ITS equipment supplier Econolite has announced that Miami-Dade County received a National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award in Information Technology for its adaptive signal control technology upgrade along the NW 36th Street corridor.
In 2016, Miami was rated the fifth most congested city in the USA and 10th in the world, based on a study released by leading transportation analytics provider Inrix. On average, citizens spend 65 hours per year stuck in traffic. The Information Technology Department and Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) decided to expand the county’s traffic mobility management program, implementing a small-scale Adaptive Signal Control Technology solution project on the NW 36th Street Corridor covering 10 intersections to improve traffic flow, travel time and reduce congestion.
Miami-Dade County contracted Econolite to deploy its traffic signal controllers, detection sensors, Centracs software with adaptive signal control, and a Bluetooth-based travel time system that precisely measures traffic performance, along NW 36th Street between 71st and 84th avenues.
The system included adaptive functionality and video detectors placed at intersections to evaluate traffic per lane. In addition, the controllers allow for real-time traffic movement decisions based on the actual traffic patterns and make use of other traffic detectors already installed at those intersections.
The deployment of Econolite’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) devices measuring traffic volumes and calculating travel time on the corridor, uses web-based services to calculate changes.
The back-office Advanced Transportation Management System (ATMS) will centrally manage the traffic of the signalized intersections on the corridor and talk to the Econolite controller to make traffic easier to navigate for residents. Since deployment, Econolite’s ITS solution has demonstrated a 10% average reduction in travel time along the corridor and also includes connected vehicle capabilities for future integration.
The deployment of adaptive signal control along the 10 intersections of the NW 36th Street corridor is part of the county’s larger infrastructure modernization program that uses Econolite’s leading-edge ITS technologies to install smart signals at 300 intersections along 12 corridors in the region.
“New technologies that improve our quality of life have always been a key milestone of our administration,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A Gimenez. “The improvements in time savings and reduced congestion along NW 36th Street are examples of how smart signals and adaptive signal control technologies are helping Miami-Dade successfully address future transportation challenges today.”
Econolite’s president and COO, Abbas Mohaddes, commented, “Miami-Dade County’s adoption of leading-edge traffic signal optimization is a testament to its forward-looking vision. The ITS solution they have deployed lays the groundwork for a smart and connected city, which helps ensure a thriving and sustainable future for county residents.”
