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It’s ITS upgrade time for New York’s George Washington Bridge

The electronic highway signage system and field devices for New York’s George Washington Bridge are to undergo a major overhaul in a US$65.1 million project. Bridge owner Port Authority of New York has approved the project to replace the intelligent transportation system which includes the upgrade and replacement of 11 variable message signs and the installation of seven new ones.
September 16, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The electronic highway signage system and field devices for New York’s George Washington Bridge are to undergo a major overhaul in a US$65.1 million project.

Bridge owner Port Authority of New York has approved the project to replace the intelligent transportation system which includes the upgrade and replacement of 11 variable message signs and the installation of seven new ones.

Also to be installed is a new overhead sign structure. This includes the upgrade and replacement of fixed message signs, replacement of variable message signs, vehicle detectors, traffic cameras, travel time readers and a weather information station.

The bridge's ITS system feeds traffic data  to TRANSCOM, a consortium that operates  a regional traffic management system and  provides information to all member agencies  for radio reports, highway signs, traffic apps  and other means of disseminating traffic  information.

"The Port Authority's facilities are critical to moving people and goods throughout the region," said Port Authority vice chairman Scott Rechler.

"Today's action to employ this intelligent transportation system will help move the 300,000 commuters that cross the world's busiest bridge every day and reduce congestion throughout the region."

The project is due to begin in the fourth quarter of 2017 and be completed by the second quarter of 2020.

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