The photo above shows 140 miles of Tampa, Florida roads via 130 cameras in the Florida Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center. These 60 video screens shows what is happening around on the roads around Tampa Bay. Is there a traffic jam on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge? Are there any crashes on Dale Mabry? is Traffic Management Center helps make life more manageable for thousands of motorists in Tampa Bay. In any given day the people watching these video screen can see people run out of gas, rear end crashes, head on collisions, people running red lights and a myriad of other things.
Three years ago $9 million was invested in installing these cameras around Tampa. Transportation officials say that these cameras are helping. They figure that the cameras are changing driver behaviors.
The Traffic Center updates electronic warning signs along Tampa roads. These warning signs gives drivers options. If the signs says that there is a traffic delay ahead then the drivers may taken an alternate route. It is saving drivers time and alleviating traffic.
Another great feature about the cameras are safety. Suppose you have a tire blow out at night. The employees in the traffic center can contact the Florida Highway Patrol to help you.
Roughly a dozen operators watch the video screens around the close, covering 140 miles of roads from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to Pasco and Polk counties. They do it all from the SunGuide Center, a Florida Department of Transportation facility near Busch Gardens. Working 8 hour shifts, the operators have handled more than 110,000 calls of distress since the facility opened in July 2007.
They notify the Florida Highway Patrol, which has its own viewing facility one room over, and speak with road rangers in the field. They also update the electronic marquees along interstates. Still images are updated periodically online at fl511.com.
Safety and efficiency is the primary focus, though operators also see people jump off the Skyway, motorcyclists thrown and accidents involving children.
Information from this article.
