Econolite Group Endorses "Smart Technologies for Communities" Act
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Anaheim, Calif., April 25, 2011 - Econolite Group, Inc., today announced that it has signed the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) letter of endorsement for the "Smart Technologies for Communities Act of 2011" - Bill H.R. 995 - introduced by Congressmen Mike Rogers (R-Michigan) and Russ Carnahan (D-Missouri). The letter is co-signed by ITS America President and CEO Scott F. Belcher; and Ann Flemer, Deputy Executive Director for Policy at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Chair of the ITS Board of Directors.
In addition to more than 100 transportation industry leaders and other national, state, and local agencies and organizations, Econolite Group, by signing the letter, supports the Smart Technologies for Communities Act. The bill would provide funding to leverage Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies to increase roadway safety, transportation efficiency, air pollution abatement, and multimodal connectivity - all of which enhances quality of life.
According to testimony from Econolite President and COO, and ITS America Board Member, David St. Amant, deployments of ITS technologies have yielded significant returns on investment, particularly in travel times, fuel economy, and greenhouse gas emissions. "High-tech solutions are cost effective and quick to deploy. For example, smart traffic signals that change based on real-world conditions are returning $40 to the public in time and fuel savings for every $1 invested, reducing travel delays by 25 percent and emissions by up to 22 percent," said St. Amant.
"The Government Accountability Office found the benefit-to-cost ratio of a nationwide real-time traffic information system to be 25 to 1, with a $1.2 billion investment returning more than $30 billion in safety, mobility, and environmental benefits. In general, investment in ITS-enabled operational strategies have been found to have a 9 to 1 benefit-to-cost ratio, more than 3 times that of traditional construction projects," said St. Amant.
Incorporating several points from St. Amant's testimony, bill H.R. 995, if enacted, would establish a $1.2 billion competitive grant program over the next six years as part of the federal surface transportation reauthorization bill.
Additional information about the Smart Technologies for Communities Act and the recently held House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing can be found at http://itsa.org/SmartCommunities.html.
About Econolite Group, Inc.
Econolite Group, Inc. (EGI) was formed as the umbrella organization to a group of privately held companies that serve the traffic management, aerospace, medical, and broadcasting industries. The EGI companies include Econolite Control Products, Inc./Econolite Canada, Inc. (Econolite), Safetran Traffic Systems, Inc. (Safetran), California Chassis, Aegis ITS, and Team Econolite.
