News

International engineering group Egis has strengthened its transportation infrastructure asset management portfolio with the acquisition of French software development specialist eMash. eMash specialises in developing, installing and maintaining software for infrastructure asset management and delivers IT solutions for asset management, including inspection data processing, simulation, decision support, dynamic route diagrams and interactive mapping. Already implemented on several motorway networks, eMas

The winners of AT&T's Connected Intersections Challenge, a technology challenge aimed at stimulating innovative solutions to improve traffic safety on New York City streets. Forty-five teams from 13 countries and 26 states submitted their apps and wearable devices ranging from smartphone sensors, phone-to-phone communications and natural user interfaces, among other technologies. The winners include: Tug, an app that alerts pedestrians as they are about to enter an intersection; an anti-sleep alarm

Approaching the end of its first year of activities, the European CO-GISTICS (Co-Logistics) project has revealed the reference architecture that will be used for all pilot sites and services. The architecture details the standards and policies to be used to ensure interoperability and the ability to replicate the services at a wider European level. CO-GISTICS is the first European project fully dedicated to the deployment of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) applied to logistics. CO-GI

The legislation to allow heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to travel at 50mph on sections of single carriageway on the A9 between Perth and Inverness in Scotland has been signed and will come into force at the same time as the average speed camera system on the route becomes operational – 28 October. The pilot, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year, will help to improve journey times and also driver behaviour, by reducing frustration, queue lengths and journey times for HGVs. Trans

Surveillance video standards organisation the HDcctv Alliance will host a technology and product Gallery at Security China 2014, in Beijing 28-31October. Companies exhibiting on the HDcctv Alliance stand at Security China 2014 include Dahua, Shany, Intersil, Semtech and Technology & Security. In the HDcctv Gallery shared by Alliance Members at Security China 2014, Dahua and Shany will demonstrate HDCVI 2.0-compliant cameras plugging and playing with a compliant DVR. Intersil and Semtech will showcas

Thales has been awarded a US$24.7 million contract by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) for the design and construction of advanced train control technology for the new Central Subway project, a 1.7 mile extension of the existing T Line. The company will supply its field-proven SelTrac communications based train control (CBTC) technology for the project, a solution designed to improve transit options for residents in one of the city’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, provide

Q-Free has been awarded three-year US$3.8 million contract for its OBU615 tags by Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Central in Chile, starting in January 2015. The compact OBU615 is designed to blend unobtrusively into the interior of any vehicle. New low-power technology ensures the lowest possible current draw while 5.8 GHz CEN-compliant DSRC processing. New signal discrimination technology enables an extended lifetime and immunity to radio frequency (RF) interference from the many kinds of wi-fi-enable

London taxi cab driver has come up with the idea of a flashing wristband as a way to improve the safety of cycling commuters. The wristband, called the Indic8or, has been developed by Modern Safety Solutions and provides a high visibility and driver-familiar indication device that closely resembles directional indicators on motor vehicles. The Indic8or patented design is a wrist-mounted device, utilising four ultra-bright LEDs, which automatically start flashing when the wearer raises their arm, ensuring

Tolling agencies from six US states have committed to start using the Alliance for Toll Interoperability’s (ATI’s) hub service. These include the Central Texas Mobility Authority, the Northwest Parkway in Colorado as well as members of the California Toll Operators Committee and agencies in three other – currently unnamed states. ATI members capturing details of vehicles using their toll roads that are not registered on their own system can send details to the hub. The alliance holds registration plate a

Engineering group Parsons, in a joint venture with Acumen (APJV), has been selected to provide general engineering services (GES) to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) over the next five years. The APJV team, composed of 11 sub-consultants, will deliver top-flight services in an array of technical disciplines, including architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and systems project work. The team’s selection sends a clear signal to the community that BART is committed

The California Supreme Court decided last week not to consider an appeal of a case brought by opponents of the state’s $68 billion bullet train project, paving the way for the project to go ahead. Opponents had questioned whether the California High-Speed Rail Authority was complying with the terms of the ballot measure that funded the project. The appellate court agreed there are legitimate legal concerns about whether the “high-speed rail project the California High-Speed Rail Authority seeks to bui

The South East Queensland government, Australia, is set to roll out real time travel information across South East Queensland from next month. Announcing the new technology, Transport and Main Roads Minister, Scott Emerson, said: “This new technology is all part of our strong plan for a brighter future to improve public transport for Queenslanders and boost the local economy. Real-time technology enables passengers to know exactly where their bus is in the morning which could mean enough time for an extr

Florida’s Department of Transportation (FDOT) has taken action against would-be wrong-way drivers at 15 interchanges on the state’s turnpike system, with a US$400,000 pilot project designed to detect, alert and potentially deter them. The project includes enhanced LED wrong-way roadway signs on the ramps and electronic vehicle detection equipment that are designed to quickly notify law enforcement and authorities. It is intended to study the effectiveness of these traffic safety devices that are currentl