Illinois Tollway Recognized for Leading Way on Intelligent Transportation Solutions
The Illinois Tollway has been named Agency of the Year by ITS Midwest for continuous investment in advanced technologies that enable the agency to detect, monitor and manage roadway events anywhere on the five roadways that make up its 294-mile system.
“The Illinois Tollway has demonstrated outstanding leadership in advancing roadway safety and mobility through intelligent transportation system technologies,” said ITS Midwest President Nick Hegemier. “In the past year alone, the Tollway completed a major expansion of its Traffic Operations Center, introduced SmartRoad active traffic management in a new corridor and achieved greater systemwide integration of ITS technologies, including connected vehicle technology. This level of commitment to innovation is exactly why the Illinois Tollway has been named our Agency of the Year.”
“At the Illinois Tollway, safety and reliability for our customers come first – and technology is one of our most powerful tools to deliver on that commitment,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “This award is important recognition of the dedicated work our employees undertake every day.”
A centerpiece of the Tollway’s safety strategy is its Traffic Operations Center, the hub where traffic flow is monitored and incident response is coordinated in real time. The center has undergone a major expansion to add capacity, upgrade technology for the Traffic and Incident Management System and enhance coordination with Illinois State Police and first responders.
This investment means faster detection of incidents, quicker dispatching of help to drivers and better communication with customers through its SmartRoad corridors, roadway signs and alerts – a direct benefit to the more than 1.6 million drivers who travel the Tollway system each day.
Behind the scenes, the Tollway manages more than 2,400 intelligent transportation devices – cameras, message signs, Bluetooth sensors, fiber-optic cables – that must work together seamlessly to provide accurate, real-time information.
For Illinois Tollway customers, these advancements mean safe and reliable travel. For the industry, they represent a model of how collaboration, planning and innovation can translate into real-world operational and safety improvements.