Urban Traffic Control

Motorists using the M90 in Scotland will face the country’s first variable speed limits in three weeks time when a new traffic control system is launched on the road north of the Forth Road Bridge. The intelligent transport system, which goes live on 4 December on the M90 northbound, has been installed as part of construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing, which is due to open in four years time. Speeds will be automatically lowered by traffic sensors under the road surface when they detect congestion,

City officials in Washington, DC, are launching a two-year test of technology that they hope will ease traffic gridlock and improve public safety in the city. In 2013, they will begin connecting traffic signals to existing high-speed network cables that run beneath the city streets. Once connected to the network, the signals will be equipped with video cameras and wi-fi hot spots. The test program will cover traffic lights at 16 intersections. According to governing.com the DC metro area regularly turns up

McCain, manufacturer and supplier of intelligent transportation systems, traffic control equipment and parking guidance solutions, has announced distributor partnerships with Quality Traffic Systems and M H Corbin. Both companies will represent McCain’s full line of traffic control equipment within their respective territories of Georgia and Ohio. “We are always looking for like-minded businesses to partner with,” said Nathan Welch national sales manager at McCain Inc. “Quality Traffic and M H Corbin are ju

A new 3G wireless communications solution which allows Siemens UTMC OTUs to be connected to the company’s PC SCOOT UTC instation has been launched by the company following extensive field trials. The newly released 3G option is available on Gemini2 and is provided by the use of an approved 3G router and antenna kit and is quick and easy to install. It allows junctions to be added onto the UTC system without the need for physically wired or fibre links, reducing installation and civil engineering costs. Acc

Australia’s National Transport Commission (NTC) wants cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) technology to be considered in the country. In a recently-released discussion paper, the NTC states the technology, which allows vehicles and other parts of the road network to communicate, could save 300 lives on the nation’s roads each year. The paper discusses the technology that is currently being trialled in the US and Europe by auto manufacturers and governments to allow drivers to plan their trips

Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) is in the final phase of preparing an ITS master plan, while smart transport solutions have already been integrated in the traffic system in the country, with the aim of implementing a fully integrated Intelligent Transport System (ITS) before the FIFA World Cup 2022. Plans include special lanes for buses, more advanced surveillance cameras, a dedicated radio station to raise traffic awareness and special operation rooms to deal with accidents and other emergencies.

The Asia development Bank (ADB) is calling for countries in Asia, including the Philippines, to invest heavily in "inclusive" and "sustainable" transportation systems if they want to spur economic growth and reduce poverty. "Without appropriate and adequate transport, countless millions of people lack access to jobs, markets, hospitals and schools. Regional connectivity remains a major challenge for many countries," ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said in his speech during the second day of the "Transport For