The New South Wales Incident Management System in Australia will enable the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to manage its road network effectively, and reduce the impact of congestion and incidents on road users. It will cover the main motorways and trunk roads in the Sydney metropolitan area and its surroundings, and in the Newcastle and Wollongong areas. This paper focuses on its Central Management Computer System (CMCS), being developed by Serco, which will be established first and set the requirements for a standardised system. The CMCS is based on robust Digital Alpha technology, which combines Intelligent Transport System (ITS) features such as automatic signalling, variable message signs (VMS), and speed control signs. Its functions include: (1) input of traffic and incidents data; (2) incident management; (3) provision of a high-quality map-based interface for the traffic systems operator to view traffic conditions and then establish solutions to traffic incidents; (4) communicating traffic data and sign display messages to roadside controllers; (5) operating an advisory travel time system; (6) operating a dynamic traffic speed management system; and (7) communicating with the Sydney Co-ordinated Adaptive Traffic Control System (SCATS) computer systems to accept traffic and incident data.
Abstract