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New Technology Enables Traffic Management Improvements in Allston/Brighton
10/28/2009 - Released by Transportation Department
For more information contact Tracey Ganiatsos

The City of Boston today announced that important traffic management advances have recently been made in the Allston/Brighton neighborhood through the use of new technology. A collaborative effort of the Office of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the city's Transportation and Management Information Services Departments, and Boston District City Councilor Mark Ciommo, the project will have a significant positive impact on local street traffic.

Mayor Menino said, "These traffic management advances in Allston and Brighton are the most recent example of how each and every day we are making solid progress taking advantage of new technology to bring improved services to city residents. It is even more gratifying that various city departments are working together to find ways to implement our initiatives using existing resources, thereby ensuring that Boston taxpayers are getting the most bang for their buck."

Sixteen signalized intersections in the neighborhood have recently been connected remotely to the Traffic Management Center (TMC) located in Boston City Hall, bringing the total current number of signalized intersections in the Allston/Brighton neighborhood that are connected to the TMC to 40. In addition, six new traffic cameras have been installed at Allston/Brighton intersections, with the installation of a seventh underway. The cameras provide live feed of local traffic conditions to the TMC. As a result, traffic engineers observing up to the minute conditions from monitors in City Hall can make immediate remote adjustments to traffic signal timing at these 40 intersections to ease traffic congestion and improve traffic and pedestrian safety.

This recent traffic signal work was accomplished using the city's recently deployed fiber optic network, originally built for the purpose of better connecting city facilities. Working with MIS to tap into this existing resource allowed BTD to save the funds that would have otherwise been necessary to connect the TMC with these intersections. It also provided BTD with a means to complete the work without disrupting the neighborhood, which would have been necessary to lay new underground fiber optics between City Hall and Allston/Brighton.

To further complement this work, BTD recently rearranged the traffic layout of Brighton Center. New pavement markings were painted and left turn lanes were installed to provide safe lanes for waiting left-turning drivers, as well as to keep those left-turning drivers from impeding the progress of drivers heading straight or bearing right.

"The collaboration of BTD and MIS ensured that this project was implemented in the most effective, efficient and economical way possible," said Boston Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Tinlin. "We will continue to work with MIS to seek out opportunities where we can quickly and simply make additional significant improvements to the city's street network."

William Oates, Boston's Chief Information Officer and Director of the city's MIS Department added, "We are working hard to ensure that all City of Boston Departments are aware of, and in a position to, take advantage of the new technology that is at their disposal. It is our goal to assist city departments to accomplish their own goals by working smarter and more efficiently."

Boston's Traffic Management Center is staffed six days a week from 6 AM to 10 PM, Monday through Friday, and from 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday. In addition to adjusting traffic signal timing, TMC staff monitoring on-street activity may request parking enforcement services or notify other city departments that their services are needed as necessary.

The 16 Allston/Brighton signalized intersections that are now connected to the TMC are on:
Market Street, from Birmingham Parkway to Washington Street
Cambridge Street, from Gordon Avenue to Washington Street
Washington Street, from Winship Street to Oak Square.

Commissioner Tinlin credited Boston District City Councilor Mark Ciommo with bringing his neighborhood traffic concerns to the department's attention and with working cooperatively with BTD to resolve the issues. Councilor Ciommo commented, "It was a pleasure to work with BTD staff to improve traffic and pedestrian conditions on local streets in Allston/Brighton. I am confident that my constituents will see immediate improvements and I encourage them to contact my office with any additional comments or concerns that they may have with regard to traffic in the neighborhood."
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