SMART SunGuide
Transportation Management Center (TMC)
During the early 1980's, Broward County commenced a program to provide a computerized control linking the County's 1,500 signals. The objective of this program was to provide improved coordination, efficiency and safety for motorists using the arterial network.
During the mid-1990's, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) commenced a program to deploy a freeway management system within Southeast Florida. These systems include Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), Closed circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, vehicle detectors and fiber optic communications to manage traffic incidents and congestion more efficiently.
During the late-1990s, FDOT developed a master plan for a new Transportation Management Center (TMC) to monitor and control the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure being deployed in the field. The SMART SunGuide TMC in Broward was conceived as a facility that would enable the primary transportation partners to manage the surface transportation system from a common facility. These partners include FDOT District 4 ITS Staff to monitor and control the freeway management system; Broward County Traffic Engineering Division (BCTED) to manage the computerized traffic control system; Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) in taking a lead role in incident management; and Broward County Transit (BCT) to monitor and control its transit bus, rail, automated people mover, and water bus systems.
In January 1996, the United States Department of Transportation announced a National Goal for Deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) known as "Operation Timesaver." The goal was to complete the development of ITS infrastructures, including Transportation Management Centers (TMC), across the nation, by the year 2005.
Since 1996, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has taken a leadership role in the deployment of ITS infrastructures throughout the state, including regional TMC's in major metropolitan areas. From a regional perspective, completion of the SMART monitor and control the freeway management system, arterial signalization system, and the bus system; as well as serve as the headquarter for ITS operations and maintenance, the Road Ranger service patrols, Traffic Incident Management Team activities and the Broward County Traffic Engineering Division. Meanwhile, design and construction of the ITS field devices (i.e., dynamic message signs, CCTV cameras, traffic detection, fiber optic communications) along the freeway and arterial system will continue during the next several years.
The SMART SunGuide TMC is currently being operated 7 days per week, 24 hours per day. TMC operators coordinate with the Road Rangers, Road Watchers, Florida Highway Patrol and other TMC partners (i.e., FDOT District 6, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, SmarTraveler), to determine incident and congestion locations. The information is then used to post the appropriate messages on the Dynamic Message Signs. As additional ITS devices are installed, the data will be more robust, thereby providing detailed and accurate traveler information on the 511 system, traveler information website as well as Dynamic Message Signs.
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more information on the construction of the SMART SunGuide TMC.
