KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
The City of Santa Clarita has partnered with a software company to implement a pilot program designed to monitor traffic signal and crossing gate status in an effort to improve commute times, officials said.
Officials with the Traffic and Transportation Planning Division in the City of Santa Clarita have selected AVTECH Software’s “Room Alert” monitors and sensors for the new traffic control pilot program.
The program aims to improve commutes and reduce traffic congestion by monitoring traffic signals for malfunctions due to overheating and power loss, as well as inoperable railroad gates that cause traffic delays.
“Our traffic signal enclosures could reach internal temperatures up to 140 degrees during the summer and heatwaves,” said Cesar Romo, traffic signal system administrator for the City. “The average cost to replace an enclosure damaged by high heat could reach $4,000. Monitoring the enclosures to ensure they are not overheating or losing power will reduce repair costs. Room Alert will also help avoid situations where the signals stop working due to power loss or overheating, which will help to improve traffic flow.”
The Santa Clarita Traffic and Transportation Planning Division first approached AVTECH to purchase Room Alert monitors and sensors to provide temperature monitoring after an HVAC failure in a secure facility caused high heat concerns.
“We are being proactive, not reactive,” Romo said. “This will help the City better manage potential issues before they impact the surrounding areas.”
Santa Clarita also recognized how Room Alert could help prevent traffic problems due to malfunctioning railroad crossing gates by sending an alert when Room Alert monitors detect the gates are closed longer than normal.
Railroad Avenue, for example, can see about 45,000 cars per day in each direction, according to Romo.
“Santa Clarita is not on a grid system,” Romo said. “If one major street is shut down, it can ripple across the valley.”
In the past when crossing gates became stuck or malfunctioned, the Traffic and Transportation Division would not get notified until at least 45-60 minutes after traffic problems began. With Room Alert proactively monitoring the gates, notification arrives via automated email and text message within 5 minutes, drastically reducing the time to get the gate re-opened and improving traffic flow.
“The City of Santa Clarita has a history of looking for technical solutions to prevent infrastructure problems and improve reliability,” said AVTECH President & COO Richard Grundy. “Room Alert monitors and sensors have already proven that they can reduce damage and downtime caused by high temperatures and unexpected power loss. We’re confident that Room Alert will improve the city’s traffic flow and help to decrease commute times across the region. We look forward to continuing to work with Santa Clarita to help protect their mission-critical infrastructure and identify other ways Room Alert can save money on repairs and equipment replacements due to environment-related causes.”
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Rather than worry about rare malfunctions, how about synchronizing signals along Soledad Canyon Rd. Stopping at every signal is what causes the real backups.
I agree, not only Soledad Canyon, but all through out the city. I live in Irvine years back, during the early 80″s. James Irvine contracted a management company to find a solution to this traffic congestion by automations “meaning traffic lights sensor which auto regulates the flow of traffic automatically” other than synchornization. RED- when no car holding or coming – GREEN on the other hand.
I certainly agree. This “pilot program” is a joke and fixes little to nothing. This City has about the worst traffic control signals of any in Southern California. The City needs to do something about the flow of traffic and do away with the necessity of having to stop at every signal. This wastes gas, time and pollutes the air.
You need to put a Truck Scale between Golden Valley off ramp to the Newhall Ranch Road toward the 126 (somewhere between that route) as that would cut down on the trucks in the morning that are avoiding the truck scales on the 5 Freeway. What do the think about that!
Hoe about completing the. Via princessa road over to Valencia. That would be a great start to what will become an eventual nightmare sith Newhall Ranch going in.
This hardly seems revolutionary. If ambient temperature is too hot for traffic light controls more proactive measures are warranted. There are suitable air conditioners available for such uses.
There needs to be a rail bypass from Oat Mountain to Sand Canyon for the North South freight trains.
Infrastructure!
The scv has some of the worst traffic light management in the country and it’s only getting worse.
This system won’t do much for our traffic when we continue to build homes one very square inch of soil that exists. We need a growth moratorium. And we need to bring back the traffic cameras on our main signals. Red light running is blatant and dangerous and getting worse and worse
Does anyone know why the signals get so hot? Is it strictly from sitting in the sun all day? Does anyone know if the signals use LED lights instead of incandescent? If not, that would cut down on the heat. I would hope that someone would have thought of that already.
Bouquet canyon signals need to be adjusted. Currently, everyone stops at very signal all along the way. With all of the new build on Plum canyon and Newhall Ranch road, it will likely be gridlock.