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Figure 9. Photo. Smart Road testing facility.
The Virginia Smart Road (figure 9) is a unique, state-of-the-art, full-scale research facility for pavement research and evaluation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) concepts, technologies, and products. It is the first facility of its kind to be built from the ground up with its research infrastructure incorporated into a section of public roadway. Originating in Blacksburg, VA, the Smart Road presently consists of 3.2 km (2 mi) of two lanes of roadway, which are closed to public traffic and are designated a controlled test facility. When completed, the Smart Road will be a 9.6 km (6 mi) long, four-lane section of the U.S. Interstate system, connecting Blacksburg, VA with U.S. I–81. This connection will serve an important role in the I-81 and I–73 transportation corridor. After completion, provisions will be made to route traffic around controlled test zones on the Smart Road to allow for ongoing testing.
Construction of the Smart Road project was made possible through a cooperative effort of several Federal and State organizations, including VTTI, VDOT, VTRC, FHWA, and Virginia Tech.
The research-supported infrastructure of the Smart Road makes it an ideal location for safety and human factors evaluation. Following is a list of some of the unique research capabilities of the facilities:
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