In October 1999, Dieter Posch, the German minister for economic and transport affairs, inaugurated a new traffic management center (TMC) in Frankfurt-Rödelheim, Germany.
The Control Room Solution
Construction work for the new center began in June 2000 and in September 2001 - with completion of the facility scheduled to match finalisation of the center's complex software system which is based on the national traffic computer system. Making the TMC one of the most advanced traffic management facilities in Europe.
The center manages all road traffic in the province of Hessen, utilising information on road works, accidents, traffic hold-ups etc. to determine the most efficient routes on the road network. This information is then used to direct traffic through the automated activation of various road signs and guideposts. The whole process manages the information flow from data collection and analysis, through to prognosis and control - all of which is displayed via a 4x2 array of Christie's GraphXMASTER CX50 display cubes controlled via a Christie ENT3000 wall controller.
The centre is one of the most advanced in Europe and as Herr Posch says; "Beside the creation of more capacities, modern traffic management is an indispensable component for mobility protection. The new traffic control office is a milestone and a symbol for future traffic politics in Hessen".
The display wall can be used to superimpose the traffic load, status of guide posts or live video images of the Frankfurter Kreuz or Westkreuz directly onto the matching location on the geographic representation of the road network.
A Crestron wireless touch-screen system permits total media control of the wall and its display controller. A duplicate system in the center's conference room allows similar control over the system and display wall; which can be seen from the conference room gallery.
This ensures both management and visitors can see and interact with the display wall without disturbing the centre's operators. Since the successful completion of the TMC and its continuing operation, greater responsibility has been handed to the centre and in order to handle the increased workload effectively, a further two CX50 cubes have been purchased and installed.
One thing is for certain, since the first manual rerouting display board was set-up to manage traffic flow on the Frankfurt-Darmstadt motorway in 1969 - a lot of things have changed!