At the end of November, our team took a tour of Ottawa’s Traffic Operations Centre on Loretta Avenue. Tucked in beside the Queensway, this old industrial building is where staff monitor and adjust traffic signals, fabricate street signs, coordinate pavement line painting, and much more.
Staff monitor video feeds from intersections all over the city. Every traffic light is connected to master control, and can be adjusted to keep traffic moving. Live traffic feeds are available online as well: https://traffic.ottawa.ca/en/traffic-map-data-lists-and-resources/traffic-camera-locations
Traffic Operations Manager Stuart Edison showed us a control box being built for a new intersection. Each box is a big computer that controls traffic lights. They go through extensive testing before they’re deployed.
City staff fabricate signs in-house, including street name signs, stop signs and speed-limit signs, parking rules, and more. Thousands of signs are produced each year.
These signs are ready to be installed at locations across the city.
Staff had just received a shipment of new school zone signage from the province, meant to replace speed cameras. Unfortunately, the signs are too big and heavy to be mounted on standard traffic poles.
Thanks to Traffic Operations Manager Stuart Edison for the tour!