Constant innovation is central to our mission of building a more connected city, and SDOT’s Transportation Operations Center (TOC) is always looking for new ways technology can help. We use Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) devices to monitor traffic throughout the city, and then share information on incidents with the public through dynamic message signs (DMS), Twitter, and the Travelers Information Map (where you can see a live feed from cameras).
Over 40 traffic cameras, a key tool for confirming incidents, received a major upgrade in 2016 to give our TOC clearer video feeds and make identifying and reporting incidents easier. This improvement also helps first responders who monitor the feeds see what’s going on, plan ahead, and provide assistance more efficiently.
To better share this information with the public, we’ve also installed 6 additional dynamic message signs throughout the city to let motorists know of any ongoing issues and plan ahead.
At SDOT, we use the latest technological innovations to improve our ability to monitor, respond to, and share information about traffic incidents throughout Seattle. Our Intelligent Transportation Systems play a key role in creating a safe, efficient, innovative transportation system that works for all travelers, and we’ll be continuing to develop and upgrade systems next year in 2017. When people know what’s going on in real-time, they can make more informed travel choices.