Bringing Tech to Bear Against Traffic

In the face of rapidly worsening commute congestion, the Bay Area Council’s Transportation Committee, under the leadership Chair and Arup Principal John Eddy has adopted a combination of strategies for near-term commute improvement, including a focus on active highway management.  This week (Sept. 8) Council members met with Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) Deputy Director Tess Lengyel and Principal Project Manager Raj Murthy to hear about progress being made on the I-80 Integrated Corridor Mobility Project (I-80 ICM).

This project, slated for completion in 2015, will implement dynamic ramp metering, driver information systems, and incident management solutions to improve highway and transit efficiency along the highly congested corridor.  In fact, this is the first project in the nation to integrate such extensive highway management technology into a single corridor, and the Bay Area can use this project as a model to accelerate the implementation of these strategies in other corridors.

The I-80 ICM is expected to yield immediate congestion relief, deploying technology that avoids costly transportation infrastructure projects that take decades to complete.  The Council currently is working with members and regional stakeholders to apply similar technology solutions to the critical Highway 101 corridor linking San Francisco to San Jose and the Silicon Valley. To engage in the Council’s transportation initiatives, contact Policy Vice President Michael Cunningham.