Drivers in Pinellas County will soon be able to receive alerts of traffic jams and help them avoid accidents thanks to a $4.6 million federal grant.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced this month it has awarded 10 projects a share of $49.6 million in Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment grants.
The federal funding is slated for the advanced intelligent transportation systems technologies that would improve mobility and safety and support vehicle connectivity.
Pinellas County was awarded for its Pinellas Connected Community project.
The county would use the funds for the technology that would not only allow drivers to become aware of traffic clogs, but also pedestrians crossing the road and other potential dangers.
"I'm happy to see Pinellas County invest in its analytical technologies and data sources. We have parallel technologies in Tampa, but we would love to see this become a regional effort so the big benefits of this technology will be realized throughout," Hillsborough MPO Principle Planner Johnny Wong said.
Early adopters
He said Hillsborough County did not apply for the grant. However, Tampa Bay is no stranger though when it comes to implementing advanced technology for its roadways.
In 2015, the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority launched a connected vehicle pilot and it was the only program in the country implementing real-time, vehicle-to-Infrastructure and vehicle-to -vehicle communications, according to Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority.
THEA's technology warns drivers about wrong-way entry onto expressway ramps, warns speeding drivers to slow down and alerts TECO Line Streetcar operators to oncoming cars.
THEA's wrong-way driving alerts and other notifications sent to drivers are communicated through the driver's rearview mirror. The messages and translated to the technology by roadside sensors that almost appear like solar panels.
After the successful pilot, THEA has registered more than 1,000 cars that have been equipped with the CV technology through the program.
THEA also recently partnered with Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. to use connected vehicle-ready Hyundai vehicles and hardware in the CV pilot deployment to test the communication with the manufacturer.
Seeking a safer I-4
A specific timeline was not given regarding the project's implementation. Although, there are many ways to install the technology though other than roadside units such as mounting the technology to traffic signals.
Wong said he is excited to see this technology come to the bustling Interstate 4 corridor that links Tampa Bay and Central Florida. The project is called the I-4 FRAME project, or Florida’s Regional Advanced Mobility Elements project.
"I-4 has been dubbed the most dangerous interstate in America [due to the large number of fatalities]. There is a huge interest to have this corridor outfitted with the technology," Wong said.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the state $10 million to deploy roadside communication units in the I-4 corridor.
The project will allow travelers in the I-4 FRAME system to receive a variety of traffic, weather, intersection signal timing and other mobility-related messages in real time.
