Skip to main content

PB designing fibre network for MDOT

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has awarded a contract to Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) for the design of a new fibre-optic communications network in metropolitan Detroit. The project is a multi-phase effort to build an MDOT-owned fibre-optic network for communications with the Detroit region’s intelligent transportation system deployment, including hundreds of closed-circuit television cameras, dynamic message signs and vehicle detection systems along regional freeways.
April 19, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSThe 1688 Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has awarded a contract to 4983 Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) for the design of a new fibre-optic communications network in metropolitan Detroit. The project is a multi-phase effort to build an MDOT-owned fibre-optic network for communications with the Detroit region’s intelligent transportation system deployment, including hundreds of closed-circuit television cameras, dynamic message signs and vehicle detection systems along regional freeways. The system will link all of the existing network hubs and nodes, eliminating the need for existing leased communications services, and upgrading the existing wireless radio communications to high-bandwidth fibre-optic links for most of the field devices and remote network nodes. The project encompasses the full extent of the Detroit-area freeway system, including over 160kms of instrumented roadway.

As the prime consultant, PB is responsible for the overall design of the communications network. Its services will entail preparation of a design report and network migration plan, with recommendations for how to best phase roll-out of the system; development of conduit installation plans for dozens of miles of regional freeways; and design of fibre-optic plans, including cable routing, network sizing, splice points, and fibre allocation details.  The design will include a minimum of two phases, with the first phase focusing on elimination of an existing leased fibre-optic service, and the second phase focusing on network redundancy and reduction of wireless linkages.

Construction of Phase 1 will commence in July 2013, with completion slated for late 2014.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Thales builds on Canadian connection for transit R&D
    June 20, 2016
    The Canadian province of Ontario is continuing to benefit from its ongoing investment in transit R&D. David Crawford looks at the impact of new investment. Developing the next generation of urban rail signalling solutions worldwide, with the emphasis on transit security and efficiency, is the goal of a recently-created business partnership between the government of the Canadian province of Ontario and Thales Canada. The wholly-owned subsidiary of the France-HQ'd global defence, aerospace and transportation
  • Sensys expands Middle East customer base
    March 3, 2015
    Sensys Traffic has received an order for traffic safety systems worth US$275,000 from an existing customer in the United Arab Emirates. Sensys has its biggest installed base, alongside Sweden, in the United Arab Emirates. The Middle East is currently Sensys’ second largest market and the company now has customers in eight of the region’s 14 countries and the company plans to open a local office in the territory in 2015. “Our positive growth continues in the Middle East, and this order further secures our po
  • Rail opportunities in Saudi Arabia
    August 19, 2013
    Saudi Arabia has committed around US$97 billion between 2010 and 2040 into railway infrastructure, with approximately US$17 billion to be invested between 2010 and 2025 in an advanced and integrated multimodal transport system. In addition, the Kingdom will invest in multiple metro transport projects to address traffic and public transport challenges, including Jeddah, Riyadh and Mecca which will all break ground between 2013 and 2014. The Saudi Rail Forum 2013 will bring together local and internationa
  • TransCore's $3M deal
    May 21, 2012
    TransCore has been selected by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) to deploy the SCATS adaptive traffic control system across almost 130 intersections in the Hackensack Meadowlands District – the fourth-largest deployment of its type in the US. The $3 million contract was predominantly funded by the Commission’s TIGER II grant to implement the Meadowlands Adaptive Signal System for Traffic Reduction (MASSTR) program. The programme will be completed by December 2013.