The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) launched the SH 130 Smart Corridor on May 21.
The corridor, which stretches for more than four miles of SH 130 in Austin, uses technology to enhance safety and make the highway more efficient.
The technology combines continuous, lane-level roadway awareness with real-time operational integration into TxDOT systems to provide the department’s Traffic Management Center with real-time hazard alerts, incident verification, and corridor status. It uses cameras, artificial intelligence-powered processing, fiber-optic connectivity and LTE antennas to give transportation operators a clearer, more complete picture of what is happening on the roadway.
“This new technology provides TxDOT operators full, real-time visibility so they can verify incidents faster, spot hazards sooner, and make near real-time decisions that protect all drivers,” Mike Arellano, Austin deputy district engineer, said. “Equally significant, with advanced notification of disruptions in the roadway with connected vehicles and freight, this technology enables drivers to make informed decisions early for safer and more efficient travel.”
The corridor runs from the intersection of SH 130 and Pflugerville Parkway south toward Cameron Road. It also will serve as a testing ground for Texas SMARTTrack, a transportation technology evaluation and certification center TxDOT, the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin and other regional agencies developed.