High-Tech Gear Coming To Wichita Roads

Driving in Wichita, Kan., might become easier over the next five years due to expected technology changes. For example, special indicators will tell 911 dispatchers when cars on the highway are moving extremely slow, indicating a possible accident.

Vehicle locator devices will let dispatchers know the whereabouts of police cars and other emergency vehicles to improve response time. In addition, cameras placed near major highway intersections will let rescue workers see why traffic is blocked, and computerized message boards will guide drivers around obstacles instead of street cones.

Some $12 million has been allocated towards such smart transport initiatives, says Jamsheed Mehta, transportation planning director for the Metropolitan Area Planning Department. Funds and assistance will supplied by such groups as the Kansas Department of Transportation, the city of Wichita, Sedgwick County, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas Turnpike Authority.

The initiative will also address how multiple agencies such as police, fire departments, and Emergency Medical Service can swap traffic data. One type of gear on fire trucks will trigger traffic lights to turn green to let personnel cross an intersection.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Wichita Eagle (12/13/04) P. A1; Buselt, Lori O’Toole .