Q-Free has won three major contracts with toll road operators to deploy its Kinetic Mobility advanced traffic management system (ATMS) in Washington DC, Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth areas, marking the solution’s entry into the US tolling market.
Q-Free’s Kinetic Mobility is a scalable ATMS platform that integrates all ITS devices into a single decision-making dashboard across freeways, toll roads, and arterials, eliminating the need for patchwork solutions. Fully customizable, it offers a selection of mix-and-match traffic management modules to give tolling operators the ultimate flexibility to create the perfect managed lane system for their needs.
The specific locations of the three contracts are Transurban’s 95, 395, and Capital Beltway (495) Express Lanes near Washington, DC, the E-470 Public Highway Authority’s toll road on Denver’s eastern perimeter, and Cintra’s Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Express and North Tarrant Express Lanes right in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
“Streamlining our tolling systems help us better serve our customers, enabling faster, more reliable trips for travelers in Northern Virginia,” said Beau Memory, president, Transurban North America. “Innovative solutions are one way we keep traffic moving and connect people, places, and progress.”
The 95/395 Express Lanes near Washington DC are the longest reversible road in the United States, which inherently require intense traffic management for safety. The contract award is for 12 years and includes the deployment and maintenance of Kinetic Mobility, covering just over 65 miles of roads with 298 gates, 22 gantries, and 349 detection points. This partnership builds on Q-Free’s long-standing collaboration with Transurban in Australia.
Q-Free also recently won the ATMS contract for the E-470 Public Highway Authority’s toll road on Denver, Colorado’s eastern perimeter, covering 47 miles of toll road and over 130 ITS devices and equipment. The project, if the Authority exercises contract options, will last through 2030. The partnership is unique in that it could allow for enhanced traffic incident management (TIM) coordination with both the Authority and the Colorado Department of Transportation using the same ATMS. This collaboration could improve the TIM partnership in the Denver metro area while enhancing safety and reducing congestion for the traveling public.
Additionally, Q-Free has partnered with Cintra to replace their existing ATMS with Kinetic Mobility on the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Express and North Tarrant Express lanes that serve major thoroughfares along two of the busiest highway corridors in North Texas. The contract includes the initial deployment and five years of operations and maintenance covering approximately 54 miles of toll roads.
Mark Talbot, Q-Free CEO says, “Partnering with major industry leaders like Transurban, the E-470 Public Highway Authority, and Cintra underscores the value and innovation our platform brings to the tolling sector. We’re excited to support their efforts and deliver smarter, more seamless mobility solutions for their customers.”
“Winning these contracts is a significant milestone for Q-Free,” says Whitney Nottage PE, executive vice president for traffic management at Q-Free. “Kinetic Mobility sets a new standard for toll road management by providing a fully integrated, scalable solution that simplifies operations, enhances efficiency, and provides a better experience for toll operators and road users.”
