Highway & Network Management

In the Intelligent Transportation Systems world, the concept of managing roadway or transportation corridors is not new. Smart Corridor concepts have existed for some time, such as the Santa Monica Smart Corridor system from the 1990s. Across the world, a new emerging model for operating roadway transportation networks called integrated corridor management (ICM) has emerged. This is particularly true in California, where several new ICM projects have or are being deployed. There is a new paradigm for corrid

Maximising the economic benefit of infrastructure assets can be achieved through delivering better quality maintenance. Increasing utilisation of infrastructure follows on from those assets being in better condition. Clearly by tracking infrastructure condition closely, huge gains can be made in addressing technical issues before they become more serious and more costly, as well as minimising disruption. In UK city Birmingham, high resolution aerial photography from Bluesky is helping the city council under

German traffic analysis consultant and software maker PTV, which produces the well-known Visum and Vissim strategic traffic analysis and micro-simulation tools, has launched a new assessment tool aimed at studying traffic impact of new developments. PTV Vistro is claimed to be the first all-in­ one-solution for transport analysis and signal optimisation, an easy-to-use software that can be used to conduct traffic studies which are often a mandatory part of development applications and planning approvals.

Central and local governments are facing many challenges, not least a shortage of funds due to budget restraints in the US and Europe in particular. In other markets, ensuring efficient traffic flow is the priority, with monitoring of network status being a key tool. New technology for traffic monitoring plays a crucial role and the sector is keen to introduce new and more efficient systems. The Transport Research laboratory (TRL) has long been a pioneer of traffic control technologies and its latest MAAPc

VMS for what is thought to be the longest road tunnel in the Middle East, and the installation of the latest VMS technology in Canada’s oldest national park to help motorists travelling through it are among the projects discussed by Guy Woodford. A large volume of VMS from Italian firm Solari has been installed in the new 4.2km-long Zayed Street Tunnel in Abu Dhabi – thought to be the longest in the Middle East. The Solari VMS supply consisted of 204 lane control signs, with Red, Yellow and Green LED pre-de

Jon Masters reports on the latest moves in the free-flow tolling segment. Free-flow tolling of roads and discrete infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels, is an area of transportation that appears to be booming. Tolling in general is on the up, often still as a means for funding road projects where public sector budgets can no longer cover the necessary costs, but not exclusively so. Several high profile examples of road user charging for ‘demand management’ – the reduction of congestion as part of a wi

Siemens has won new traffic signal maintenance contracts from four highways authorities in the Midlands of England. The contracts cover Nottingham, Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull. The contracts will run for five years and cover the maintenance of more than 400 traffic signal junctions, traffic equipment at nearly 550 pedestrian crossings and all ancillary equipment and minor civil works linked with maintaining the traffic signal equipment. The works also include the maintenance of 86 car park variable

Traficon says its first ever integrated Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera automatically recognises license plates from all over the world with the highest accuracy. The new EYE-D camera addresses a wide range of applications, including red light enforcement, automatic tolling, urban congestion charging, black/white list applications and average journey time monitoring. Equipped with a powerful infrared illumination, which enables it to monitor two lanes simultaneously up to a range of 60m dur

U.S. Architectural Lighting has unveiled a new luminaire for streetscapes, walkways, plazas, commercial and transit centres, and other public areas. Said to be designed for versatility, Versalux LED has a wide range of mounting options, including arm, post top, canopy and wall mount. It features the company’s VLED Optical Module, a system claimed to offer modular interchangeability while meeting all design criteria. The modules are available in 64-, 80- and 120-LED packages with wattages from 70W to 202W an