AUTOMATIC SURVEILLANCE IN TUNNELS FOR ADVANCED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Machine vision systems offer immense cost, speed, and functional benefits in wide area traffic surveillance and detection for ATMS. Automated incident detection using machine vision is in deployment in several places including Maryland and Minnesota. In area-wide region-wide ATMS, tunnels pose a unique challenge to incident management due to restricted access, limited width, and lack of line-of-sight for aerial surveillance. Application of machine vision systems for incident detection in tunnels offers a new tool in advanced traffic management. In addition to incident detection for early emergency response, it can continuously and autonomously measure traffic flow parameters in the tunnel, actuate tunnel controls and variable messages, and autonomously monitor the relevant measures of effectiveness. Many tunnels are already equipped with surveillance cameras making it easier to upgrade to machine vision technology.