The integration of Information Technology at all levels of the transportation system can construct the "intelligence" in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) required to exploit the numerous opportunities in the operations, planning and investment procedures that constitute today' s transportation systems.

The talk gives a glimpse into the opportunities for enhancing the productivity of freeway systems. The discussion is based on three years of experience with the Performance Measurement System or PeMS, a database system that collects and stores large amounts of loop detector data from California freeways. PeMS applications convert the data into useful information. We illustrate how this information can improve system management, challenge current understanding of freeway traffic behavior, and assist travelers. All the examples are from Los Angeles freeways.