Smart Speed Warning System

A brand-new Speed Warning System has been developed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) that alerts drivers nearing freeway work zones. Drivers commuting at high speeds face sudden congestion which results in breaking, resulting in rear-end collisions.

on poles using a portable Intelligent Lane Control System (ILCS), the new system collects traffic speed data throughout a work zone, runs it through an algorithm, and generates a real-time message for drivers on a VMS, such as ‘35mph 1 Mile Ahead’ or ‘Stopped Traffic Ahead’. New pole-mounted speed detectors were installed throughout the work zone, along with solar-powered cameras on mobile trailers.

The speed notification system was noticed by drivers and resulted in a statistically significant influence on driving behavior, unlike other driver alert systems. The cameras were important for capturing traffic flow images in strategic locations where traffic queues were forming because the work zone was complex, crowded, and often changing.