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ITS Moscow selects SmartSensor HD to help combat congestion

Radar traffic detection and monitoring specialist Wavetronix has announced the selection of SmartSensor HD for an ambitious ITS project in Moscow, Russia. The project seeks to address some of the heaviest traffic congestion in the world, and is one of the largest projects to deploy SmartSensor HD in Wavetronix' 10-year history.To date, 1,241 SmartSensor HD units have been purchased and are being installed along Moscow roads as part of the ITS Moscow project. SmartSensor HD uses true high definition radar to
May 1, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
Radar traffic detection and monitoring specialist Wavetronix has announced the selection of SmartSensor HD for an ambitious 3278 ITS project in Moscow, Russia.  The project seeks to address some of the heaviest traffic congestion in the world, and is one of the largest projects to deploy SmartSensor HD in Wavetronix’ 10-year history.

To date, 1,241 SmartSensor HD units have been purchased and are being installed along Moscow roads as part of the ITS Moscow project. SmartSensor HD uses true high definition radar to track vehicles in multiple lanes and provides accurate volume, occupancy and speed data. Wavetronix says that currently, it offers the greatest resolution and range for radar vehicle detections, and it is the only device of its kind capable of detecting individual vehicle speeds.

Moscow’s traffic problems are legendary. The city is surrounded by a series of ring roads that carry an average of 700,000 vehicles into the capital each day.  Congestion peaks between 9:00 and 11:00am and between 5:00 and 7:00pm, but delays can last much longer.

“One day it took me more than four hours to drive three miles through the center of Moscow,” says Sergey Strizhenov of the purchase and logistics department at Stroy Invest, an equipment supplier that was instrumental in selecting SmartSensor HD for this project.  “The number of cars in Moscow greatly exceeds the traffic capacity of our roads, and we have huge traffic jams every day as a result.”

Improving traffic conditions is a priority for Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, but the scope of the problem has reached the national level.  n 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev mandated the creation of ITS Moscow, a joint project between the federal government and city officials aimed at fighting Moscow traffic jams.  Approximately $860 million USD is planned for investment in ITS as part of the project, which is expected to last through 2015.

The installation of SmartSensor HD marks an important first step in bringing Russia’s ITS program to life.  “The sensors are installing right now, and all of them should be installed by the time we announce this project at 254 ITS World Congress in Orlando,” says Strizhenov.  “The sensors are scheduled to be fully operational by December.”

The data collected from SmartSensor HD will be used to monitor traffic, identify problems and inform the public of problems that may affect their commute.  SmartSensor HD was tested extensively prior to being selected as the traffic detection device for ITS Moscow.  “It proved to be the best sensor for this project,” says Strizhenov.  “The accuracy and reliability of SmartSensor HD best fit the needs of Stroy Invest and ITS Moscow.”

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