[Article] Port tunnel gets three traffic systems

Irish Times, Nov 20th 2006

Dublin City Council has installed three separate multimillion euro traffic management systems at the port tunnel in a bid to beat traffic congestion when the tunnel opens next month. Tim O'Brienreports.

The Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) include an in-ground "loops" system which can detect the speed of traffic over the ground and the number of cars in a certain area. This is combined with pole-mounted cameras that feed information to a control room in Dublin's Civic Offices.

A second system utilises number plate recognition cameras, which can plot a vehicle's progress and speed. The cameras have been installed along the M1 and into Northern Ireland in conjunction with authorities there. A third system, the port tunnel's own traffic management system, involves overhead gantries measuring the height of vehicles.

Information is linked to flashing light warning systems and traffic lights to prevent a vehicle of more than 4.65 metres in height from entering the tunnel. The system can also detect the speed and distance of cars in the tunnel and can close the tunnel at its southern end if traffic is not moving at the northern portal. The council outlined the systems in response to concerns that the M1 Dublin/Belfast traffic and the M50/Dublin Port traffic will merge at the tunnel's northern portal. The council said there would be a one kilometre stretch of road where movement may become complicated, but Brendan O'Brien of the office of the Director of Traffic said the ITS and careful road design could mitigate any problems.