NDDOT Working on Traffic Management
Friday, March 12, 2021

The North Dakota Department of Transportation is seeking approval of an intelligent traffic management system that would warn motorists of hazards on the road ahead, potentially preventing crashes and saving lives. 

NDDOT is asking the legislature to authorize development of a Traffic Management Center. NDDOT Director Bill Panos said the TMC would collect data from remote sensing equipment on state highways and us computer technology to alert the traveling public. Panos said the system would be especially useful in preventing multi-vehicle pile-ups.

Click here to listen to Panos' comments.

Panos said the TMC would improve the efficiency of DOT operations, taking the guesswork out of situations where the department needs to respond quickly. 

Click here to listen to Panos' comments.

Panos said the North Dakotans driving older vehicles would receive traffic information via highway displays, but he said newer vehicles are now equipped with technology to relay the information directly to the driver.

Click here to listen to Panos' comments. 

Panos said North Dakota is the only state in the country that does not have a TMC. The DOT budget (SB 2012) requests $9 million for the coming biennium, along with funding for five positions to operate the facility. Panos said he expects at least half that amount would be reimbursed by the federal government. The funding was removed by the Senate Appropriations Committee in favor of an interim study of a TMC, but an amendment has been proposed in House Appropriations to restore the funding. 

Click here to read this article in the WDEA Weekly Newsletter