There is a global need for more intelligent traffic management and enhanced road safety, fuelled by data collection and the useful interpretation of that data into real-time information that provides for effective action by traffic engineers. The prevailing transportation paradigm, one-person-one-vehicle, is forcing the multimodal traffic infrastructure to its limits. With continuous congestion, longer commute times, and increased accidents, agencies are tasked with finding solutions without escalating their already saturated system architecture. That dilemma is pushing transportation professionals to seek innovative technology tools, to manage to a higher level of service, using their limited and constrained resources. One method for enhanced level of service, or LOS, is through automated traffic signal performance metrics.
One technology for collecting and analysing those traffic metrics is the Eberle Design Data Aggregator. The iCITE® Data Aggregator features a data and communications rich hardware platform, that transforms any legacy traffic cabinet into a continuous traffic count intersection monitoring station, which easily interfaces to traffic controllers, communications enabled detectors and intersection safety monitors. By adding remote intersection data to traffic data set, coupled with providing turning movement counts and split timing data, the Data Aggregator brings immediate access to non-interconnected or remote intersections via 3G/4G/LTE/GSM/GPRS cellular communications. It provides travel time calculations via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth sensor networks, and provides the fourteen performance metrics mandated by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration.
By installing the iCITE® Data Aggregator, every intersection is turned into a permanent traffic count station with Arrivals on Red, the Purdue Coordination Diagram, Split Failure, Queue Length, Split Monitoring, and Signal Phase and Timing Data. Any traffic management agency has the ability to measure, analyse, manage and take action to make their intersections and traffic flows more efficient. Adding in Traffic Travel Time, Speed Data, and Average Daily and Annual Traffic Counts, traffic planners gain insight into how best to adjust and time infrastructure assets, allowing improved levels of traffic throughput.
Utilising the same EDI hardware, vehicle OEMs can have access to a wide range of real-time traffic cabinet data to optimise traffic flow, reduce congestion and save lives.
Eberle Design’s iCITE® Data Aggregator makes the most of existing infrastructure to collect traffic data, to connect remote (unconnected) traffic intersections while continuously preparing for future infrastructure and data collection needs. Accuracy in collecting traffic data is critical to the optimisation of traffic flow in any traffic management network.
Upon receiving the IRF Global Road Achievement Award, Dr. Bill Sowell, Vice President, Eberle Design, Inc. noted: “Eberle Design is grateful for selection as the 2018 Traffic Management and ITS IRF GRAA award winner with our iCITE/Data Aggregator product. Since its inception, the iCITE/Data Aggregator has provided cities, counties and State traffic management agencies with the ability to affordably connect and retrieve real-time traffic data from isolated or non-interconnected intersections. Optimisation of traffic signal timing relies upon models built upon accurate and reliable data, and our product helps provide a reliable real-time traffic data set that is useful and actionable. We are thrilled to be part of IRF Global, and fully support its mission and message of Better Roads. Better World.”
