Apr 16, 2015

For many Americans, bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way to and from work is just an inevitable fact of life. According to the latest statistics from traffic analytics firm INRIX, the average American spends 13.7 hours in trafficevery year. The number is even higher in some major U.S. cities too. For example, Los Angeles residents typically spend over 66 hours a year stuck in traffic. And, in many locations, the situation appears to be only getting worse. In Phoenix and Las Vegas in particular, the amount of time area residents spend in traffic has gone up 43 percent and 67 percent, respectively, between 2013 and 2014. Other major cities, including Detroit, Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, Buffalo and Louisville, have seen similar increases of late as well.

To improve congestion on roadways, municipalities, counties and states have multiple options to consider. Some have expanded streets or built new transportation infrastructure, but such moves are expensive and may only provide a short-term fix to the traffic problem. Smart roadways and the Internet of Things purport to offer significant benefits in this arena, but that technology may not be feasible or even viable for many years.

Video technology’s role in traffic management
One solution already available to governments today is video surveillance technology. Using remote video as part of a traffic management system, municipalities can gain more effective, real-time oversight over key roads and intersections. With this kind of visibility, teams can alter traffic signals to better optimize the flow of traffic and gain a more accurate picture of the current traffic situation and what solutions are needed. And when these solutions are automated, traffic can improve immeasurably without significant manpower behind the scenes.

“Why don’t traffic lights adjust to actual conditions? Adaptive Signal Control Technologies (ASCT), in conjunction with well engineered signal timing, can do just that,” the Federal Highway Administration noted. “By receiving and processing data from strategically placed sensors, ASCT can determine which lights should be red and which should be green. ASCT helps improve the quality of service that travelers experience on our local roads and highways. Less unnecessary delays and traffic moves quickly and smoothly.”

While the remote monitoring of transportation infrastructure may not seem like it would lead to significant reductions in traffic, studies have shown that the technology can actually make a huge difference. In particular, a global report conducted by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program found that of all agencies that had put in place adaptive traffic signals, 60 percent of them said the technology reduced travel times. Additionally, 37 percent said it diminished the number of stops vehicles take during a typical trip, 35 percent said traffic moved more quickly as a result and 23 percent saw decreases in queue lengths at intersections.

How to get the most out of transportation video surveillance technology
Remote video monitoring of traffic to more efficiently move vehicles on roadways can yield huge benefits, but only if such a system is deployed in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In particular, if the backend infrastructure is not built with flexibility and scalability in mind, it may not provide a significant return on investment.

This is a problem the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, faced after it installed traffic cameras at major intersections in 2008. Initially officials turned to T1 lines to transfer data to and from the cameras and its traffic management center. However, extending bandwidth to each node in the video network and maintaining everything proved to be an expensive endeavor for the city, costing Scottsdale approximately $250,000 annually. In addition, the lines made it difficult to expand the network.

To add flexibility to the network in a cost-effective manner without reducing its reliability and effectiveness, Scottsdale turned toFiretide AutoMesh technology. With this technology in place, city officials get a redundant network built to withstand tough environmental conditions. Plus, not only is it easier to maintain, but expansion now becomes a much simpler process since legacy infrastructure does not limit scalability.

As cities grow, they need proven solutions capable of effectively reducing congestion to keep traffic always moving. By adopting a wireless video surveillance system supported by Firetide AutoMesh technology, government entities get a reliable and cost-effective system to more effectively oversee transportation infrastructure. To learn more about how this technology works and the many benefits it provides, contact Firetide today.