BlueTOAD Connected Vehicle Technology
Location
Throughout City of Carlsbad (180 signalized intersections)
City or County Responsible for Project
City of Carlsbad
Category
Safety or Intelligent Transportation System Projects
Author
Craddock Stropes
City of Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Avenue, Carlsbad CA 92008
760-602-2726
Project Description
The City of Carlsbad implemented connected vehicle technology that allows staff and the public to use real-time interactive maps and the traffic data analytics reporting system to more efficiently manage traffic flow. The system provides alerts to staff in the city’s Traffic Management Center when traffic congestion is present so that issues can be diagnosed and corrected remotely without visiting the field. Leveraging this technology also enhances the city’s efforts to implement Transportation Demand Management programs in line with the city’s General Plan Mobility Element and Climate Action Plan, resulting in greenhouse gas emission reductions. TrafficCast’s BlueTOAD Spectra DSRC Roadside Units are being used to collect data from 180 signalized traffic intersections throughout the city. The product detects anonymous Bluetooth signals broadcast from mobile devices to determine accurate travel times and speeds. It calculates travel times and speeds in real-time to provide route management capabilities. This data is fed into the city’s Traffic Management Center to allow technicians to effectively monitor traffic flows. The data is available to the public via a live traffic map on the city’s website (http://traffic.carlsbadca.gov) that shows current traffic speeds on the city’s main arterial roads. Each of the city’s main arterial roads carries more than more than 40,000 average daily trips to destinations such as Maclellan-Palomar Airport, Legoland, Omni La Costa Resort and several large industrial and retail centers. Residents, commuters and visitors can receive real-time traffic data directly to their vehicles or mobile devices to anticipate traffic routes. The city can take advantage of real-time data to better manage congestion and efficiently communicate current traffic conditions to drivers. The system allows for more accurate traffic analytics and improves travel time reliability. The project provides traffic management staff as well as commuters with the information they need to make the most informed decisions. It optimizes traffic flow and travel times by providing real-time data. It positions the city to communicate more effectively in an Internet of Things (IoT) world by implementing devices that will push localized traffic data from the cloud to the new generation of connected and autonomous vehicles. The data collected by the BlueTOAD units, combined with vehicle and infrastructure data, will be used as the foundation to enable a variety of commuter-based applications and Connected Vehicle initiatives. Total project cost was $300,000 for hardware, software, installation and setup. The project was budgeted in the city’s Capital Improvement Program, and funded by TRANSNET, a program that collects receipts of County Sales Taxes which are allocated by the San Diego Regional Transportation Commission to finance various local road improvement projects.
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