In a recent boost to the state's infrastructure, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has successfully landed a hefty $39.6 million federal grant aimed at tackling the persistent scourge of traffic congestion. According to UDOT, the funds will be earmarked for a groundbreaking traffic system known as Coordinated Adaptive Ramp Meters (CARM), which promises to revolutionize the way commuters experience the southbound stretch of I-15 from South Salt Lake to Bluffdale.
UDOT plans to be on the list of the first to harness CARM's capabilities, a cutting-edge vehicle sensor network that tweaks traffic light timings based on real-time conditions in an attempt to trim down travel times and shore up safety. The operations of the traditional ramp meters, which function by managing on-ramp access to interstates, suddenly seem dated in comparison, equipped with only basic sensors to gauge vehicle wait times and road entry. Grant Farnsworth, UDOT's Freeway Operations Manager, illustrated the corridor's importance and its performance issues during peak demand, as per UDOT, saying, "I-15 is a vital corridor, especially in Salt Lake County. Unfortunately, this valuable asset performs the worst when we need it the most."
The advanced nature of CARM lies in its ability to work as a connected system, gathering data from multiple detection sensors located throughout its reach and adjusting meter wait times accordingly. "CARM’s superpower is its ability to 'communicate' with itself about current travel conditions," Farnsworth told UDOT, pointing out the system's dynamic and responsive design. This smarter approach hopes to not only assuage recurrent congestion periods but also to optimize the throughput of the interstate system, all without the additional cost and labor of widening the road.
Upon its implementation, CARM will cover southbound I-15 from SR-201 in South Salt Lake to the Point of the Mountain in Bluffdale, encompassing both freeway-to-freeway ramp meters and the general ramp meters. With the planned start of construction set for 2027, there's a palpable expectation that the system's real-time traffic intelligence will provide a more efficient transportation framework, reducing bottlenecks and traffic incidents in the process, as reported by UDOT. This anticipation rests on statistics indicating that I-15's current capacity during rush hour falls from 1,900 to 1,250 vehicles per hour per lane, a statistic that shows the evident need for change.
