Published on the 29/03/2019 | Written by Heather Wright
Intelligent traffic lights + drones to ease congestion…
NSW drivers will be getting a helping hand from intelligent traffic lights and drones after the NSW Government gave the green light to a program to allow better monitoring and real time adjustment of traffic flows.
More than 500 intersections will be upgraded across NSW. The package includes a $450 million investment to remove 12 ‘pinch points’ across Sydney, with $25 million also being invested in drone technology and virtual messaging which will enable more of the road network to be monitored in real time and incidents to be reported and cleared faster.
Work is expected to begin in July and be completed within two years.
Minister for Roads Melinda Pavey says the new traffic technologies will decrease congestion and provide more efficient trips for drivers across the existing road network.
“The government is harnessing proven methods, such as pinch point elimination, alongside new technology such drones.”
The system will see sensor technology introduced to detect traffic conditions in real time in a move the NSW government claims will slash travel times and – in a boon for motorists – will stop cars from being stopped at empty traffic intersections.
Instead, signals change to green as vehicles approach to improve traffic flow at major intersections.
The smart traffic control techniques will also be introduced at on-ramps for major motorways.
About 100 drones will also be deployed around Sydney to patrol and monitor traffic.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the government is harnessing proven methods, such as pinch point elimination, alongside new technology such as drones, in its plans to reduce congestion.
“Congestion costs Sydney around $6 billion each year and this is a critical long-term investment in our future,” Berejiklian says.
Victor Dominello, Minister for Finance, Services and Property, said in a LinkedIn post that the Liberal National Government is investing $1.2 billion to fix pinch points and on smart technology to cut travel times and improve safety.
“We are making this investment to keep our roads moving so drivers can spend less time sitting in traffic and more time doing what they need to or what they enjoy,” Berejiklian says.
Last month Berejiklian also announced a $5 million investment over four years in rolling out CCTV cameras across Western and South Western Sydney in a project designed to bolster community safety.
Police Minister Troy Grant says CCTV camera footage ‘can be a vital source of information for police when gathering intelligence and investigating criminal activity, and acts as a deterrent to criminals, reducing the likelihood of crime’.
“It’s about putting criminals on the back foot – if they know they’re being watched, it makes them think twice about doing the wrong thing,” Grant says.
If successful, the initiative will be expanded into other areas in NSW.
Berejiklian’s government retained its status in last week’s elections, with the coalition government given a third term in office.
