As part of the final stages of a $130 million, 15-year-long expansion project started in President Clinton’s first term, a host of new electronic devices are being installed along Interstate 64 from the Interstate 664 interchange in Hampton, Va. to the Lightfoot exit in Williamsburg, Va., according to a report in the Daily Press.
113 miles of Hampton Roads interstate will soon have various traffic monitoring and announcement devices in place, such as variable message boards, additional traffic cameras, interstate lighting and vehicle detection sensors to I-64 and arterial roads on the Peninsula, Lauren Hansen, a Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman, told the paper.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans to add 80 cameras, 87 message boards, 270 vehicle detection sensors and interstate lighting on 23 miles of interstate. Although most of the technological features won't come until next spring, "the lights out there should be turned on this fall," Hansen told the Daily Press.
"People are going to see a lot of activity going on on the side of the road," Hansen said. "And they're going to wonder what's going on."
As the message boards go up, they will flash "test" throughout the summer to ensure they work well before VDOT accepts them from the contractor, Hansen said. A sign in “test” mode is in place at Fort Eustis Boulevard, Hansen told the paper.
