Virginia's traffic management system

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:7307159

Morris, J; Marber, S ^[1]

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1. Virginia Dept. of Transportation, VA (US)

This paper reports that Northern Virginia, like most other urban areas, faces the challenge of moving more and more vehicles on roads that are already overloaded. Traffic in Northern Virginia is continually increasing, but the development surrounding Interstate 395, 495, and 66 makes little room available for roadway expansion. Even if land were unlimited, the strict requirement of the Clean Air Act make building roads difficult. This paper reports that ensuring the most efficient use of the interstate highways is the goal of the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT's) traffic management system (TMS). TMS is a computerized highway surveillance and control system that monitors 30 interstate miles on I-395, I-495, and I-66. The system helps squeeze the most use from these interstates by detecting and helping clear accidents or disabled vehicles and by smoothing traffic flow. TMS spots and helps clear an average of two incidents a day and prevents accidents caused by erratic traffic flow from ramps onto the main line. For motorists, these TMS functions translate into decreased travel time, vehicle operating costs, and air pollution. VDOT's TMS is the foundation for the intelligent vehicle-highway systems of tomorrow. It employs several elements that work together to improve traffic flow.

• OSTI ID: 7307159
• Journal Information: ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) Journal; (United States), Journal Name: ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) Journal; (United States) Vol. 62:7; ISSN 0162-8178; ISSN ITEJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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