The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) has selected Econolite’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to upgrade the region’s traffic signals.
As part of the County’s ongoing infrastructure modernization program, DTPW will use Econolite’s technology and systems, including adaptive signal control technology, to reduce traffic congestion and travel costs for residents and roadway users.
The transportation network is a fundamental component of economic health and prosperity for any region. Based on traffic data from cities, including Miami, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) estimates that traffic congestion costs the nation about US$85bn annually (US$763 per commuter), with travel time costs representing 71% (US$60.6bn) of the total annually.
To help enhance mobility and Miami-Dade’s economic security through infrastructure modernization, Econolite will initially upgrade 300 intersections along 12 congestion management corridors in the county with new traffic controllers and its Autoscope video detection sensors.
The program also calls for deploying Econolite’s Centracs ATMS (advanced transportation management system) software platform. In addition to adaptive signal control, Econolite’s state-of-the-art route priority, navigation data integration, and cybersecurity features will be embedded into the system, providing even greater public safety and mobility.
Miami-Dade County’s ITS selection follows a successful 2016 pilot installation along NW 36th Street between 71st and 84th Avenues. The pilot program demonstrated significant mobility improvements, including a reduction in travel time and traffic congestion hours.
“We have been testing this new technology for approximately one year now, and have already seen impressive improvements in time-savings and traffic flow along NW 36th Street,” said Miami-Dade County’s mayor, Carlos A Gimenez. “We are constantly searching for new and innovative ways to alleviate congestion in our community, and I believe these smart signals are just one of many future solutions.”
Econolite’s VP of sales, Mark Nogaki, commented, “The ITS solution Miami-Dade selected includes connected vehicle capabilities and adaptive signal control, which will automatically optimize traffic signal timing continually based on traffic conditions, and lay the infrastructure foundation for smart city capabilities. This provides the county with transformative capabilities that residents will benefit from immediately, and far into the future.”
