The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Maricopa County Department of Transportation have received a $970K grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This grant, known as the Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration Grant, aims to improve safety in construction and maintenance work zones.
ADOT and MCDOT plan to use the funds to introduce advanced technology in freeway and arterial road systems to enhance safety for both workers and drivers.
Greg Byres, ADOT State Engineer and Deputy Director for Transportation, emphasized the importance of safety and how technology can aid in achieving this goal.
ADOT intends to provide real-time information to drivers, ensuring safer navigation through work zones. ADOT and MCDOT will deploy innovative smart technology to enhance safety and traffic management. Examples of this technology include intelligent cones for data transmission, emergency light alerts, impact alert barricades and smart arrow boards for real-time traffic information. These measures will be activated based on traffic flow to warn drivers when necessary.
The proposed technology is new to Arizona and can collect real-time data from work zone devices, integrating it into transportation systems to inform travelers of potential delays. These safety measures will be implemented in key projects starting in 2023, including bridge replacement, pavement rehabilitation, intersection improvements and maintenance projects. (Source)