The City of Greenville Public Works Department; and Transportation Equipment and Services, an authorized Wavetronix channel partner.
Transportation officials in Greenville, North Carolina are replacing failed loops at signalized intersections with the non-intrusive SmartSensor Matrix. The sensor is providing cost savings while improving safety, mobility and productivity.
The City of Greenville Public Works Department maintains 265 miles of road and 125 signalized intersections, 115 of which are vehicle-activated. Historically, Greenville has relied on more than 900 loops for vehicle detection at these intersections. According to officials, more than 50 loops fail or require maintenance each year. Replacing a single loop can take a day or more and requires temporary lane closures that lead to traffic delays and reduced safety for motorists and workers.
When a loop fails, the city replaces it with SmartSensor Matrix, a high definition, multi-beam radar device that installs above the ground. Matrix emits 16 separate radar beams to achieve a 90-degree, 140-foot field of view that detects and tracks vehicles as they approach an intersection. The sensor provides true presence detection of all moving or stopped vehicles, allowing vehicle-activated signals to operate more efficiently. Additionally, one sensor can monitor up to 10 lanes of traffic simultaneously, so a single Matrix unit can replace a number of loops, and while initial installation costs are comparable to loops, the long-term maintenance costs of SmartSensor Matrix are significantly lower.
“We’re always looking for ways to do things better and more cost-effectively, and SmartSensor Matrix makes that possible, With Matrix, we really are getting more for each taxpayer dollar by leveraging the safety, mobility, data collection and cost- and time-saving benefits it provides.”–RICHARD DICESARE, A TRAFFIC ENGINEER FOR THE CITY
SmartSensor Matrix has kept Greenville traffic moving by preventing traffic delays that can result from faulty detections. It has improved motorist and worker safety by eliminating the need for lane closures, and it has improved worker productivity by substantially reducing the time required for sensor maintenance. Matrix also provides bicycle detection and traffic count capabilities. Finally, Matrix saves the city tax dollars by reducing the long-term maintenance expenses for sensors.
