The Toronto Management Centre, the site of an Activu-powered video wall system, is featured in two pieces from The Globe and Mail, “Toronto’s Traffic Management Centre Gets a Serious Update. Will it Make a Difference?” and “Street Savvy: A Look at how Toronto’s Traffic Nerve Centre really Manages our Roads.” In the video interview, Stephen Buckley, the General Manager of Toronto Transportation Services, speaks candidly about recent technology updates to the traffic management center (TMC) and what the improved situational awareness will mean to travelers in the Toronto area.
The video wall system, which connects to nearly 200 cameras focused on the highway system throughout Toronto, will allow the TMC to focus on the downtown core and the arterial system (high-capacity urban roads). During the interview, Buckley spoke about the TMC’s near-term areas of focus and plans for the future. With the updated video wall system, the TMC will be better equipped to manage traffic at intersections. By closely monitoring arterials, the TMC will have access to real-time information that allows them to switch the signal timing plans based on what is occurring on these roads. In addition, the TMC will be better equipped able to manage situations on the roads such as the enforcement of misbehaving contractors, illegal parking and the dispatch of enforcement services.
In the future, Buckley indicated that a key area of focus for the Toronto Management Centre will be on providing better travel information to the public. He indicated that while they will continue to rely on media outlets to distribute information about traffic conditions, they expect the new system will allow the TMC to provide better, more timely information.