Connected Vehicle Infrastructure University Transportation Center
During the spring and summer of 2012, two test beds were developed, equipped and installed across the state of Virginia. These test beds are the primary research testing areas for the Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center (CVI-UTC). One of the test beds is located in Southwest Virginia in Blacksburg Virginia at the Virginia Smart Road and along Route 460. The second test bed is located in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia along I-66 and on the parallel Routes 29 and 50; the latter roadways are intended for dynamic alternate route research. Both of these test beds consist of over 50 roadside equipment units and utilize a large fleet of highly instrumented vehicles, including automobiles, motorcycles, a motor coach and a semi-truck.
Undoubtedly, the Northern Virginia test bed is a tremendous asset with respect to testing and deployment of research findings. Key elements of this test bed are strong partnerships with local agencies, including law enforcement and transit providers, particularly the Fairfax County Transit Authority. This test bed location was selected because it has transportation system deficiencies: congestion, high crash rates, air quality non-attainment. Through this test bed, these transportation system deficiencies can be effectively addressed by connected-vehicle technologies that include a high level of multimodal interactions. The CVI-UTC Consortium believes that this test bed provides a variety of roadway types, topography and driver types to exercise a connected-vehicle system across a range of environments yet provides opportunities for containment such that a high number of equipped vehicle interactions will occur.
Camera and Radar Unit Mounted on a Single Intersection Arm Mast with Instrumentation Inside Signal Controller Cabinet.