Monday, December 29, 2008

Fort Worth traffic signal improvements are coming in 2009

By Pegasus News wire

Congestion and air quality are top priorities for Fort Worth and the North Texas Region. That’s why the city will improve its traffic signal operations come 2009.

Upgrading the system will improve traffic flow, reduce traffic accidents, improve air quality and fuel consumption, and better manage Fort Worth’s roadway system.

Photo not provided by City of Fort Worth

One improvement will be to remove the yellow light altogether, since nobody seems to slow down for them anyway.

The current traffic signal system installed in1986 needs a major overhaul. That overhaul includes a $3.4 million investment to install intelligent transportation system (ITS) components. The investment will be covered with federal grants and a city funding match.

ITS makes use of the latest modern technologies, including transportation communication systems that relay traffic information to the city’s Traffic Management Center (TMC). It’s a real-time operation that uses digital cable modems, wireless modems, closed captioned television cameras (traffic cameras) and control boxes to alert center staff to all types of traffic upsets.

Today, 160 intersections are connected to the city’s traffic signal system. By installing the high-speed ITS communication system, 300 additional traffic signals will be connected so staff can synchronize clocks for coordination, monitor signal operations, detect traffic flow, react to events, change timing and receive automatic malfunction alerts.

As part of the improvement package, 30 new traffic cameras also will be installed in 2009. These cameras “keep an eye” on traffic flow, signal timing, railroad crossing activity, and they allow staff to conduct traffic studies, evaluate responses and share video with the Texas Department of Transportation as well as the city’s 911 Call Center and Emergency Operations Center.

Source: Fort Worth

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Comments

Scott Doyle Verified

Are they going to have that goofy flashing yellow arrow for left turns that Richardson installed?

Not sure when people got so retarded they don't know to yield before turning left at an intersection, but I can't stand when I get stuck behind someone who doesn't comprehend what's going on and just sits until there's a green arrow. =(

10 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

David Gouldin Staff

Closed captioned traffic cams? So taxpayer money is going toward transcribing "[honk] [honk honk] [hoooooooooooooonk]"?

10 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

momzilla Anonymous

That honking is typically accompanied by sign language, so what do we need the closed captioning for?

10 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

Captioning? Well, momzilla, I don't always understand the language being hollered at me, maybe there's translation software too.

Also, maybe there's valuable color commentary we would otherwise miss.

10 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )