Urban Traffic Control

A new report by the US Government Accountability office (GAO) expects vehicle to vehicle (V2V) technologies to offer safety benefits, but says that a variety of deployment challenges exist. The report finds that development of V2V technologies has progressed to the point of real world testing, and if broadly deployed, they are anticipated to offer significant safety benefits.

A new partnership between Australia’s National Transport Commission (NTC) and Austroads will have a strong focus on the introduction of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS). The two associations have signed an agreement to work together on road transport issues such as research, policy development, implementation and operational matters.

The Brazilian government is to invest US$1.46 billion in the construction of the metro project in Curitiba, Parana, as part of the accelerated growth program for mobility, bringing the total investment in transportation to US$2.4 billion. The city will also receive US$408 million to expand the bus rapid transit system by an additional 32 kilometres, plus US$87 million for the construction of bus lanes and further bus rapid transit expansion projects.

The World Bank has approved a US$500 million loan for the National Highways Interconnectivity Improvement Project in India to improve the national highway network’s connectivity with economically deprived and remote areas. The project will focus on three low-income states, Rajasthan, Bihar and Orissa, and on less developed regions in Karnataka and West Bengal.

A fire in the third-bore of the Caldecott tunnel that killed seven in 1982 led to changes to standards for new tunnels, including the new fourth bore which is due to open later this month.

A section of the M6 motorway in the UK between junctions 10a and 13 is to be upgraded to a smart (managed) motorway with all-lane running. This section of the motorway is a major strategic route, carrying around 120,000 vehicles per day.

Norwegian company NCC is to construct the new Birkelandskrysset traffic hub in Bergen. The US$76 million contract with traffic company Bybanen Utbygging comprises a new tramway bridge, pedestrian and bicycle roads, a public transport terminal and a car park. “The tramway is a visionary public transport initiative in Bergen. We are delighted to be part of a major new project for a sustainable Bergen,” says NCC district manager Henning Simonsen.

UK-based traffic technology company Siemens has received a 5-star Recognised for Excellence award at the 2013 UK Excellence Awards, presented annually by the British Quality Foundation to recognise business performance improvement. Siemens has used the European Foundation Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence model as a key framework to assess its business excellence, understand its strengths, identify areas for improvement and drive a culture of continuous improvement. The company’s score, measured agai

Prior to turning the UK Highways Agency into a government-owned company, the Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation asking for the public’s views on the proposed structure and accountability of the new company, along with input on how the new watchdog, and a separate new organisation that will monitor the performance of the agency, should be run. Turning the Highways Agency into a government-owned company will improve efficiency and reduce running costs, with taxpayers expected to ben

San Francisco Bay Area's popular 511 service is set to expand its traffic speed network. Coverage, now mostly limited to state roadways and interstates, will be expanded to include additional state roadways, major arterials, expressways and connectors. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which runs the 512 service, assembles data from a variety of sources – Caltrans, CHP, and other partners – to provide the most accurate and reliable information about incidents and traffic disruptions in th