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The new components will improve both the experiences of pedestrians and vehicles
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New technology components are now being used to help manage downtown traffic -- an expansion of the program launched in 2007.
Under its Traffic Management Plan, the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) has now outfitted the most high-traffic areas south of Canal Street with 27 traffic monitoring cameras, eight solar-powered Variable Message Signs (VMS), two Highway Advisory broadcast radio stations, and 13 transponder readers. In addition, 152 new traffic sensors are now in the process of being installed throughout downtown.
These tools are part of the LMCCC’s City Operations program, funded by a $6 million allocation from the Federal Transit Administration. The multi-pronged “Intelligent Transportation System” (ITS) has helped alleviate downtown traffic congestion for several years now, funneling up-to-the-minute traffic information to the joint City/State Traffic Management Center (TMC) in Long Island City -- which in turn informs local motorists through VMS boards and live radio.
“Our goal is to have a constant flow of information to those who live and work in Lower Manhattan,” said LMCCC Executive Director Robert Harvey. “With this Traffic Management Plan, we mitigate the impact of the construction and reduce congestion so the quality of life downtown is maintained. This expansion is coming online as construction in Lower Manhattan hits a peak in the next year or so.”
The other main component of the Traffic Management Plan uses data collected and combines it with community feedback, field operations, and inter-agency coordination through the Construction Permit and Enforcement Taskforce (CPET). Comprised of the city Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Buildings, Police Department, and other agencies, CPET is equipped with regulatory authority over construction activity. Members meet daily at the LMCCC to review permits, identify problem areas, and deploy enforcement personnel as needed.
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| 27 cameras will be added to monitor traffic |
CPET members also participate in numerous general and project-specific construction-coordination meetings, and work directly with project sponsors in the field. Each agency in CPET has enforcement personnel solely dedicated to Lower Manhattan. Among them are 10 DOT highway inspectors, six DOB inspectors, and 35 NYPD traffic agents -- all focused on enforcing traffic rules, ensuring safety, and maintaining quality of life.
Additionally, NYPD has two tow trucks dedicated solely to crack down on drivers who are double parked or parked illegally.
“Construction in Lower Manhattan is a sign of the city’s growth, but we need to do everything we can to reduce its impact on the local community,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “Mayor Bloomberg is a national leader in using technological innovation to help city government operate more effectively, and this is one more step in that effort.”
The LMCCC and DOT will integrate data from the ITS onto LowerManhattan.info, giving the community easy access to real-time details about mobility downtown.
Click to view the press release.
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