Social media across Trinidad was abuzz with the abysmal nature of traffic experienced on February 14th, 2023. There were some reports of being stationary for over half-hour in traffic. The Valentine’s Day celebrations may have elevated the problem, but it is a reality of workday life in the metropolis of the Southern Caribbean. Anyone who’s landed in Trinidad in the early morning can attest to a seemingly non-ending line of vehicles on the Sir Solomon Hochoy/Uriah Butler Highway. Traffic congestion is a reality for many in their day-to-day life.
According to the Word Road Association, “Traffic Management refers to the combination of measures that serves to preserve traffic capacity and improve the security, safety and reliability of the overall road transport system. These measures make use of ITS systems, services and projects in day-to-day operations that impact road network performance.”
Today’s Traffic Management solutions are heavily dependent on technology and fall under the definition of Smart Traffic Management Systems (STEM). These offer solutions in which centralized traffic signals and sensors regulate traffic flow. One component is IOT systems. IoT systems can optimize traffic flow and improve safety by dynamically adjusting control mechanisms such as traffic lights, expressway on-ramp meters, efficient public transport lanes, highway message boards, and regulating speed limits.
The start of any meaningful traffic management system involves data collection of every element of traffic movement. Engineering specialists charged with the development of STEM solutions must begin at the data collection point. These large-scale data mapping projects include detailed topographical surveys of roadways, traffic flow, bottleneck points, exits, lane change patterns and more. These large collections of data are efficiently done by sophisticated mobile mapping tools. The collected data can then be used to develop the Smart Traffic Management Solution (STEM).
Leica Geosystems has “revolutionised the world of measurement and survey for nearly 200 years”. In the Caribbean, Leica Geosystems offers solutions that can help our communities grapple with their traffic congestion problems. As an authorised agent, give us a call to learn more.
