Traffic management authorities no longer have to get all of their data by investing in more and more sensors, cameras, and costly third-party data collection systems. They can get much of the data they need to manage the roads from the drivers themselves with real-time traffic data systems.
Travel time and speed data from vehicles using navigation systems makes identification of problem locations easier. This data can be compiled for long-term study of trends in traffic congestion, and for prioritizing projects.
Modern roadside equipment can now collect basic safety messages from late-model vehicles. The percentage of vehicles that can broadcast basic safety messages is still low, but this data will soon be used to inform smart signage allocations where drivers have to make split-second decisions. Planners and traffic engineers can mine this data to identify stretches of roadways where improvements are needed.
Trajectory data lays out a trail of digital breadcrumbs by recording waypoints of individual travelers. Equipped vehicles relay data back to operations centers or advanced traffic management systems platforms that can tell operators which routes drivers are using, how fast they are driving, and if traffic is normal or abnormal for that model of vehicle, time of day, and so on. This data is also useful for after-action reviews of significant events to evaluate the effects of road closures. Archiving this data can supplement or entirely replace traditional origin-destination data used by traffic planners and modelers.
Millions of vehicles are equipped with telematics. This data relays warnings and measurements directly from the vehicle to control centers, including hard-braking events, traction-control engagement, emissions data, temperature data, collision and rollover detection, and, on commercial vehicles, even seatbelt use.
This data can be used by traffic management centers to supplement their existing detection systems. During rapidly changing weather conditions, it can alert control centers to slippery roads, serving as an early warning system. The data can be archived for use by planners for safety studies, congestion analysis, emissions studies, and weather data.
More and more critical data is available from vehicles, but how can traffic control centers process this data?
Info processing systems from Work Safe Traffic Control process telematic information from vehicles along with the data from your cameras and sensors on a single, secure, web-accessible platform. Your management at headquarters and your crews on the road can benefit from telematic data for immediate management decisions.
How do you scale up to real-time traffic telematics?
Start small.
When lane closures are necessary, keep tabs on traffic with the iCone Traffic Beacon. Deployment couldn’t be simpler. Just drop it on the roadside and flip a switch. On-board GPS identifies the exact lane that is closed. The beacon detects average vehicle speed, and relays that information to your headquarters through a satellite connection network that covers every road in North America. The iCone Traffic Beacon boasts durable construction and just one moving part, the switch.
Where the majority of vehicles are not yet connected, use Work Safe Traffic Control Systems mobile video trailers. These portable, all-weather, self-contained trailer-mounted platforms for video cameras provide highway management departments with a rapidly deployable real-time video system that can be viewed from remote locations. They can be used on a stand-alone basis or tied into a larger CCTV system.
Turn to Work Safe Traffic Control Systems for Trailer Mounted Queue Detection. This portable trailer provides a lightweight, versatile platform with a small offload footprint mounting a microwave radar unit that monitors occupancy, movement, and volume for up to 22 lanes.
And don’t overlook the PC1000 Pole Mounted Camera for all your video monitoring needs. You will be able to monitor conditions remotely with 360° rotation to document conditions on the road.
