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Article:Traffic Management and Control

“Virtual Remote Visits” Save City Time and Money

Central facility to manage City of Bellevue traffic (see diagram)

Traffic control and maintenance departments are continually challenged to relieve traffic congestion and maximize flow. An important component involves monitoring intersection devices to ensure optimal performance and data collection. These pressures are coupled with continued budget reductions or constraints.

At each intersection, a variety of smart devices such as loop and/or emergency detectors and controllers are located. These smart devices generate a large amount of valuable data, up until now could only be accessed by physically collecting the data at the intersection. Now these tasks can be accomplished remotely by utilizing the Data-Linc Group CCS9000 Comprehensive Communications System.

To access data at these remote locations, a technician must drive to the location and download the data onto a laptop. Time-consuming program modifications must be executed at the intersection. Later, the technician must return to the intersection to ensure that the proper changes were successfully implemented. This can cost a municipality time and labor of up to $1,000 per visit. In a large metropolitan area, these costs can rise dramatically. During harsh conditions, these on-site visits cannot even be performed. Accessing data and implementing modifications remotely would not only streamline the process, but reduce time and labor costs.

Remote Sites

Many municipalities use a combination of communication devices— wireless radio, dial-up/leased line and private wire— to effectively control and maintain traffic and safety devices. A combination of communication devices is not uncommon as each device has its own specific strengths.

Communication devices located at remote stations can endure extreme temperatures, be constrained by physically small panels or enclosures and/or be located in difficult terrain, miles from the central facility. Field locations can be at a busy city intersection to a rural country road. The device must be versatile and flexible to accommodate the limitations and challenges of remote field sites.

The Data-Linc Group CCS9000 was designed to accommodate the diverse communication needs of the traffic and safety market. The CCS9000 offers:

• The ability to monitor, troubleshoot and program remote data tracking and control devices from one or more central locations

• Multi-port smart communications to any remote location

• Communications over virtually any communication medium or combination of paths

• Transparent interface with video systems for visual monitoring or logging

• Seamless connectivity, simple installation and ease of use.

The CCS9000 communicates over any medium or combination of paths— Telco dial-up and leased lines, private wire networks and/or radio modems. Any central location with a computer can communicate with any remote device with the CCS9000, eliminating time-consuming on-site programming and monitoring, carrying a laptop to a busy intersection or to a distant deserted road— in rain or in shine. Because the CCS9000 is so versatile, the City of Bellevue continues to purchase and install the CCS9000 throughout their 31 square mile metropolitan area.

Case in Point

The City of Bellevue, one of the top 25 fastest-growing cities in Washington State is located east of Seattle, nestled against picturesque Lake Washington. Bellevue hosts a population of more than 110,000, with a workforce exceeding 131,000.

The cultural climate of the Bellevue area is high take— home of Microsoft, Esterline, Paccar and many other major high tech businesses. Bellevue residents value information technology and are among the nation’s most "connected" citizens. Based on a survey conducted in early 2001, more than 85 percent of homes in Bellevue have a computer, well above the national average, and about 82 percent have accessed the Internet.

In the past 20 years, Bellevue has transformed itself from a bedroom community to a major regional business and retail center. When you’re one of the fastest growing cities in the State of Washington, traffic management is a continuous job.

Dan Plute, traffic signal maintenance supervisor for the City of Bellevue, reflects the high tech nature of this City. He has used the CCS9000 for many years. Bellevue’s current standard for signal cabinets calls for the CCS9000, and the City plans to deploy these modems citywide. All replacement cabinets, new construction and retrofitting critical areas, will be upgraded to the CCS9000 technology.

The CCS9000 Comprehensive Communication System reduces the labor costs typically required for technicians to implement on-site changes or gather data. The CCS9000 will allow any multi-vendor remote device with a serial port to be connected to a single modem/multi-port smart switch. Changes, repairs and/or data can be accessed, reviewed and changes executed at the central location using Data-Linc Group Traffic Connections^TM software. Traffic Connections automatically establishes the communications link via an easy-to-use, point and click menu. Traffic Connections orchestrates each communication session, switching from one device to the next and is transparent to any vendor specific software. The technician can then recheck and verify any changes 24 to 48 hours later using Traffic Connections software rather than performing a costly on-site confirmation.

When using a dial-up/leased line or private wire, data can be concentrated on one copper pair line using an intercom circuit to hundreds of cabinets to every serial port in each cabinet. Distance to remote locations via dial-up, leased line or private wire communications is virtually unlimited. Wireless communications to remote locations can exceed 35 miles, utilizing a simple, omni directional antenna with line-of-sight. Then using a laptop or computer, remote serial data can be managed, viewed, collected and modified at a central facility.

"…CCS9000 system saves the City [of Bellevue] valuable time and money," says Plute. "A virtual intersection visit is simply more efficient than performing on-site visits."

The CCS9000, coupled with Traffic Connections, have simplified the process by reducing time and labor costs. Plute coined a phrase to describe the remote electronic traffic signal maintenance, repair and management process as a virtual intersection visit. "The Data-Linc Group CCS9000 system saves the City valuable time and money," said Plute. "We can perform modifications to the timing of traffic lights, gather loop detector data or obtain a simple traffic count without going to each cabinet to download the information. A virtual intersection visit is simply more efficient than performing on-site visits. "

Plute must be a believer as he recently ordered additional systems from Data-Linc Group. "The CCS9000 is a standard piece of equipment for the City of Bellevue," added Plute.

For more information on the CCS9000 Comprehensive Communication System or any other Data-Linc Group communications device, contact Data-Linc Group at (425) 882-2206, paccific Coast Time, fax (425) 8675-0865 or email sales@data-linc.com.

Data-Linc Group representatives in Asia Pacific. Wired & Wireless Solutions International
Head Office Asia Pac : Level 7, of 6 Help St, Chatswood, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2067
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