Our History

The first annual report (1967) of the Traffic Improvement Association of Oakland County, which is now the Transportation Improvement Association.

Created in 1967 by more than two-hundred government and corporate leaders, the Transportation Improvement Association (TIA) is committed to identifying transportation safety issues that negatively impact our communities, and developing inclusive and equitable solutions that can be implemented to save lives, prevent injuries, and improve mobility.

Focusing on the Three E’s of safety (Engineering, Education, and Enforcement), TIA provides professional transportation engineering and enforcement services to its government members.  Furthermore, TIA delivers transportation safety public education and professional training.

TIA has been recognized at the national and international levels for its leadership in transportation safety.  In 2008, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government awarded TIA for “Top 50 Programs of the 2008 Innovations in American Government.”  In a 2006 Federal Highway Administration publication titled, “Innovative Intersection Safety Improvement Strategies and Management Practices: A Domestic Scan,” TIA and the Road Commission for Oakland County were recognized as a best practice.  Most recently, TIA’s “Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign” was one of five traffic safety programs in the nation to receive a Peter K. O’Rourke Award during 2013.  It also received a 2012 Outstanding Traffic Safety Achievement Award from the Michigan Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission.  A component of the campaign, a realistic distracted driving crash education video, received an Eclipse Award for production excellence and has been viewed in more than 90 countries.

The Traffic Improvement Association of Oakland County’s logo from 1967 to 2009. In December of 2011, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to change the legal name to the “Traffic Improvement Association of Michigan.” That name was again updated on September 2, 2016 to the “Transportation Improvement Association” to indicate a focus on all modes of transportation.

Awards and Recognition

  • Michigan Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission: “2012 Outstanding Traffic Safety Achievement Award” (Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign)
  • 2012 Eclipse Award: “Achievement in Production Excellence – Realistic Distracted Driving Crash” (Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign)
  • Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government: “Top 50 Programs of the 2008 Innovations in American Government”
  • Federal Highway Administration: 2006 “Innovative Intersection Safety Improvement Strategies and Management Practices: A Domestic Scan” named TIA and the Road Commission for Oakland County as a best practice
  • Recognized by SMART Transit Agency for efforts to promote and implement new community based transit routes
  • National and International Speaker at ITS Conferences Relating to TDM/ITS Projects with Chrysler and other businesses
  • Invited Speaker by the Transportation Research Board to International Conferences on Traffic Crash Data Analysis
  • National Association of Public Information Officers, “Award of Excellence” for Drunk Driving Campaign
  • American Society of Public Administrators: Award for “Outstanding Contributions in Shaping the Public Agenda”
  • Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving: “TIA’s Project is the Model for the Nation”
  • National Safety Council Award for Exceptional Countermeasures in Drinking and Driving
  • National Association of Counties: Award for “Exceptional Achievements to Increase Traffic Capacity and Safety”
  • Congressional Citation: “Applying a Full Systems Management Approach to Meet Drunk Driving Problems”
  • Market Opinion Research: “The Most Effective Public Opinion Change We’ve Seen”
  • 3M Company Trailblazer Award: “Outstanding Accomplishments in Highway Safety”
  • Congressional Citation: “Unique, Innovative Traffic Safety Management Systems”
  • Federal Highway Administration: Rates TIA Data System “Most Comprehensive in the Nation”
  • NHTSA: TIA Selected as One of Two National Demonstration Project Agencies
  • National Association of Counties: Award for “Outstanding Achievement”

Major Projects

  • “Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign”
  • Web-based Traffic Crash Analysis Tool (TCAT)
  • Conversion to Electronic Data Collection of Michigan’s Traffic Citations, Crash and Reporting Systems
  • Implement “FAST-TRAC TV” at Chrysler Utilizing Road Commission for Oakland County Real-time Traffic Data from “SCATS”
  • Transportation Mobility Study Utilizing Demand Management Techniques and ITS Technologies
  • Retraining and Driving Performance Measurement for Senior Citzens
  • Alcohol Enforcement and Education Project
  • Videotape Series on Basic Enforcement and Engineering Principals
  • Project to Repair or Replace all Deficient Traffic Signs
  • Photolog and Computerized Inventory of all Traffic Signs for Entire County
  • Comprehensive Traffic Engineering Services Project
  • National Demonstration Project in Traffic Safety Management Systems
  • Pilot Project in Traffic Law Enforcement
  • Public Education Program for Safety Belt Use
  • Countywide Computerized Traffic Data System

Publications

  • “Traffic Review” Quarterly Newsletter
  • “Enroute” Quarterly TDM Newsletter on Mobility Issues
  • Setting Realistic Speed Limits (Update)
  • Series of Fact Bulletins “Controlling Traffic Issues”
  • Facts About Controlling Traffic in Residential Areas
  • Procedures for Analysis of High Crash Locations
  • A Manual for Evaluating Police Traffic Services
  • Setting Realistic Speed Limits
  • A Public Communications Guide for Traffic Engineers
  • Safe Approach Speeds at Uncontrolled Intersections
  • Procedures for Identifying High Crash Locations
  • Model Policies and Procedures for Police Traffic Services
  • Developing a Countywide Traffic Management System
  • Procedures for Assessing Community Traffic Problems and Needs

Programs and Community Service

  • Assistance to all communities; Federal Grants to Replace Deficient Signs
  • Coordination and Support: Task Force on Traffic Congestion and Countermeasures
  • Course Series:
    • Crash Investigation
    • Traffic Records Use
  • Introduced District Court Use of Computerized Driver Record Checks
  • Media Campaign, “Drunk Drivers, the Party’s Over.”
  • Media Campaign, “We’ve Had It With Bad Drivers.”
  • Participated in Conversion to Statewide “Scanable Crash Report”
  • Programs of Support for High School Driver Education
  • Public Support Program for Improved Traffic Engineering Services
  • Safety Belt Media Campaign, “It’s Lock It To Me Time.”
  • Training and Seminars:
    • Development of County’s “Wish List”
    • Sign Placement
    • Speed Zoning, Traffic Signs and Markings
    • Traffic Control and Crash Analysis
    • Traffic Crash and Volume Studies
    • Traffic Engineering Principles for Elected Officials
    • Traffic Law Enforcement
    • UD-10 Training
  • Short Course Series:
    • Accident Investigation
    • Drunk Driving Detection and Arrest
    • Police Traffic Supervision
  • Sign Placement Equipment Purchase for loan to Small Communities
  • Survey of Traffic Needs for County Master Plan
  • Traffic Surveillance Equipment Purchase for communities
  • Training and Deployment, Specialized Alcohol Enforcement Team