This paper describes the Los Angeles Smart Corridor Project which is currently in the design concept phase. Implementation is planned in a twelve mile corridor composed of the Santa Monica Freeway carrying up to 315,000 vehicles per day and five parallel arterial streets. The overall goal of the project is to improve the efficiency and reliability of traffic movement in the corridor through the coordinated use of a variety of traffic management measures utilizing advanced technology. The estimated project cost is $41.3 million. In order to achieve this goal it will be necessary to link five different traffic control centers that currently operate independently: Caltrans (freeway), Los Angeles (ATSAC - city street traffic signals), Los Angeles (city street traffic officers), Highway Patrol (freeway), and SCRTD (buses). It will also be necessary to fully instrument the freeway and city streets within the corridor. This will involve connecting traffic sensors, traffic signals, ramp meters, video cameras, and changeable message signs to computers at the respective control centers. A major focus of the project will be the implementation and evaluation of various types of driver information systems including changeable message signs, highway advisory radio, automated telephone response, cable TV, in-vehicle navigation system, monitors located in office buildings and parking garages, and computer bulletin boards. New traffic management strategies will be developed to provide drivers with suggested alternate routes to avoid congestion and traffic incidents. Expert system technology will be utilized to assist operators at control centers in the identification of incidents and the selection of appropriate countermeasures. It is intended that the Smart Corridor Project will be the precursor of similar corridor traffic management systems throughout Los Angeles County and the State of California. (A)
Abstract