PRESS RELEASES - APRIL 2007

City Opens New Traffic Management Center
Technology Enables Traffic Engineers to See the “Big Picture”

April 4, 2007

On the opening day of Texas Rangers baseball, traffic engineers won’t have to rely on calls and computer alerts to spot traffic problems when they occur.

On Friday, the City of Arlington will debut new software technology that will help traffic engineers keep traffic moving in and around the Entertainment District. Inside of the new Traffic Management Center, engineers will be able to determine why traffic stalls and why there is more traffic congestion in one location compared to another.

“This is the first time that traffic engineers have had the ability to be in more than one place at a time and see the big picture,” said Traffic Analyst Mike Blake, who will be one of the engineers watching traffic on two 52-inch computer monitors in the center. There are 313 signals in the city, and about 60 percent of them are connected to the new software with live camera feeds into the center.

In the center, engineers will be able to adjust the timing of traffic signals and watch for accidents and stalled vehicles. The Police Department will also monitor public safety from their security cameras. There will be better coordination between the city and TxDOT traffic management officials who can coordinate incident management techniques along the freeways.
“The goal is to help people get in and out of the Entertainment District as quickly and safely as possible,” said City Traffic Engineer Paul Iwuchukwu. “We can detect traffic congestion and mitigate as soon as it occurs. We can adjust signal timing to keep traffic moving.”
Voters authorized $400,000 in funding to install traffic management cameras during a Street Bond Election in 2003. City officials are already looking into future enhancements in a partnership with members of the local business community, including the Texas Rangers, Six Flags Over Texas, Lincoln Square, Arlington Chamber Foundation, Dallas Cowboys and Glorypark officials. Plans include public access of traffic videos via the website and cable channel, and the integration of a larger center within a public-safety facility as development occurs.

Assistant Director Keith Melton said the city is building the most advanced traffic management system in the nation while helping to reduce air pollution. An idling vehicle is the worst contributor to the environment, Melton said. “When we’re able to avoid excessive idling, we are helping to improve the quality of our environment.”
Editor’s Note: The Traffic Management Center opens Friday at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on the east side of the shipping and receiving dock. For interviews, call 817-832-3470.