ITS: Jacksonville, N.C., boots up new intelligent transportation system

Officials in the city of Jacksonville, N.C., began operation of a new $5 million intelligent transportation system (ITS) Oct. 16, with 210 traffic detectors, 41 traffic cameras and nine digital-message signs. Operations will be handled remotely until the brand-new Center for Public Safety is ready to open.

Construction on the project began in 2012, with hundreds of miles of fiber optics installed to facilitate installation of the new system. The cameras will cover nearly half of Jacksonville’s signalized intersections, supplemented by data from the traffic detectors. Stored footage will be wiped from the cameras every 10 days; city officials stated that the cameras will not be used as red-light enforcement mechanisms.

The move to the new Center for Public Safety was decided upon to allow better coordination with emergency responders. Officials had hoped to get the system up and running this past July but were forced to delay when the center wasn’t ready. When operation does begin, it will house $500,000 in software and video screens.

While long-term operation and maintenance of the system will be the responsibility of Jacksonville, the city will be reimbursed for 98% of maintenance costs by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.