INTRODUCTION TO THE DELAWARE RIVER PORT AUTHORITY'S 'SMART BRIDGES' INITIATIVE

摘要

The Delaware River Port Authority, whose mission is to manage, plan and construct transportation facilities and provide transportation services to maximize the safe and efficient movement of people and freight within the Delaware River Valley, located in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is a self-financing, bi-state Authority, formed by a compact between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey and approved by the Congress of the United States. The Delaware River Port Authority is firmly committed to the strategic and integrated use of advanced transportation technology to improve traffic flow, operational efficiency and safety on DRPA's four bridges. To this end, the Delaware River Port Authority has initiated a program, appropriately named "Smart Bridges." The Delaware River Port Authority has recognized that this type of program is essential to the advancement of the DRPA's mission as an efficient, customer-friendly transportation and regional development agency. Under the Smart Bridges program the Delaware River Port Authority is introducing new technology into its aging infrastructure and transportation systems to ensure that the facilities continue to serve the region into the 21st century and beyond. Initiatives introduced under this program include EZ Pass, video surveillance systems, computerized traffic control systems and partnering with local universities to investigate the application of various innovative technologies to assist in the maintenance of the bridge facilities.