Dade Center Makeover Meant To Ease Traffic Woes
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami-Dade County Traffic Center got a $1.3 million upgrade meant to help you drive around South Florida.
Highways, roads, and streets are the arteries that pump Miami-Dade drivers where they need to go and the Department of Transportation keeps it all running smoothly from their center on NW 36thStreet.
After nearly 40 years, the county's center got a makeover.
"Some of that money went to this…a new LED video wall which helps engineers monitor and influence traffic flow," said Director of Transportation Alice Bravo.
They also built new workstations for the engineers. They can look up multiple locations on the cameras from their desktop.
"Having all the signals connected here allows our traffic engineers to log in and make signal timing changes. Before having the center, a traffic engineer would have to go out to the field and make adjustments," said Bravo.
If you're at a stoplight and there are backups because of rush hour, the engineers can extend the green light time so some of that congestion is instantly alleviated.
"The cameras and the detectors give our engineers eyes and ears out in the field," said Bravo.
They are putting more eyes and ears out there. The department installed 84 cameras at the busiest intersections and they plan to install hundreds more.
The Department of Transportation hopes to one day have a camera on every intersection in Miami-Dade County.
They also installed the first automatic signal controller in Miami-Dade right in front of the traffic center. The smart signal can automatically change stop light times instead of always needing an engineer at the center to do it manually.
"We're doing everything possible to use technology to help maximize the efficiency of the road way system," said Bravo.
The best part about all the new technology is that it helps reduce congestion - meaning less time looking at break lights. It's a welcomed change for south Florida drivers.
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