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.
[Above photo by TxDOT]
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.
Starting at the intersection of SH 130 and Pflugerville Parkway north of Austin and then extending south toward Cameron Road, the corridor is equipped with an integrated sensor platform, including cameras, Long Term Evolution or LTE wireless communication antennas, fiber-optic connectivity, and artificial intelligence-powered processing – all working together to give TxDOT operators a clearer, instantaneous, more complete picture of what is happening on the roadway.
“This new technology provides TxDOT operators full, real-time visibility so they can verify incidents faster, spot hazards sooner, and make near real-time decisions that protect all drivers,” said Mike Arellano, deputy district engineer for TxDOT’s Austin District, in a statement.
“Equally significant, with advanced notification of disruptions in the roadway with connected vehicles and freight, this technology enables drivers to make informed decisions early for safer and more efficient travel,” he added.
Additionally, SH 130 Smart Corridor will serve as a live testing ground for Texas SMARTTrack – a transportation technology evaluation and certification center developed with regional agencies including TxDOT and the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin.
“The insights that TxDOT will gain from this smart corridor will ultimately support more efficient traffic management and operations to a broader network of roadways along key travel corridors in Texas in the future,” said Brenda Guerra, director of operations for TxDOT’s Austin District.
