Skip to main content

California DOT implements smart corridor

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently completed a smart corridor project on State Route 12 in Solano, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties, and I-5 in San Joaquin County. The project utilises intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology for five electronic message signs and four closed-circuit TV cameras to provide drivers with up to date travel information, enabling them to choose an alternate route in the event of congestion or roadway incidents.
October 14, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The 923 California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently completed a smart corridor project on State Route 12 in Solano, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties, and I-5 in San Joaquin County.

The project utilises intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology for five electronic message signs and four closed-circuit TV cameras to provide drivers with up to date travel information, enabling them to choose an alternate route in the event of congestion or roadway incidents.

"This technology will make these highways safer for everyone and provide motorists real-time information they can use to make smart choices and steer clear of traffic incidents, roadwork, and bad weather," said Caltrans director Malcolm Dougherty.

This project is not Caltrans' first use of ITS technology to create smart corridors. Recent similar projects include a US$80 million project on I-80 in the Bay Area, which will better sync traffic signals with on-ramp meters and computerised highway signs to assist with rush hour traffic once completed; the San Mateo Smart Corridor project, in which ten San Mateo cities have partnered to deliver electronic message signs to guide drivers through detour routes during incidents, sensors to provide traffic volume information, and closed-circuit TV cameras to allow users to see traffic flow; and the creation of QuickMap, an ITS innovation that allows the public to access images from about 1,000 freeway cameras and see messages posted on more than 700 electronic highway message signs.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Speed reduction measures - carrot or stick?
    January 23, 2012
    In Sweden, marketing company DDB Stockholm employed a mock speed camera as part of a promotional campaign for automotive manufacturer Volkswagen. The result was worldwide online interest and promotion of the debate over excessive speed to the national level. A developing trend in traffic management policy is to look at how to induce road users to modify their behaviour by incentivising change rather than forcing it through the application of penalties. There have been several studies conducted into this; an
  • USDoT pilots show win-win potential for connected vehicles
    December 19, 2017
    Pete Goldin discovers the state of play with connected vehicles trials in the US and the impact of Hurricane Irma on Tampa’s pilot. The US Department of Transportation’s (USDoT’s) connected vehicle (CV) pilot sites have moved into phase 2 of the deployment programme– design, build, test and, maybe most importantly, collaborate.
  • Vendor's eye view of US economic stimulus programme
    March 12, 2012
    Pete Goldin explores the impact of the US economic stimulus programme on the ITS industry from the ITS vendor perspective
  • Flexibility, interoperability is key to future traffic management
    February 3, 2012
    Jon Taylor of Faber Maunsell and Tabatha Bailey of Transport for London describe how an unusual mix of traffic practitioners, researchers and industry are working together to build new tools for the future. As we face higher expectations for managing congestion from both citizens and politicians, and as more and more data is becoming available from new sources, our traffic management challenge is changing.