HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Alleviating road congestion, aiding first responders, and addressing traffic issues are just a few of the focuses for Hillsborough County's brand-new traffic management center.
The facility, only a year old, sits positioned between I-75 and 301— a prime location that enables operators to be quick, flexible, and efficient.
Troubleshooting one of Tampa Bay area commuters' biggest sticking points — the roadways.
"What we do is, we supply infrastructure out at intersection signals, which is like cameras, smart technology for us to be able to communicate at those intersections. This is our central hub, and it gives us that ability to see what’s going on live at those intersections and make adjustments and timing modifications," Kyla Fischer, traffic operations manager, said.
It's a necessity when it comes to major things like disaster relief when replacing malfunctioning traffic signals or downed stop signs after a storm could avoid a safety hazard.
But on an average day, the work done here is just as important to create a smoother, day-to-day commute.
"The major ones that people are going to experience on their daily trip into work or out of work or whether they are running errands. These are the roads that are going to impact them as they’re traveling throughout Hillsborough County, so it’s going to be very relevant, the modifications that we’re doing here," Fischer said.
Using the newest and latest technology, you'll find everything from an in-house sign production team and technicians who monitor light timing changes.
"What this place is doing is something that’s going to be what people are reliant upon as their daily commute throughout Hillsborough County, so it’s amazing that it’s pushing the edge and I’m very proud of the state-of-the-art facility that we have, and we’re going to use to the max," Fischer said.
