The City of Lewisville, TX is planning a complete overhaul of the City’s traffic signal infrastructure network using SMART solutions to improve connectivity.
The primary purpose of this network is to support communication between the ATMS NOW software and the traffic signals. This gives signal maintenance personnel the ability to troubleshoot signal issues remotely and provides alerts for any malfunctions. When working appropriately, this network also provides real time viewing of several intersections to assist Traffic Engineers in monitoring traffic flow, verifying complaints, and identifying problems with signal programing. A secondary use for this network could be for public safety personnel. If all intersections had appropriate bandwidth, the video could be streamed back to dispatch, a command center, and even directly to public safety vehicles. A further use could be for code enforcement staff in viewing illegal signage in ROWs, etc.
The City established the existing traffic signal data network in FY 2009-10. This infrastructure was funded through three different grants totaling approximately 1.4 million dollars. The primary grant, ARRA, was a federal grant that required all hardware purchased to be made in the United States. This prerequisite greatly reduced staff’s ability to implement this project utilizing best of class equipment.
As a result, the traffic network is a hodgepodge of solutions comprised of hardware from multiple vendors that do not always communicate appropriately. The infrastructure network includes 107 traffic signals with 67 of these intersections (63%) equipped with GE MDS Mercury 900 MHz radio traffic signal communication equipment, the majority of which is no longer manufactured or supported, and even when working appropriately does not have the bandwidth required to provide an adequate backhaul for streaming video. There is no support for this infrastructure because the equipment is either end of life or the parent company for several of the solutions is defunct...
A vision and planning study is underway that will identify potential signal communication SMART technologies and will provide an assessment of these technologies.
The study will provide a recommendation as to the best fit for the City of Lewisville considering the existing infrastructure. This infrastructure network is critical in moving people within and through Lewisville in an expedient and efficient manner, therefore, it is a perfect regional improvement effort.