Tennessee Department of Transportation Uses RuggedCom as Part of the SmartWay Program in Chattanooga

Objective

Deploy a Network of Cameras, DMSs, and VIDs to Improve the Safety and Operation of Highways.

Solution

Utilize the RuggedSwitch™ and RuggedRouter™ at Each Roadside Traffic Control Cabinet to Aggregate IP-Enabled Devices and Connect them to the T-1 Backhaul Network.

The highways throughout the Chattanooga area have been experiencing increased traffic congestion over the past couple of years. To help alleviate this situation, reduce travel time, increase safety, and improve emergency response, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is deploying its SmartWay program. SmartWay uses cameras to monitor the highways from Traffic Management Centers (TMC), uses sensors to gauge traffic flow, and uses large electronic message boards to send urgent traffic notices to drivers along the highways.

The SmartWay project in Chattanooga covers over 60 miles of roadway on 2 Interstates and 2 State Roads. For the initial phase of the project, 63 CCTV cameras are being deployed to provide video monitoring back to the TMC. Future phases will include dynamic message sign (DMS) information and a vehicle ID system (VIDS). A T-1 link, supplied by BellSouth, is used to provide the Wide Area Network (WAN) interconnectivity between each camera location and the TMC.

To ensure reliable operation of the entire network, RuggedCom was selected by MasTec, a leading specialty contractor for communications infrastructure and the prime contractor for the project, to provide the network infrastructure products for use within the roadside traffic control cabinet at each camera location. At each location, a RuggedSwitch™ RS900 and RuggedRouter™ RX1000 are used together to provide the Ethernet and T-1 network interconnectivity. The RS900 is used to “pick up” the video encoder IP data and in the future will connect the DMS and VIDS to the system. The RX1000 is used to connect to the T-1 backbone by providing full routing functionality and an Ethernet connection to the RS900. This configuration allows for a secure and reliable WAN of roadside traffic control cabinets with the TMC.

RuggedCom products were chosen for the following key reliable feature: high EMI immunity; exceeds NEMA TS-2 ; -40°C to +85°C operating temp; high mean-timebetween failures (MTBFs); and compatibility with Cisco and other equipment. RuggedCom also provided the onsite services for setup and configuration to ensure fast commissioning and optimal network performance.

The RuggedCom products are expected to provide many years of reliable and maintenance free operation and they have already proven themselves in the field, where they have survived a lightening strike at one of the cabinet locations! By having a highly reliable and rugged network infrastructure that was designed specifically for ITS applications, allows TDOT to reap the benefits associated with the SmartWay program.

 

Click here to download full PDF version.