South Jersey Real-Time Motorist Information System: Technology and Practice

Abstract

The South Jersey Real-Time Motorist Information System project is aimed at the rapid deployment of available intelligent transportation system surveillance and communication technologies to monitor traffic on the basis of need at various locations in the South Jersey highway network. The proposed system is a highly mobile traffic-surveillance design that includes mobile, self-sufficient, sensor units with communications and data-collection capabilities that allow the sensor unit to exchange information with the traffic-control center. The sensor units can be installed easily at any location on the transportation network without delays for establishing power and communication connections. This rapid-deployment capability meets the goal for easy-to-deploy traffic-surveillance units that can be used to manage the transportation system during any type of disaster. A technical overview and the advantages of this system and its evaluation procedure are presented. In addition, the problems faced and lessons learned during the implementation, along with future plans for deployment, are presented.