The Challenge:
To support the movement of travelers on the Commonwealth of Virginia’s roads and highways, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) must keep traffic moving safely and efficiently. VDOT requires tools to understand and ease congestion while improving traveler safety on the state’s highways and roads.
Solution:
VDOT integrates INRIX real-time data into public information, providing travelers with live traffic, travel time, and incident information through VDOT’s online platform Virginia 511 and highway message signs. This same data powers VDOT’s Traffic Operations Centers (TOCs), allowing live congestion monitoring across the state.
Using INRIX historical data, VDOT analyzes traffic trends, measures performance, and conducts cost-benefit analysis of proposed infrastructure improvement projects. VDOT shares this data with local agencies as well, simplifying small-scale projects and local corridor analysis.
Results:
VDOT continues to employ INRIX data. Real-time data allows travelers to adjust their routes around congested areas during high-traffic times, reducing congestion as drivers make more informed decisions about where and when to be on the road. Using the same dataset, VDOT TOCs can effectively coordinate incident response and reduce the impact of disruptions on travel times. Historical data gives planners the tools to understand project impacts and prioritize the most effective infrastructure improvements.
