Challenge:
With population surpassing 130,000 and a thriving business district, Bellevue was challenged to find new ways to accommodate a growing number of motorists without taxing resources.
Solution:
The city had used Opticom™ Infrared (IR) traffic signal priority control at each of its 185 intersections for decades. It transitioned to Opticom™ Multimode as part of an equipment replacement strategy. Because the new equipment worked with both IR and GPS technologies, emergency responders from other communities could respond quickly in mutual aid crisis.
It was another Opticom™ technology, however, that is being credited with revolutionizing priority control for the city. Bellevue implemented Opticom™ Central Management Software (CMS).
“The benefits were immediate,” said Mike Whiteaker, Bellevue Intelligent Transportation Manager. “We can isolate issues in real time and make smarter and faster maintenance decisions.”
The automated software simplifies tasks and reduces operating costs. Technicians know what’s wrong at an intersection before they get there. And, often, they don’t have to go at all. Many maintenance tasks can be handled at the centralized traffic management center.
Performance:
“Our primary goal is to use signal preemption to reach those in need faster,” said Whiteaker. “Opticom™ CMS allows us to do that more cost-effectively. It lets us be proactive to ensure more consistent performance.”
