Summary

To meet the increasing demand for Internet access by the traveling public, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has partnered with the Great Valley Center (GCV) to launch a field operational test of wireless Internet and Internet kiosks at two rest areas (Phillip S. Raine and Enoch Christoffersen) along State Route (SR) 99. The field test technology would provide the following traveler-related information to the public by kiosk, laptop computers, personal data assistants, and cell phone: Transportation and safety information such as emergency information, road condition, and road closures; Tourist information on local attractions and services such as parks, museums, hotels, and restaurants; Historical information on the Central Valley. The objectives of this field test and related WiFi technologies, include: Improving traveler safety, reducing traveler delays, promoting tourism of local natural, cultural, and historical resources, and contributing to California's economic development. This project is a research evaluation of the field test, including institutional, user, and financial analyses.