With summer vacations and their inevitable traffic jams soon to be on the minds of many, Axis Communications announced how Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) with IP video technology are playing an increasingly important role in helping state and local governments reduce congestion, improve safety, and make roadways more efficient.

Not only does ITS help create happy travelers, it can also alleviate pressure on municipal budgets by offering a cost-effective alternative to physical roadway construction projects.

Axis will be showcasing its latest camera technologies for the ITS market at the 21st ITS World Congress in Detroit, Michigan, September 7-11, 2014.

Even though drivers may not see workers with hard hats and heavy trucks digging up a street, traffic engineers are often busy working behind the scenes to improve roadways with IP technology.

In Iowa, the City of Dubuque has been engaged in a large-scale effort to build a citywide ITS that connects traffic signals, intersection cameras, and other IP-addressable technologies to an Ethernet over fiber optic network. This provides traffic engineers with dynamic, centralized control over traffic flow throughout the town.

“By using cameras and other IP communication technology, we have been able to push thousands of more vehicles onto our busiest roadways at a tenth of the cost of physical construction,” said David Ness, traffic engineer for the City of Dubuque.

Axis network cameras, supplied by systems integrator and Axis partner RACOM Corporation, have been deployed at 80 key intersections and along major roadways and bridges in the City of Dubuque.

The video footage, managed through Milestone XProtect video management software (VMS), helps city engineers analyze traffic patterns and make critical adjustments such as changing the timing of signals when accidents push vehicles onto alternate routes and adjusting signage and lane markings without engaging in costly construction.