Hugh Colton, Georgia DOT details move to improve urban traffic control in the Atlanta area. With a significant proportion of traffic using freeways and toll-ways, along with a significant investment in roadway infrastructure, urban arterials are often the poor relation when it comes to ITS investment. Hitherto the primary means of Urban Traffic Control (UTC) has been the ubiquitous traffic signal. Many traffic signals still operate in a standalone mode and traffic detection is often broken, leaving the sign
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has implemented digital variable speed limit signs over a thirty-mile stretch of Interstate 84 between Baker City and La Grande, replacing the standard speed signs in that area.
The new signs will use traffic, road, weather and visibility sensors to lower the legal speed limit when ice, snow, fog or a wreck ahead requires drivers to slow down. Along with identifying the current legal speed limit, the digital displays can also show the reason for a reduced speed,
Gewi has an important message for Departments of Transport at this ITS World Congress. As the company points out, distribution of accurate traffic and travel event information to the public is a key step in the traffic management process for DOTs. Today, with more commuters relying on in-vehicle, portable and smart-phones for navigation, it is critical that DOTs are able to provide their data to all of these devices as well as social media, websites and other systems.
