This project is the next phase in the COATS (California and Oregon Advanced Transportation Systems) project, which was begun in 1998 as a partnership between WTI, Caltrans and Oregon DOT. The overall objective of the COATS project is to provide research and support activities to help California and Oregon cooperatively develop and deploy cost-effective and environmentally agreeable intelligent transportation systems (ITS) that enhance safety, improve the movement of people, goods and services, and subsequently promote the economic development of the region. Phase I of COATS focused on ITS planning and architecture, with deployment of an early-winner project. Phase 2 (Showcase) focused on demonstration and evaluation activities. Phase 3 has had an emphasis on technology transfer. The focus of Phase 4 is sustaining the partnership and includes the following types of activities: • Support technology transfer activities (e.g. Western States Forum, Steering committee meetings) and outreach activities (e.g. conferences, FHWA outreach) to maintain and strengthen interagency relationships in the COATS area that support cooperative implementation and operation of ITS. • Explore expanding COATS service area into Nevada and bordering districts. • Potentially expand the I-5/US-97 Rural Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) project to other corridors, such as US-395 and US-101. • Develop a stakeholder group to explore spinning off mature COATS related technologies, and investigate developing a manufacturing and deployment center of excellence so that these technologies can be purchased “off-the-shelf.” This effort is jointly sponsored by the California Department of Transportation and the University Transportation Center (UTC) program (part of the Research and Innovative Technologies Administration of the USDOT). This project represents the Caltrans portion of the overall effort.