Funding for ITS to improve safety and mobility

TORONTO, June 11, 2013 /CNW/ - CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is pleased to learn our calls for investment into Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and the Traffic Management Centre are being heard at Toronto City Hall.

Today, Mayor Rob Ford announced a $17.4 million funding plan over the next two years for ITS.

Improvements to traffic signal coordination in the City of Toronto will help improve road safety, reduce travel times and better manage congestion.

"This is a win-win for all road users and residents. This investment in ITS will also improve response times for emergency vehicles, reduce the wait times for transit vehicles and help pedestrians move safely across roads with countdown signals," said Faye Lyons, Government Relations, CAA SCO.

The Traffic Management Centre is the heart of the City's Intelligent Transportation Systems.

Intelligent Transportation Systems also monitor weather and road surface conditions, and ensure safer road operations. IT systems and technology also support an integrated multi-modal transportation system that is efficient and sustainable.

For the past five years, CAA SCO has been advocating for dedicated funding for leading-edge transportation technologies. During which time, we have partnered with the University of Toronto, as well as supported the advancement of research and innovation through the CAA Graduate Scholarship in Transportation Engineering.

While the City of Toronto is making much needed improvements in this area, such as converting 2,300 traffic signals, there is much more work to be done.

"Improvements to better connectivity between the plant and controllers in the field, increased monitoring capabilities on main arterials and researching leading edge ITS should be a focus of this administration," added Lyons.

These additional upgrades and initiatives will help to ensure the long-term sustainability of the City's transportation network which will help to reduce congestion, improve safety, protect the environment and build a strong economy.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering roadside services, automotive care, travel and insurance. There are more than 1.9 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and over 5.6 million members in Canada. We're more than Roadside Assistance. We're Life-side Assistance.

SOURCE: CAA South Central Ontario

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Specialist, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone] or Jeff LeMoine, Communications Specialist, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].