Skip to main content

VDOT to get world-class transportation operations centre

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has issued a Notice of Intent to Award to Serco to integrate and run the state’s five transportation management centres under a six-year, US$355 million contract. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will make the final decision at its June meeting. The project will operate all five centres, including managing the Safety Service Patrol, under a single advanced active traffic management system platform, providing greater consistency and efficiency and enabli
May 8, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The 1747 Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has issued a Notice of Intent to Award  to Serco to integrate and run the state’s five transportation management centres under a six-year, US$355 million contract. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will make the final decision at its June meeting.

The project will operate all five centres, including managing the Safety Service Patrol, under a single advanced active traffic management system platform, providing greater consistency and efficiency and enabling VDOT to better manage congestion, freight movements, incidents, severe weather-related incidents and traveller information.

The system will monitor traffic through the use of nearly 900 cameras, 500 electronic message signs and more than 1,000 road sensors, enabling operators to co-ordinate signal systems, manage incidents and emergency response, provide real time travel information and manage HOV/reversible lanes.

Announcing the award, Governor McDonnell said: "The Commonwealth sought innovation from around the country to deliver the best technology solutions to maximise our transportation system. Virginia is a leader among state departments of transportation in providing real-time traffic information to motorists, and we wanted to build on that reputation."

Transportation Secretary Sean T. Connaughton added, "The result is using technology to be the eyes, ears and voice of Virginia's road transportation system, so we can go into immediate action to prevent accidents, clear incidents, make our roads safer, and immediately inform motorists so they can reach their destinations faster. Our transportation system in Virginia must be more reliable than other states' and countries in order for us to remain competitive economically."

"I am very pleased with the progress VDOT has made in collaborating with the private industry to develop the best solutions to improve transportation through technology," said VDOT Commissioner Greg Whirley. "It takes all tools and methods, including technology, operations, and first-class communication systems, in addition to maintenance and construction to make our highway system operate as smoothly as possible."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • North Florida signals coordinated approach to congestion management
    October 7, 2013
    David Crawford investigates innovative congestion management in Florida. The largest US city by area is well into the implementation of an ambitious congestion management system (CMS) on the scale of those of higher-profile centres such as Seattle and San Francisco. Regional agency the North Florida Transportation Planning Organisation (NFTPO) aims to ensure that commuters on major highways in Jacksonville can rely on a minimum 72km/h (45mph) driving speed in normal conditions.
  • 2013 Best of ITS awards finalists announced
    March 22, 2013
    The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) today announced the list of finalists for the 2013 Best of ITS Awards, a highly competitive program which recognises the most innovative projects and influential achievements in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) industry. Winners will be announced during the Opening Plenary session of the 23rd ITS America Annual Meeting and Exposition on Monday 22April 2013 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center i
  • Aecom seatbelt and phone use trial expanded in England
    March 6, 2024
    More police forces join National Highways’ safety cameras pilot to detect motorists breaking law
  • Bridging the highway travel information gap
    March 14, 2012
    A new traffic management solution is attempting to bridge the gap in information available on freeways and arterial roadways. Andrew Bardin Williams reports. Agencies responsible for national networks of roads around the world have the ability to measure, analyse and disseminate accurate travel information to drivers. Millions of dollars go into data collection infrastructure to collect traffic congestion and travel time information on major freeways or highways. For example, a driver on the I-210 in the Lo