Rising beyond the challenge:
A smarter city, a brighter future
|
|
|
Congratulations to Columbus, Ohio for being selected as the recipient of $50 million in grant funding from the US DOT’s Smart Cities Challenge. As the Buckeye State’s capital city sets out to become the country’s first to fully integrate innovative technologies into their transportation network, all eyes will be fixed upon them. And while Columbus may have won the funding, the city certainly doesn’t hold a monopoly on defining what it means to be a “Smart City.”
Building a smart city from a hotbed of innovation
Austin possess a true spirit of innovation that has positioned our state as a fierce competitor in the global economy. That success, coupled with the explosive growth of our region, has led to demand far greater than our current transportation infrastructure can accommodate. If any city can leverage a challenge and transform it into a growth opportunity, it’s Austin. And that mindset and culture was evident in the robust initiative spearheaded by Mayor Adler for the Smart Cities Challenge. The Austin proposal demonstrated the value and necessity of a cohesive and collaborative effort by our region’s transportation partners and the untapped potential of future partnerships.
We’re proud of the proposal – a plan that harnessed the opportunity and passion for bringing smart, innovative thinking to address our region’s mobility challenges. And we’re proud of the innovative traffic solutions we’ve championed in the past with our eye on a holistic solution to meet the needs of the future—with or without the benefit of a federal grant. We see the spark created by the Smart Cities Challenge as a tremendous benefit as we forge ahead; our eye is still on the prize. Becoming a model for other municipalities to follow is more imminent than ever, with a renewed commitment to leverage the latest technology to address what Austinites claim to dislike most about our growing city: traffic congestion.
Smart cities begin with smart initiatives
At the Mobility Authority, we’ve been working to transform mobility and re-envision connectivity since our agency’s inception nearly 15 years ago. As we build a network of roadways that offer Central Texans reliable travel times and alternative mobility options, we are moving thoughtfully and deliberately to address the unique challenges facing our region. By making new technologies an integral part of our mission, we’re using industry-leading best practices in roadway planning and construction to change the way the rubber literally meets the road. And we’re doing it east and west, north and south, throughout Central Texas.
As the test city for Google’s self-driving cars, Austin is founded on a culture of innovation and connectivity. In fact, one of the five biggest components of the Austin proposal, intelligent, sensor-based infrastructure, is a concept we’re already applying to our current projects. Let’s take a look at all the “smart” ways the Mobility Authority is already advancing mobility:
Express Lane to the future
The MoPac Improvement Project’s soon-to-open Express lanes will be the first traffic management tool of its kind to help Central Texans effectively bypass congestion on a roadway notorious for traffic delays. Vehicle detection sensors and a state-of-the-art Traffic Management Center will monitor traffic patterns and manage the algorithm that ensures the lanes operate efficiently for free-flowing travel. Permeable Friction Course Pavement will provide safer driving conditions in wet weather and LED lighting will enhance safety.
Balancing infrastructure with environment
The 183 South Project, currently under construction in east Austin, will be among the first roadways in our region to include a number of innovative safety features, such as wrong way driver detection equipment, which helps prevent fatal collisions. We’re also studying the benefits offered by the use of solar power on this roadway.
In line our existing commitment to environmental stewardship, we’re pursuing a GreenRoads accreditation for the 183 South project, the most widely used transportation sustainability rating system worldwide. The independent, third party system, will evaluate the 183 South project by evaluating the design and construction and assigning a Greenroads rating to truly gauge sustainability.
Making transit a viable option
We know that any solution to the traffic problems of our vehicle-dependent region must be comprehensive and must include transit. Encouraging people to use transit means we have to address the inconveniences that make single occupant vehicles a more attractive option. In partnership with Capital Metro and CAMPO, we’re studying ways to implement a Park & Ride initiative in Austin and make transit a viable option for more commuters, ensuring that as our population grows, so does the use of transit.
Mobile technology revolution
We’re using mobile technology to keep the community connected. Harnessing the power of emerging technology to make our city run more efficiently, we’ve incorporated mobile devices into our mobility efforts by partnering with Metropia, an intelligent traffic management app that predicts the most efficient routes based on traffic patterns. In addition to helping drivers outsmart traffic, Metropia gives incentives for motorists using less-congested routes and offers rewards for making trips at off-peak times.
It takes a HERO
Our Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO) program helps stranded drivers while minimizing traffic delays and improving highway safety. In partnership with TxDOT, we operate this free roadside assistance service to aid motorists on I-35 and US 183. These are not Mobility Authority roads, but we recognize this is where the need is greatest. Our aim is to keep traffic free-flowing in the case of an incident, no matter which roadway is carrying the burden.
A look ahead
Our mobility solutions are aimed at keeping pace with the rapid growth of our region, while preserving and enhancing our quality of life — today and tomorrow. And our mission at the Mobility Authority is not just to develop roads, but to do so intelligently while cultivating a broader way of thinking about mobility. Our roads are built on the bedrock of technology and innovation that makes us proud to call Central Texas home, and we look forward to the next 15 years of smart solutions for our region.
. |
