AASHTO Journal - Nevada DOT Helps Launch I-11 SafeTech Corridor Project

The Nevada Department of Transportation – in partnership with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada – has started construction on the SafeTech Corridor project; an effort to expand the use of advanced traffic management or ATM technology along approximately five miles of I-11/U.S. Route 95 in the Central Las Vegas Valley.

[Above image by Nevada DOT]

The approximately $22 million project – funded through a combination of federal, state, regional, and local sources – is designed to improve traffic safety and flow via the use of real-time traffic monitoring technology along one of southern Nevada’s busiest freeway corridors.

The agency said in a statement that major project improvements include:

The installation of seven ATM gantries capable of displaying real-time speed, lane use, and incident messaging.
Placement of 12 wrong-way driver alert systems at six interchange locations: Martin Luther King Boulevard, Rancho Drive, Valley View Boulevard, Decatur Boulevard, Jones Boulevard, and Rainbow Boulevard, with two systems installed at each interchange.
Establishing two strategic traffic management sites for law enforcement and incident response operations.
Deploying additional intelligent transportation systems infrastructure to support system integration and future traffic management operations.

Nevada DOT said project construction will occur in phases through 2027. Initial work includes concrete barrier rail improvements and installation of foundations for the ATM gantries, which are anticipated during a later phase of work due to extended manufacturing and delivery lead times.

Other state departments of transportation are also involved in similar “smart corridor” projects.

For example, the Texas Department of Transportation recently activated a smart corridor on more than four miles of State Highway 130 or SH 130 in an effort to enhance roadway safety while improving travel efficiency.

The agency said the new SH 130 Smart Corridor provides TxDOT’s Traffic Management Center with real-time hazard alerts, incident verification, and corridor status, enabling faster, more informed decision-making.