Bacon's Rebellion

VDOT Expands Video Surveillance to NoVa Arterials

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by

James A. Bacon
in

The Virginia Department of Transportation has issued a contract to Video Convergence, of Springfield, to design, test, and install surveillance camera systems on arterial roadways in the Northern Operations Region. The system will transmit real-time video, via an IP-based network, directly to VDOT’s Smart Traffic Center in Arlington. Virginia currently operates camera surveillance systems on freeways, but not on arterial roadways.

By monitoring live video streams and communicating and sharing information, VDOT hopes to more effectively manage traffic incidents. Video Convergence describes the project as part of a “proactive effort” to manage congestion in Tysons Corner before construction of the Dulles Metro rail begins in early 2007.

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2 responses to “VDOT Expands Video Surveillance to NoVa Arterials”

  1. Toomanytaxes Avatar
    Toomanytaxes

    This is a positive development since the plans for Tysons Corner contemplate a lot more automobiles despite all of the rhetoric to the contrary. As I’ve already noted, the rezoning request for the TC shopping center proposes to add more than 9000 new parking spaces for the condos & offices. (This is more parking spaces than are at the Pentagon.) Moreover, that is but one of more than 20 requests for added density at Tysons. Those plans, if approved, would also generate a great deal more auto traffic. Thus, it seems likely that, unless the Fairfax County BoS does something out of character, a dense Tysons Corner will also be even more dense with motor vehicle traffic.

    A knowledgable person, active in local land use matters, has informed me that the added traffic volumes from pedestrian-friendly Tysons Corner appears, at first glance, to be twice the added volumes generated by Dulles South. If is true, Tysons goes from worst to worse than the worst.

    VDOT will surely need lots of cameras.

  2. Toomanytaxes Avatar
    Toomanytaxes

    One of my friends emailed a couple of links to a website for a new condo complex at Tysons Corner. It wil be a 19 story tower. The units will be offered from the upper $500s for a one bedroom unit to more than $2 M for a penthouse. The units have private, underground parking. No mention of how many spaces per unit.

    Here’s a link to the website. http://www.twoparkcrest.com/home.htm And one just to the location map. http://www.twoparkcrest.com/location_map.htm

    I suspect that: 1) this project, which appears to be quite attractive, is typical of what would be built in our “new urban mecca”; 2) is too expensive for what one receives for most people who work at Tysons; 3) is too far, given the street layout, for most residents to walk to a planned Metro station; 4) will add to the traffic mess; and 5) contributed very little to the public infrastructure needs of Fairfax County.

    Take a look and offer some comments.

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