Politics & Government

New $34M Traffic Management System Coming to I-66

The high-tech system will span 34 miles of roadway, from the District of Columbia to the town of Haymarket in Prince William County.

The Virginia Department of Transportation and Gov. Bob McDonnell announced a new high-tech system coming to Virginia's Interstate 66 that is meant to help reduce congestion through better communication with drivers and improved traffic flow via lane control signs.

The system, known as Active Traffic Management, is relatively new to American roadways, though it has been used on highways throughout Europe.

"Conditions on I-66 in Northern Virginia demand the deployment of this innovative technology and commuters will benefit from improved safety and increased communication during incidents and congestion," McDonnell stated in a news release.

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Such systems continuously monitor traffic with high-tech tools like vehicle-detection sensors and closed-circuit television cameras. New lane signs will signal to drivers if congestion is ahead and will provide dynamic speed limit reduction information as motorists approach work zones or crashes, according to a VDOT information sheet.

Another key component for I-66 drivers: The shoulder lanes will be opened to traffic as congestion builds, no matter the time of day or day of the week.

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"This new system will provide motorists with information that shows what lies ahead along their commute, helping them make more informed travel decisions," Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton said in a news release.

Active Traffic Management is already being used on four roadways in the state of Washington, the first to use this new technology. According to theWashington State Department of Transportation, the system was successfully used during a January 2012 snow event to first alert drivers of the major snow storm on the way and then to reduce speed limits during the snow.

In Virginia, the system will span 34 miles from Washington to the town of Haymarket in Prince William County and will separate the roadway into five distinct segments with specialized strategies and technologies. The $34 million project will be funded largely with federal dollars.

Construction is expected to begin this spring and to be complete by spring of 2015, according to VDOT. 

Learn more from the VDOT fact sheet.


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