Preventing dust storms through environmental control strategies is a long-term solution that is not easy to implement. A more deployable safety measure is warning drivers in advance of a reduced visibility area. Traditional visibility warning systems that have been deployed to date are point sensors that must be very numerous and placed in precise
locations to be effective. The ENTERPRISE Visibility Warning project helped to develop technology that addresses the problem at a much lower cost.
This project received ITS IDEA funding. The funds were used to develop the sensor technology that is the basis for a visibility monitoring system. Arizona conducted the project, with ENTERPRISE providing support and technical expertise as needed.
The following tasks helped make the project a success:
- Identified and evaluated current approaches and technologies for providing 511
traveler information to rural areas; - Identified the most cost effective approaches to maximize use of available funding; and
- Addressed organizational issues, business models, and institutional barriers and
developed standards common to all states.
This project facilitated the development of an ENTERPRISE project titled Dynamic Messaging for Low Visibility Events.
Project Duration: 1999-2000