects that meet the WSRTC objectives. - Support the presentation of WSRTC research at local and national conferences with the purpose of technology transfer. - Provide a forum to define, support and share technology of mutual interest. - Implement task orders, as requested by the Western States Rural Transportation Consortium. - Develop and maintain the WSRTC website which will display workshop reports, incubator and spin-off project reports, and presentation material used at local and national conferences with the purpose of technology transfer.

The membership of the WSRTC currently consists of the following states and universities: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, the Western Transportation Institute Montana State University Bozeman and the Transportation Northwest Regional Center University of Washington. The duration of this TPF is four years, with the option to extend the duration to be determined by the member states of the WSRTC. The contract amount for this TPF represents the minimum annual amount necessary for the operation of this TPF. This annual amount covers travel for the four states, website development and maintenance for the WSRTC, related task orders within the Scope of Work and administrative costs related to the TPF. The minimum state commitment shall be $2,500 per year for the original duration of the TPF. The four-year commitment / obligation of funds can be split over the four years or the full amount can be committed/obligated in the first year of the program. Each state providing funding shall have the final determination on how their funding shall be utilized. Proceedings from the workshop and task groups, and technology transfer forums will be documented by reports and made available through the WSRTC website at http://www.westernstates.org. References: [1] California-Oregon Advanced Transportation System: Strategic Deployment Plan, May 2001, Page 13 [2] California-Oregon Advanced Transportation System: Strategic Deployment Plan, May 2001, Page xix Terminology: Incubator Project A small, short-term pilot project to test a concept of operations Spin-off Project An incubator project that has gone beyond the incubator project stage and requires its own set of project resources