The 2026 National Work Zone Awareness Week April 20–24, kicked off last month with the theme of "Safe Actions, Save Lives." The key message is that everyone plays a role in preventing work zone incidents. In keeping with this theme, the ITS JPO's Deployment Evaluation Program recently released the ITS for Work Safety Data Story. Check out this data story to explore how ITS technologies can help reduce crashes, fatalities, and risks for road workers and travelers. To explore additional ITS Benefits, Costs, and Lessons Learned, visit the Deployment Evaluation Program.

The ITS JPO DataHub recently published an open data story on the USDOT Intersection Safety Challenge (ISC) Stage 1B: System Assessment and Virtual Testing dataset. The ISC Stage 1B data story presents background information on Stage 1B of the ISC as well as the unlabeled training data and labeled validation data (with ground truth labels) that make up the dataset. The JPO DataHub also recently published an open data story on the data collected as part of FHWA's Third Generation Simulation (TGSIM) project. The TGSIM data story provides background information on the TGSIM project as well as details and previews of the six datasets collected, including detailed vehicle trajectory data derived from high-resolution videos and supporting data files. Read the stories today and access the data.

Want to learn more about ITS for intersection safety and results from the USDOT ISC? Check out new resources now posted to the website, including two new reports related to the technical evaluation results and insights from the Challenge Stage 1B, a new video summarizing the results, and presentation materials from the webinar held on March 26.

The FHWA's Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory showcased the newly released open-source code for its Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Mobile App during a connected vehicle tolling and safety demonstration at the February 2026 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) Face-to-Face (F2F) meeting in Sacramento. In collaboration with private sector companies, the team demonstrated how the application enables secure Network-V2X communications, managing "virtual toll zones" and delivering safety-critical alerts directly to vehicle dashboards.

By releasing the V2X Mobile App as open-source software, agencies, researchers, and industry partners can explore a working V2X implementation, and test, adapt, and integrate it into their own environments.

The ITS JPO has launched an interactive map showcasing V2X deployments across the country. The map compiles and visualizes data from USDOT funded V2X projects, Accelerating V2X Cohort members, and the Federal Communications Commission Universal Licensing System, into one interactive platform. Users can explore project details at national, state, and local levels-tracking active and planned Roadside Units, area-wide licenses, and deployment analytics. This is the initial release of the map prototype, and the JPO is continuing to collect and validate data with deployers, so expect the map to evolve as more verified information becomes available.

At the upcoming OmniAir Maryland Plugfest (June 1-5), FHWA is advancing Misbehavior Detection and Reporting (MBD/MBR) capabilities. Through implementing the new Security Misbehavior Detection & Reporting Conformance Test Specification, FHWA and partners are validating real-world interoperability across multiple vendors and systems using SAE J3287-based test scenarios for Basic Safety Message applications.

This demonstration brings together key industry collaborators to demonstrate how standards-based MBD/MBR strengthens security and enables seamless interoperability across V2X deployments.

Attendees at the ITS America Conference & Expo (ITSA) in Detroit, Mich., June 9-12, 2026, will have many opportunities to learn about ITS JPO activities. Featured speakers will include:

• Justin Anderson and Elina Zlotchenko, "Paving the Path to the Complete Trip: Next-Generation Mobility, Accessibility, and the Road Ahead," Tuesday, June 9 at 2:30 p.m.
• Hyungjun Park, "Beyond Line of Sight - Harmonizing Connectivity and Automation in Autonomous Freight," Thursday, June 11 at 10:30 a.m.
• Lisa Randall, "Bridging the Gap: USDOT Resources for Trustworthy AI Implementations," Thursday, June 11 at 1 p.m.
• Justin Anderson, "A Digital Seatbelt: Interoperable V2X Traveler Information Messages," Friday, June 12 at 1 p.m.

Other V2X related session:

• Govind Vadakpat, "From Concept to Curbside: Insights from the V2X Accelerator Deployments on the Road to Interoperability," Tuesday, June 9 at 1 p.m.

While you are at the conference, be sure to stop by the ITS JPO booth (4031) in the exhibit hall. ITS JPO program managers will be on hand to discuss current initiatives, especially those related to AI and V2X technology. Keep an eye on our social media for announcements regarding the hours when certain staff will be available!

Also at ITSA 2026, FHWA's Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (STOL) is supporting MDOT technical demonstrations along the I-94 corridor, showcasing a fully integrated V2X ecosystem in real-world conditions. STOL is also enabling seamless interoperability between Direct and Network V2X communications by leading the system architecture and technical framework. At the core of this effort is the FHWA Operational Data Environment, which facilitates secure data exchange, integration, and message translation across multiple vendors and systems.

This demonstration highlights how a cohesive, standards-based architecture can scale across agencies, helping state and local partners deploy interoperable V2X solutions that improve safety, mobility, and system performance.

Mark your calendar for the ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibition, July 19-22, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan. ITS JPO representatives will be available at booth 223 in the exhibit hall. Stay tuned for future updates!