SURREY will be the first municipality in the province to install a real time Travel Time Information System which will improve the flow of goods and vehicles within the region. The System will also provide data to the City’s Traffic Management Centre and the City of Surrey’s website.
“This project will improve the efficiency of the transportation network as a whole,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner on Tuesday. “By making this investment into our community we are improving movement of goods and people within our city which results in a better city for all who live and work in Surrey.”
The system will employ Bluetooth technology and Dynamic Messaging Signs on key corridors that correspond with major truck routes in Surrey. Multiple routes are proposed for detectors that will allow travelers to select the optimal route of travel based on real time traffic conditions.
“With a population of over 500,000 residents and growing, the efficient movement of goods and traffic are top priorities for the City of Surrey,” said Councillor Tom Gill, Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “The Travel Time Information System is a significant step forward in improving Surrey’s ability to monitor and manage traffic within our City that will benefit both regular commuters and commercial vehicle traffic.”
Data collected from this project will provide valuable input into future transportation planning and infrastructure improvement projects. At Monday’s regular Council meeting, City Council approved to fund 50% of the installation of the Travel Time Information System. The remaining 50% of the $2,000,000 cost of the project will be funded by the Government of Canada as part of the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative.