Chief Traffic Engineer Cyndi Pennington shows how quickly the traffic signal system is able to deal with crashes on Interstate 10 during a MOVEBR news conference at the Advanced Traffic Management Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome during a MOVEBR press conference at the Advanced Traffic Management Center on Tuesday, Aug.
27, 2024. Chief Traffic Engineer Cyndi Pennington speaks about preparing traffic signals for the start of LSU’s fall semester alongside Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome during a MOVEBR press conference at the Advanced Traffic Management Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.
When a load shifted on an 18-wheeler traveling through Baton Rouge in July, an emergency closure of the Mississippi River Bridge was announced, rerouting drivers from both Interstate 10 and Interstate 12 onto Airline Highway. Traffic engineers at the Advanced Traffic Management Center were quick to respond to the incident, using a new system to instantly adjust all signals on Airline Highway to keep traffic moving. The recently completed $40 million MOVEBR project uses 176 miles of fiber-optic lines to synchronize traffic lights in real time, allowing traffic engineers to swiftly adjust signals in emergencies, planned road closures and other major events.
Battery backups were also added to cameras, allowing signals to continue to run in the event of a power outage. In the past, multiple crews working hours at a time were needed to manually change the timing of traffic signals. Now, staff at the Advanced Traffic Management Center, located at 3773 Harding Blvd.
, can complete the process in minutes. Engineering Aide 3 Katelyn Thorne smiles as Operations Manager Joesph London helps her with programming shortcuts at the Advanced Traffic Management Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.
"We have built the most connected traffic signal system in the country, and now our traffic engineers are using the system every hour of every day to relieve congestion and allow commuters to have consistent drive times to and from work," Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said at a news conference Tuesday inside the traffic center. While many residents may have been unaware of the changes, the project has already been in use around the city: Last week, signals were adjusted for four nights to provide better traffic flow during a scheduled I-12 closure that diverted drivers onto Essen Lane. "This doesn't mean you won't experience traffic or never catch a red light," Broome said.
"But it does mean that you have a team of traffic engineers working around the clock to keep Baton Rouge moving." Various factors can influence how signals are adjusted. Chief Traffic Engineer Cyndi Pennington said priority is given to emergency vehicles and trains, but her team also looks at congestion, pedestrians and new developments when making decisions.
Data Coordinator Fran Rollins works with screens of live traffic all around her at the Advanced Traffic Management Center on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. There are times when traffic will be heavier, Pennington said, noting LSU started classes Monday and public schools in the area started earlier this month.
But she said traffic eventually will level off, giving people a more consistent commute time. The synchronization project was funded entirely by the city-parish MOVEBR program, which voters approved in 2018. "It is really paying off.
It has changed the way that we respond to complaints, but also to congestion and respond to the traffic," Pennington said. MOVEBR will hold a groundbreaking in September for a new bus rapid transit on Plank Road. As part of the project, dozens of elevated platforms will be built connecting north Baton Rouge to Mid City, downtown and Nicholson Drive.
Broome said it will be the largest MOVEBR project to date and will "completely overhaul" Plank Road, providing new pavement, sidewalks and enhanced streetlights. Anyone who believes traffic signals are not working properly in their area can contact the city-parish . Groups can request tours of the Advanced Traffic Management Center by emailing .
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