Traffic+Control

Traffic Control
By: Jackie Lu-Shao and William Yeh

It is the control of the flow of traffic in a building or a city
 * What is Traffic Control**

Health and safety executive, General principles- site traffic control, 30/07/07,http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransports/factsheets/traffic.htm, 08/31/07
 * Ways of road traffic control**
 * Traffic lights can be used to control flow at busy junctions, in narrow locations and at entry and exit locations to the site;
 * One-way systems should be considered where necessary to reduce the likelihood of collision, reduce congestion and improve traffic movement;
 * Roundabouts may smooth traffic flow and avoid road traffic turning directly in front of on-coming traffic;
 * Traffic calming devices such as speed humps, rumble strips, width restrictors etc can be incorporated into road design to encourage a reduction in speed. (Such devices are not appropriate in areas where fork lift trucks routinely operate since they introduce additional hazards for this type of vehicle). The design of such features must be appropriate for the type of traffic envisaged;
 * Physical barriers should be incorporated into road design to protect vulnerable and hazardous installations such as storage tanks, pipework systems, buildings or pedestrian access areas;
 * Signs and road markings; and,
 * Site speed limits.

LPR systems normally consist of the following units: Yoram Hoffman,2004, "License Plate Recognition-A tutorial", May 2,2004, http://www.licenseplaterecognitions.com/, September 6, 2007
 * License Plate Recognition**
 * **Camera(s)** - that take the images of the car (front or rear side)
 * **Illumination** - a controlled light that can bright up the plate, and allow day and night operation. In most cases the illumination is Infra-Red (IR) which is invisible to the driver.
 * **Frame grabber** - an interface board between the camera and the PC, allows the software to read the image information
 * **Computer** - normally a PC running Windows or Linux. It runs the LPR application which controls the system, reads the images, analyzes and identifies the plate, and interfaces with other applications and systems.
 * **Software** - the application and the recognition package. Usually the recognition package is supplied as a DLL (Dynamic Link Library).
 * **Hardware** - various input/output boards used to interface the external world (such as control boards and networking boards)
 * **Database** - the events are recorded on a local database or transmitted over the network. The data includes the recognition results and (optionally) the vehicle or drver-face image file

This system helps the driver by altering them about the car aproaching from blind intersections. For example, when a car from another side is approaching too fast, the system will alert the driver by a buzzer or a voice alert. “Car approaching from left.” The driver will also see the image of the car on the navigater screen. This system works like the vehicle alert, basically when the driver is entering a special area like school. The system will detect the speed of the car and warn the driver if driving too fast.
 * Vehicle alert**
 * Speed alert**

> Wikipedia, 2007, Road safety camera,June 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_safety_camera, 09/04/07
 * Different types of traffic control cameras and monitoring devices**
 * **Speed cameras** for identifying vehicles traveling over the legal speed limit. Many such devices use radar to detect a vehicle's speed.
 * **Red light cameras** to detect vehicles which cross a stop-line or designated stopping place after a red traffic light shows.
 * **Bus lane cameras** for identifying vehicles traveling in lanes reserved for buses. In some jurisdictions bus lanes can also be used by taxis and/or vehicles engaged in car pooling.
 * **Toll-booth cameras** for identifying vehicles proceeding through a toll booth without the toll being paid.
 * **Level crossing cameras** for identifying vehicles crossing railways at grade illegally.
 * **Congestion charge and electronic road pricing cameras** for identifying vehicles for which the charge has not been paid.
 * **Double white line cameras** for identifying vehicles crossing these lines.

http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=139

"Electronic Toll Collection." __Wikipedia__. 2007. 6 Sept. 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_toll_collection.
 * Electronic Toll Collection (ETC)**, The ETC is originally an adaptation of military, the "identification firend or foe" techonology. Basically it aims to lower the time delay on toll roads. This is a new technologycial implementation of a road pricing concept. Sensors are set up, and as it detect the ETC on the car passing through, it records the car id and numbers of passing into the system. The drivier wont need to stop by which makes it more efficient, and they can pay the passing fee per month as a total, instead of each pass.

There are issues involved with installing these cameras in local areas although they are in place to control traffic and to ensure the safety of the citizens. There is the issue of invading the privacy of drivers and motorcyclists who are being monitored when they are stopping at the red light because not everyone would want to be monitored especially if they are open to the public. This could affect drivers because they would have to worry about being monitored as some people might not feel comfortable driving while knowing that they are being watched. However, monitoring the roads also has its' benefits. When there are accidents, these cameras can help justify the accidents and occurance while it can also help track down people if any vehicles are stolen in monitored areas. These cameras overall are set to ensure the safety of citizens and not to be a obstacle for them.
 * Social Issue with monitoring devices.**

Average Score

TEACHER - YOU HAVE MENTIONED WAYS TO PHYSICALLY RESTRICT THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC BUT THEN NOT LINKED THE USE OF I.T. FOR HELPING TO DO THIS, IT GOES STRAIGHT INTO LPR. GOOD FACTS AND INFORMATION BUT LOOK AT HOW YOUR REPORT IS STRUCTURED. GRADE 5B