Just in time for the Thanksgiving travel holiday, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has opened its new Salem Traffic Management Center. The 19,400-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will serve
as the home of VDOT's regional emergency response and incident management operations.
"This center is the hub of VDOT's highway safety and emergency response programs for citizens traveling in 34 counties from the North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee lines, east to Farmville, and north to Lynchburg," said VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern, P.E. "The opening of this facility completes a network of five nerve centers across the commonwealth that coordinate VDOT's focus on managing traffic and highway operations to ensure that Virginians get to their destinations safely without unexpected delays."
The TMC serves as a "one-stop shop" for agency response in traffic-related events. Operators collect real-time traffic information from VDOT crews, emergency response agencies, Virginia State Police, cameras, sensors and other tools, and then help coordinate emergency response efforts to quickly clear the roadway. Meanwhile, they keep drivers informed about changing traffic conditions using 62 electronic message boards, 18 cameras, 511 Virginia and a network of Highway Advisory Radio transmitters. This traveler information allows motorists to make informed travel decisions before encountering congestion.
For more information, visit www. VirginiaDOT.org .