An Integrated System for Traffic and Information to Users: Management during Resurfacing Works on a Dual Carriageway.

Province of Florence, in view of the necessity to improve the pavement structural conditions of the dual carriageway "Firenze-Pisa-Livorno" open totraffic, considered several available technical solutions in order to maintain its accessibility to motorists during construction phase. Traffic discomfort minimizing (in terms of queue time and user safety) and information on the works maximizing (in terms of traffic condition in real-time) were made possible thanks to a contract responsible for both road design, operation and management. This allowed the implementation of a traffic information service associated to a communication campaign known as "Fipilissima". The results of the activity of this service (patrolling, fast operation, information management), have been evaluated in terms of performance obtained. Vehicles that carry out the road patrolling are equipped with video cameras and a variable message panel so that accidental events or queue can be signalled closer to the place where they happened, integrating dynamic message signs positioned along the road and at the interchanges. This comprehensive system was completed with a protocol carried out in conjunction with the police force for the joint management of emergencies (due to traffic queues at road works) based on alarm thresholds and intervention codes. For the covering abstract see ITRD E139491.