The City of Austin is a vibrant and fast-growing metropolis, with an arterial network spanning 385 miles and encompassing over 1,100 signalized intersections.
Managing such a complex system is no small feat, and the city’s Mobility Management Center (MMC) plays a crucial role in keeping traffic moving efficiently. By leveraging INRIX Signal Analytics, Austin has significantly improved traffic operations, saving both time and money for residents and businesses alike. The City of Austin recently released their 2024 MMC Annual Report with the findings.
A Data-Driven Approach to Traffic Management
Austin’s MMC operates with a mission to streamline traffic flow, enhance public safety, and optimize road infrastructure investments. With just seven dedicated staff members overseeing 771 school zone beacons, 680 cameras, and 13 dynamic message signs, the city needed a scalable and intelligent solution to proactively manage traffic.
This is where INRIX Signal Analytics comes in. The software utilizes crowdsourced and connected vehicle data to provide real-time insights without requiring costly physical infrastructure or complicated system integrations. Unlike traditional traffic management solutions that rely on expensive detectors and hardware, INRIX Signal Analytics delivers actionable intelligence instantly and without the need for additional configuration.
Proactive Traffic Management and Faster Issue Resolution
Before adopting INRIX Signal Analytics, Austin faced several key challenges:
- Legacy detection configurations with large video detection zones that weren’t lane-specific.
- Software integration issues with traffic signal controllers.
- A reactive approach to traffic congestion, requiring time-consuming manual assessments.
With INRIX, the city has shifted towards proactive traffic management, and INRIX Signal Analytics is enabling them to address issues before receiving complaints from the public. By using smart city data and alerts, Austin’s MMC can pinpoint congestion hotspots, adjust signal timings before problems escalate, and measure improvements using before-and-after delay analyses powered by INRIX.
SXSW 2023: A Case Study in Success
During Austin’s annual citywide music and film festival SXSW, which brings more than 300,000 visitors and $380 million in economic activity to the city, MMC engineers used INRIX Signal Analytics to evaluate traffic signal performance downtown.
During the festival’s first weekend, the mobility team collected and analyzed real-time traffic data from signal performance reports, GPS-enabled vehicles, and mobile devices. Using this data, they developed a plan to optimize traffic flow for the second weekend by adjusting signal timings at eight locations around the city.
“The signal changes led to an improvement in delay and a benefit of approximately $10,000 in delay savings for the eight locations where the MMC adjusted timings for SXSW between Weekend 1 and Weekend 2,” said Lance Ballard, an MMC manager.
The Impact: 2024 Time and Cost Savings
The results speak for themselves:
- ~30% reduction in target movement delays.
- ~20% improvement in total intersection delays.
- $808,000 in delay savings
- 3 million impacted travelers.
By leveraging INRIX Signal Analytics, Austin has made significant strides in reducing travel delays and congestion-related costs. These improvements directly translate to a better commuting experience, lower fuel consumption, and increased overall efficiency in the city’s traffic management operations.
A Model for Other Cities
Austin’s success story showcases how cities can embrace innovative, data-driven solutions to enhance traffic management without overhauling existing infrastructure. As cities across the country look for ways to modernize transportation systems, Austin’s approach proves that real-time data and proactive solutions can drive meaningful improvements, reduce operational costs, and make transportation safer and more reliable. By integrating INRIX Signal Analytics with its existing traffic management tools, Austin is leading the way in smart mobility and urban efficiency. To learn more about Austin’s progress please read the 2024 MMC Annual Report. Learn more about Signal Analytics at inrix.com/products/signal-analytics/.