VDOT open house features traffic management and safety agencies
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| Dozens of trucks on display at VDOT’s Incident Management Open House. |
Although traffic congestion is a way of life in the D.C. metro
region, imagine how much worse it would be without the dozens of agencies from multiple
jurisdictions that work to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Many of
those agencies took part in an open house and vehicle display at VDOT’s Northern Virginia headquarters in Fairfax Nov. 10.
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| A view of Little River Turnpike in Annandale seen from a VDOT camera. |
The VDOT Northern Virginia Region Operations Center uses
1,000 cameras to monitor traffic conditions throughout Region 2, which stretches
as far south as Spotsylvania County.
1,000 cameras to monitor traffic conditions throughout Region 2, which stretches
as far south as Spotsylvania County.
The cameras, which mostly focus on the main highways, such
as interstates 395, 495, and 66, can be accessed by the public from an
online map. Surprisingly, traffic was running smoothly through Fairfax County on
Saturday afternoon during the open house.
as interstates 395, 495, and 66, can be accessed by the public from an
online map. Surprisingly, traffic was running smoothly through Fairfax County on
Saturday afternoon during the open house.
VDOT’s cameras don’t make recordings, so they can’t be used as
evidence in accidents. “We don’t want 50,000 lawsuits,” says Mike Laney of the operations center.
evidence in accidents. “We don’t want 50,000 lawsuits,” says Mike Laney of the operations center.
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| VDOT personnel demonstrate how they cut downed trees blocking roads. |
VDOT’s Northern Virginia Operations Safety Service Patrol operates
65 trucks that get disabled vehicles off the road. They jumpstart stalled cars, top
off empty gas tanks, remove debris that fall off trucks, and provide other services free of charge to clear up blockages.
65 trucks that get disabled vehicles off the road. They jumpstart stalled cars, top
off empty gas tanks, remove debris that fall off trucks, and provide other services free of charge to clear up blockages.
The patrols are busiest in the summer when more cars overheat,
says Emmerson Carmichael. Anyone stuck on the road when it’s not an emergency
should call #77.
says Emmerson Carmichael. Anyone stuck on the road when it’s not an emergency
should call #77.
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| MATOC keeps an eye on the whole region. |
The Metropolitan Area Transportation Operation Coordination program (MATOC), based at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Transportation
Technology, collects and shares data among the transportation departments of
Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, plus Metro to coordinate regional responses to
severe weather, accidents, or other problems, mostly affecting regional
highways and bridges.
Technology, collects and shares data among the transportation departments of
Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, plus Metro to coordinate regional responses to
severe weather, accidents, or other problems, mostly affecting regional
highways and bridges.
According to facilitator Taran Hutchinson, MATOC gets data
from drivers’ cell phones, as well as cameras from transportation agencies.
During our conversation, MATOC’s online screens showed trouble spots on the Baltimore
Washington Parkway southbound and on U.S. 15 southbound in Loudoun County.
from drivers’ cell phones, as well as cameras from transportation agencies.
During our conversation, MATOC’s online screens showed trouble spots on the Baltimore
Washington Parkway southbound and on U.S. 15 southbound in Loudoun County.
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| VDOT safety officer Kwame Aquah with tools of the trade and a drug identification kit on the right. |
One out of 10 commercial truck drivers fail a random drug
test, says VDOT safety manager Kwame Aquah. His department also tests sound in
construction zones, looks for the presence of gas in manholes, and
investigates accidents involving VDOT trucks or VDOT contractors.
test, says VDOT safety manager Kwame Aquah. His department also tests sound in
construction zones, looks for the presence of gas in manholes, and
investigates accidents involving VDOT trucks or VDOT contractors.
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| Stryker, a Belgian Malinois, helps the City of Falls Church Police Department find evidence and locate suspects hidden in buildings. |
John Higginbotham, a hazardous materials officer in the Virginia
Department of Emergency Management, investigates all kinds of problems. Among
recent incidents, a suspicious package sent to the Rappahannock Regional Jail turned
out to be perfume, and his office was called in to clean up a 1,200-gallon diesel
spill caused by a truck hitting a gas pump in Caroline County.
Department of Emergency Management, investigates all kinds of problems. Among
recent incidents, a suspicious package sent to the Rappahannock Regional Jail turned
out to be perfume, and his office was called in to clean up a 1,200-gallon diesel
spill caused by a truck hitting a gas pump in Caroline County.
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| John Higginbotham with the tools he uses to investigate hazardous incidents. |
The crash reconstruction unit of the Fairfax County Police Department
investigates accidents that involve a fatality or life-threatening injury. Personnel
from this unit often get woken up in the middle of the night to go to the scene
of an accident where they talk to officers, witnesses, and drivers; take
pictures; and take measurements.
investigates accidents that involve a fatality or life-threatening injury. Personnel
from this unit often get woken up in the middle of the night to go to the scene
of an accident where they talk to officers, witnesses, and drivers; take
pictures; and take measurements.
They then take the car away for further analysis, present
their information to the commonwealth attorney who decides whether to file
charges, and testify in court.
their information to the commonwealth attorney who decides whether to file
charges, and testify in court.
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| Instruments used by the FCPD crash reconstruction unit. |
