Project Spotlight: CVAG Coachella Valley Smart Region Program Phase I Bid Process Begins
By Carlos Ortiz, P.E., T.E., PTOE, COO and Principal
The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) joined forces with ADVANTEC five years ago to embark upon one of the largest Intelligent Transportation Systems projects in
California. The project objective is to reduce traffic congestion and its associated negative impacts by deploying advanced smart transportation technologies to facilitate the region’s local jurisdictions to operate their traffic signals and ITS efficiently, and improve safety, the environment, and the quality of life in the Coachella Valley.
This endeavor involved 12 agencies, including Caltrans District
8 and the County of Riverside. The Phase I project
encompassed improvements along Highway 111, Ramon Road
and Washington Street and includes signal upgrades at 139
signalized intersections. Upcoming Phases will include 68
additional corridors, approximately 200 miles of roadways,
improvements over 550 traffic signals and over 5,000 ITS
technologies. Among thousands of other technical advancements, the project involved smart mobility, Ethernet and secured fiber optic/wireless communications, Advanced Signal Controllers (ATC), Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), Smart Transportation Management Platform (STMP), Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Systems, Arterial Management Systems, Video/Radar Detection Systems, and synchronization of the various corridors. This all needed to be accomplished through a regional traffic signal and communication master plan, technology assessments, smart cities initiatives, big data, integrated corridor management, connected/autonomous vehicles, smart mobility technologies, plans, studies, stakeholder involvement and cooperative agreements.
In early October of 2020, the CVAG team delivered the final ready-to-advertise Bid Documents for CVAG’s Phase I Project Improvements. As a part of their email to ADVANTEC, CVAG made a point to recognize the 10-member ADVANTEC team working on the project as well as the QA/QC team and graciously thanked our firm.