Via Bradenton.com

Equipment for a high-tech pilot program designed to speed traffic along congested University Parkway may be on its way after final plans were OK'd by state transportation agency officials.

The Florida Department of Transportation, which is partnering with Sarasota and Manatee counties on the project, has OK'd signed agreements to supply high-tech devices called InSync Traffic Signal Adaptive System and BlueTOAD, Bluetooth technology-based travel time/speed measurement devices, respectively, according to Robin Stublen, FDOT communications specialist.

Manatee County now uses a time-based program to control traffic lights based on a set time of day, also taking into account volume and speed. If there's a big change, the signals don't automatically change to take care of it, the Herald has previously reported. The InSync system will be able to adjust signal timing in response to "real time" traffic demands based on parameters provided by the county's engineering staff.

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