New Intelligent Traffic Lights in Costa Rica
The first stage of the so-called intelligent traffic signal system has gone into service with 180 of 325 intersections covered in downtown San José. The idea is to improve the flow of traffic.
The system is under 24-hour control at the Centro de Control de Tránsito in Plaza Gonzales Víquez, The center is connected by fiber optic and other cables and wireless systems with 145 sensors in the intersections. There also are cameras.
Eight engineers in the Dirección de Ingenieria de Transito will work shifts to supervise the system.
The area covered is from Hospital National de Niños to the Museo Nacional and from the Hospital de las Mujeres to the south to Barrio Amón to the north.
Viviana Martín, a vice minister of Obras Públicas y Transportes, said that the system soon will be integrated with the 911 system so that emergency vehicles will get the right-of-way at intersections.
Next month the ministry hopes to put 145 more intersections under the system.
The software at the center and the feedback from the sensors will let computers customize the actions of signals and optimize the traffic flow, officials said.
Workers at the center, which was inaugurated Tuesday, said that about three months will be needed to adjust the system to reach their greatest effectiveness.
The ministry is planning to set up similar systems in Alajuela centro, Heredia and Cartago.
The downtown system was installed by the Mexican firm of SEMEX S.A. The project costs $4.6 million.
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