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Updated: 7:40 PM Jul 9, 2008
Speeding Up Traffic
Traffic has become a real inconvenience in Bay County over the last 20-years, and as the county grows, so does the congestion. However, there could be some improvements within the next two years. Posted: 6:36 PM Jul 9, 2008Reporter: Josh Gauntt Email Address: joshua.gauntt@wjhg.com Smoother Traffic Flow |
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Traffic has become a real inconvenience in Bay County over the last 20-years, and as the county grows, so does the congestion.
However, there could be some improvements within the next two years.
Tired of waiting at those long traffic signals?
The Bay County Traffic Engineering Division says they have a solution. It’s the Intelligent Transportation System.
The advanced traffic management system is designed to ease those traffic headaches, and it could save you a little time on your drive home.
Last year, in phase one of the project, workers buried 50 miles of fiber optic cable.
"The second phase of it will include cameras," Tommie Speights, District 3 Public Information Officer for the Florida Department of Transportation said.
In this phase, under a contract awarded by the Florida Department of Transportation in April, installers will connect the cable to synchronize 92 signalized intersections around the county. It will also include the use of 33 cameras at major intersections. There are already eight cameras set up on the Hathaway Bridge, and from one location, the signals can be changed to help with traffic flow.
"So as you travel for instance on 23rd Street, currently each intersection is not communicating. You may get a red or green. With the new system, we will be able to coordinate the signals so that you'll get a series of green before you get to red," Keith Bryant, Bay County's Traffic Engineering Manager said.
According to county officials, this new system promises to reduce traffic time by an estimated 30%.
"To help reduce travel time, that's our goal," Bryant said.
World Fiber Technologies is the primary contractor.
The work is expected to take 410 days at a price of almost $3 million dollars.
The overall project is expected to be almost $9.5 million dollars and all the money is coming from the state.
"What we're aiming to do is to improve safety and relief to traffic congestion along major arteries here in Bay County," Speights said.
The goal: helping you deal with rush hour road rage by making your commute just a little quicker.
Bay District Schools will eventually be able to tap into the system's fiber optic network to provide connectivity between all of the school campuses and the other school facilities.
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How about starting with the Harrison/Jenks/98 fiasco????
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