From left, clockwise: Guy Carignan, John-Pierre Desrochers, and …
The company also offers several control system options.
New this year, GridSmart is a vision-based traffic monitoring and control system that replaces loop systems and capital-intensive central control systems by using patent-pending heuristics and genetic algorithms at the local intersection level. The resulting automated, proactive real-time traffic management system maximizes traffic flow, thus reducing carbon emissions. It also increases safety by sensing and reacting to approaching emergency vehicles and potential red-light runners.
Last year, Winchester, Tenn., replaced all its incandescent traffic lights with the brighter LED signals under Aldis’ plan.
In addition to reducing energy costs and improving safety, the plan reduces potential liability for accidents at intersections. Because the signals are networked, the city has a computer record of each light’s operation and can confirm that a particular light was working properly at a certain time. Winchester is slated to be one of the first cities to try the GridSmart system.
Clearly, there are many opportunities to improve system performance and efficiency. But there’s a lot to learn along the way as well.
— Klemens is senior editor with CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, a sister magazine of PUBLIC WORKS.
