Cookeville Looking To Expand Traffic Tech After Trial Run

City of Cookeville wants to expand the reach of its Miovision traffic technology after collecting critical data during a test run.

Public Works Director Mary Beth Elrod said the city currently has one Miovision camera constantly collecting traffic data at the intersection of Willow Avenue, Interstate Drive, and Forman Drive. She said the data has revealed more traffic on the Willow Avenue corridor than the city had ever realized. She said she would like to double the number of cameras currently in the city’s budget.

“The most optimum data you can get from it is when you have multiple cameras at multiple intersections so you can see the flow through an entire corridor,” Elrod said. “But we have gathered a lot of information with just this one limited one we do have.”

She said the city has budgeted for five to eight cameras, which could provide cameras to monitor intersections through the entire Willow Avenue corridor. She hopes to work with city council to find funding for cameras through the Jefferson Avenue corridor as well. She said detailed information on the patterns of the city’s two busiest stretches could help find ways to keep travel smooth and safe, even at peak driving hours.

“What we hope to gather from this data is how we can optimize these intersections to get all travelers through all the intersections to their destinations and keep traffic delays and buildups to a minimum,” Elrod said.

She said until now, the city has used “tube counters,” black tubes stretched across the road that take snapshots of traffic. She said the tubes only provide a snapshot of traffic, while the Miovision technology provides a constant stream of updated data day and night, and even during busy holidays. She said the tubes also tend to come loose and miss some of the county.

“It’s a lot more data, a lot more accurate, and we can make more quick, real-time adjustments to traffic signals,” Elrod said.

She said the city will lean heavily on Miovision representatives to guide the implementation of more cameras, as they have helped numerous cities across the country with this same project. She plans to pursue grant funding to help ensure that the city can get a clear, accurate picture of traffic flow at its two most troublesome corridors.