Traffic light cameras slated for Route 202

Posted by Press Release on August 3, 2015

Concord Township is completing a $432,000 traffic congestion mitigation project designed to enhance traffic signal timing to alleviate delay at nine intersections on Route 202 in Concord and Chadds Ford Townships, a press release said. As part of the proposed adaptive traffic signal control system, video detection cameras will be installed at each intersection approach

This project will build upon a similar system installed by the township along Baltimore Pike (Route 1) from Route 202 to Route 322.

“Many residents and other drivers commented on the significant improvement of traffic flow along Route 1 when we installed the adaptive traffic signal control system in 2013,” said Dominic A. Pileggi, Chairman of the Concord Township Board of Supervisors. “Under this expansion, the traffic signals along both Route 1 and Route 202 will communicate and coordinate with each other. These improvements will help reduce commutes and travel times, which also will reduce the amount of fuel consumed idling at traffic signals and reduce emissions in the township.”

Pileggi noted that the project was made possible at no cost to local taxpayers because Concord Township successfully applied for a state grant to pay for the costs of the project. The grant was provided by PennDOT through its Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) grant program, which is funded by fines from red light violations at 25 intersections in Philadelphia. ARLE grants must be used for transportation projects that improve safety, enhance mobility and reduce congestion.

The traffic control system that Concord is putting in place will determine the number of vehicles waiting in each lane and the length of their wait time. The system then determines which approach to the intersection should receive a green light and how long the green phase should last.

The technology also enables signals at different lights to communicate with each other and create staggered “green tunnels,” or bands of green time, at intersections along the corridor in order to platoon traffic through each intersection. The InSync system was developed by Rhythm Engineering and will constantly adjust signal timings in real-time based on actual traffic demand. It will replace an old timing plan for the corridor that used predetermined timing patterns based on the time of the day and projected volume levels.

The project will extend the adaptive traffic signal control system down Route 202 from Oakland Road to Johnson Farm Lane. The intersections of Route 202 & Hillman and Route 202 & Applied Card will be upgraded as part of the Brandywine Mills project. The work will begin in early August and will be completed by the end of September. Once completed, the system will be remotely monitored by the Township Engineer, Pennoni, to facilitate adjustments and optimize operation.