RSS560 ITS America has recognised the 5590 New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DoT) for Midtown in Motion, the sophisticated traffic management system launched last July that uses ITS to ease traffic congestion, improve traffic flow, and reduce greenhouse emissions and air pollution on the city’s most congested streets. Coinciding with the award, NYC DoT announced that it is expanding the system, which currently covers 110-square blocks, to cover 270-square blocks in the city’s most heavily congested neighbourhood at a cost of US$2.9 million. In addition, the agency will spend $2 million on 200 new signal-control units to remotely adjust stop lights, bringing the total of such controllers to 9,200.
Preliminary results of the first phase of Midtown in Motion showed an overall 10 per cent increase in travel speeds on the avenues in the 110-block service area, as measured by E-ZPass readers, while taxi GPS data showed similar results. The expanded service area, covering more than 270 square blocks, will include an additional 110 microwave sensors, 24 traffic video cameras, and 36 E-ZPass readers, and will be fully operational this summer, allowing engineers to respond to congestion in heart of Midtown.
Janette Sadik-Khan, city transportation commissioner, was presented with the ITS America Smart Solution Spotlight award in recognition of the city’s commitment to smart technologies that allow engineers to respond to traffic conditions in real time. “While every New Yorker talks about beating the traffic, by extending Midtown in Motion and speeding our reaction times to trouble spots, we’ve taken decisive steps towards managing it more effectively. We also welcome this Smart Solution Spotlight award for shining a light on our non-stop efforts to keep New Yorkers moving,” she said.
The Midtown in Motion programme also included the installation of turn lanes at 53 intersections, allowing vehicles to turn from cross-town streets on to the avenues without blocking an entire lane of through-traffic, and added turn signals at 23 of these intersections to allow turning vehicles to do so more safely without conflicting with pedestrians. Half of the City’s signalised intersections have been computerised and integrated with the traffic management centre. The goal is complete integration of all signals by 2013.
The programme uses advanced solid state traffic controllers at signalised intersections that controls the traffic signals at the intersection wirelessly. This generation of traffic controllers also is more weather resistant and tamperproof, and requires less maintenance. The wireless system is powered by the New York City Wireless Network (NYCWiN), a high-speed, citywide infrastructure dedicated to public safety and public service applications developed and managed by the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
“From cameras to microwave sensors and EZ-pass readers to advanced solid state traffic controllers, Midtown in Motion is a showcase of the most sophisticated intelligent transportation solutions available to public agencies,” said Scott Belcher, president and CEO of ITS America.
Preliminary results of the first phase of Midtown in Motion showed an overall 10 per cent increase in travel speeds on the avenues in the 110-block service area, as measured by E-ZPass readers, while taxi GPS data showed similar results. The expanded service area, covering more than 270 square blocks, will include an additional 110 microwave sensors, 24 traffic video cameras, and 36 E-ZPass readers, and will be fully operational this summer, allowing engineers to respond to congestion in heart of Midtown.
Janette Sadik-Khan, city transportation commissioner, was presented with the ITS America Smart Solution Spotlight award in recognition of the city’s commitment to smart technologies that allow engineers to respond to traffic conditions in real time. “While every New Yorker talks about beating the traffic, by extending Midtown in Motion and speeding our reaction times to trouble spots, we’ve taken decisive steps towards managing it more effectively. We also welcome this Smart Solution Spotlight award for shining a light on our non-stop efforts to keep New Yorkers moving,” she said.
The Midtown in Motion programme also included the installation of turn lanes at 53 intersections, allowing vehicles to turn from cross-town streets on to the avenues without blocking an entire lane of through-traffic, and added turn signals at 23 of these intersections to allow turning vehicles to do so more safely without conflicting with pedestrians. Half of the City’s signalised intersections have been computerised and integrated with the traffic management centre. The goal is complete integration of all signals by 2013.
The programme uses advanced solid state traffic controllers at signalised intersections that controls the traffic signals at the intersection wirelessly. This generation of traffic controllers also is more weather resistant and tamperproof, and requires less maintenance. The wireless system is powered by the New York City Wireless Network (NYCWiN), a high-speed, citywide infrastructure dedicated to public safety and public service applications developed and managed by the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
“From cameras to microwave sensors and EZ-pass readers to advanced solid state traffic controllers, Midtown in Motion is a showcase of the most sophisticated intelligent transportation solutions available to public agencies,” said Scott Belcher, president and CEO of ITS America.
