Intelligent Transportation Systems

Intelligent Transportation Systems are designed to address and alleviate transportation congestion problems. By using roadside cameras and digital communications systems, traffic information is transmitted to traffic management centers. Traffic Managers use this information to better manage traffic flow by alerting motorists to traffic conditions and suggesting alternate routes. Traffic information is also utilized by State Police and emergency response vehicles to find the best route to an emergency scene, which reduces incident response times. Divane Bros. Electric Co. is proud to be an integral part of this cutting edge system for transportation safety.

Kennedy Expressway Reversible Lanes

Leading from O'Hare Airport to the heart of downtown Chicago is one of the most traveled traffic arteries in the Midwest, the John F. Kennedy Expressway. When the roadway was repaved and modernized, the Illinois Department of Transportation required an automated system that could handle the traffic demands of the 21st century. Divane Bros. Electric Co. met that challenge by assembling a top notch technical team and installing this complex, state-of-the-art traffic management system.

The project consists of 117 swing gates and 6 barriers that reverse the flow of automobile traffic on the express lanes of the Kennedy Expressway. The system includes power distribution equipment, Allen Bradley PLC control systems, and three types of communication equipment: 23 and 6 Gigabit Microwave, UHF radio, and Telephone. These systems are used to transmit data and commands between 4 “nodal” buildings along the roadway and the Illinois Department of Transportation’s District 1 headquarters where operations are monitored in the traffic control center.

Over 2000 field devices as well as roadway conditions are monitored and controlled with connections to PLC I/O cards in the nodal buildings by over 175 miles of multi-conductor cable. The tremendous amount of data gathered by the system is constantly monitored and using sophisticated fault-tolerant PLC programming logic. This constant monitoring means that problems are detected quickly, and minor, non-critical adverse conditions will not interrupt service. All this technology means that the lane change systems work reliably, 24/7, every day.

Borman Expressway

The Indiana Department of Transportation contracted with Divane Bros. Electric Co. to furnish and install the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) along the Borman Expressway. The purpose of the ATMS is to alert motorists to upcoming traffic problems, enable the re-routing of traffic in case of accidents or delays, and assist motorists with problems by dispatching incident response vehicles to accident or problem scenes.

This advanced system included installation of a microwave radio system, traffic monitoring detectors, remote closed-circuit television cameras, changeable message signs, and a highway advisory system that broadcasts alerts to motorists. It also allows Motorist Aid Trucks to transmit both video and radio to operators in the Traffic Management Center. This system allows managers to see what’s happening on the roads in ways that were never possible before.

Eisenhower Expressway Reconfiguration

Divane Bros. Electric Co. is helping to improve traffic efficiency in an area just west of Chicago that is notorious for traffic jams. Divane Bros. installed a system of automated traffic gates and video monitoring systems that is helping ease congestion at this intersection of 4 major highways.

Divane partnered with Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and their engineering consultants to optimize a monitoring and control system on the west end of the Eisenhower Expressway. This installation required the construction of a 420’ self-supporting tower to provide the transmission of video and control from the site in Hillside to the IDOT Traffic Command Center in Schaumburg via microwave and fiber optic links.

Interstate 465 Automated Traffic Management System

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is in the process of developing and implementing a state-wide Intelligent Transportation System to relieve traffic congestion and improve safety. This system will operate in Indianapolis and Northwest Indiana in the Gary Area. Divane Bros. has worked with INDOT since the program’s inception in 1999 assisting in the design and construction of the State’s first ITS on the Borman Expressway. Divane Bros. recently completed the construction of the communications backbone for the Advanced Traffic Management System located on the I-465 Indianapolis By-Pass. This system includes a network of twelve microwave antenna towers strategically placed around the metropolitan Indianapolis area, including a 450’ tower located at the Indiana State Police Headquarters. Information on congestion and traffic incidents will be transmitted from cameras and vehicle detectors stationed on Indianapolis area interstates through the microwave network back to the Traffic Management Center. Path alignment studies were developed by Divane Brothers to insure proper location of the twelve antenna towers required to efficiently transmit the traffic data and real time video to the TMC.

I-Pass System - Illinois State Toll Highway Authority

Divane Bros. Electric Co. continues to provide the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) with construction of the multi-phased I-PASS automated toll collection system installations throughout the toll way system. The I-PASS-Only lanes have dramatically reduced traffic jams at toll booths by allowing vehicles to pass through the toll plazas without stopping. Divane is currently responsible for the installation of all I-PASS-Only lanes for both cars and trucks throughout the ISTHA system.

Divane Bros.’ latest project in this ongoing program was the transformation of attendant toll collection booth lanes into I-PASS-Only lanes for trucks at the Cermak, Devon, Touhy, and Waukegan toll plazas. Performing as the prime contractor, Divane Bros. Electric Co. coordinated the efforts of several sub-contractors to deliver this project to ISTHA on time and on budget.

In addition to the I-PASS Lanes, Divane Bros. Electric Co. took on the additional challenge of completely updating Toll Plazas 15, 29, 41 and 61. The original plazas were completely replaced, including control buildings, tunnels, collection lanes, and radio towers with microwave communications systems. This complex project was particularly difficult because the original plazas and equipment had to remain operational as the new plazas were constructed. The Divane Bros. management team ensured that no interruptions in traffic or systems occurred during these crucial projects.