‘Robo Traffic Cops’ to Monitor Pasadena Traffic Flow?

Watch out motorists, all-seeing “Robo Traffic Cops” will be watching you on city streets 24/7. That is if the City Council approves a $606,060 traffic signal synchronization programming of traffic signal controllers project.

The Pasadena City Council is set to vote on Monday the recommendation of the Department of Public Works to award a contract to Sully-Miller Contracting Company for the Traffic Light Synchronization Project (TLSP) installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at six locations.

The project will provide software technology through traffic control programming based on transportation analysis.  By installing CCTV cameras and video surveillance, real-time traffic flow would be monitored and adjusted in a Traffic Management Center. That will facilitate data analysis in the Traffic Management Center which will enable review of traffic flow volumes for transportation studies and planning.

Translated, the software will allow immediate intelligent adjustments on traffic lights depending on traffic volumes at intersections at any given time. The software can do this with the CCTVs installed at the intersections that sees and analyze everything.

The project is not expected to be used police for ticketing motorists for traffic law violations.

Included in the project corridors are intersections along:

1) Hill Avenue from Del Mar Boulevard to Orange Grove Boulevard;

2) Del Mar Boulevard from Orange Grove to East City Limits;

3) Los Robles Avenue from California Boulevard to the North City Limits;

4) Orange Grove Boulevard from Colorado Boulevard to Foothill Boulevard;

5) Sierra Madre Boulevard from Del Mar Boulevard to Michillinda Avenue; and

6) California Boulevard from Pasadena Avenue to Lake Avenue.

The Public Works department recommended the project to be awarded to Sully-Miller being the lowest “responsive and responsible bidder.” Also, the firm fully complied with the Competitive Bidding and Living Wage Ordinances.

The project is expected to begin construction in January, 2013 and due for completion in May the same year.

The project supports the City Council’s strategic goal to improve, maintain and enhance public facilities and infrastructure and to improve mobility and accessibility throughout the city. It is consistent with the Mobility Element Policy by developing and implementing appropriate traffic management measures to keep traffic on designated major multimodal corridors and to accommodate the needs of users along the corridor and the needs of multimodal and peak-hour travellers.

More importantly, the City’s Environmental Administrators said the proposed project would improve the efficiency and safety at existing intersections.