Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) will soon flip the switch on its $10 million Intelligent Traffic System to alert motorists of traffic backups, accidents and weather conditions along I-10 in Jackson County.
The intelligent traffic control (ITC) overhead messenger boards and cameras are actually on now. The system is being tested and those who control the boards are being trained to know when and what type of messages to post, such as lane closures and Amber Alerts when a child is missing.
The system will operate along all 29 miles of I-10 in Jackson County, and at intersections. The system uses 92 video traffic cameras, 40 advisory boards with sensors that detect vehicle motion, and nine overhead electronic message boards, all connected by fiber-optic cable. Radar and sensors will be used to record speeds and determine how fast traffic is moving. The information is used to calculate travel time, not to catch speeders.
Drivers will have to wait until the end of the year before MDOT’s $40 million widening project is complete on I-10 in Jackson County between exits 50 and 57. Six bridges and the road are being widened to three lanes in each direction and crews will be putting down three layers of asphalt before the work is done. Lane closures are limited to evenings.
