The city of Suffolk in Virginia has hired California-based Iteris to carry out traffic signal optimisation engineering services in an open-ended annual services on-call contract.

Smart mobility infrastructure management company Iteris will develop signal timing plans for key signalised intersections, provide vehicle turn movement counts, perform before-and-after corridor analysis, develop hurricane evacuation timing plans and Interstate 664 diversion timing plans, and design intelligent transportation system (ITS) equipment plans.

The contract is renewable for an additional four years with an estimated potential value of up to $1m.

Suffolk encompasses 2500 roadway kilometres for which Iteris’ ITS experts will support traffic management operations, emergency planning and operations, and the deployment of new technologies.

In support of the city’s goals of planning, delivering, operating and maintaining a transportation system that is safe, connected and environmentally sensitive, Iteris will identify innovative approaches and cost-effective traffic signal retiming techniques to improve safety and mobility, reduce stops and traffic congestion, and increase sustainability.

By reducing delays and stops on key corridors for passenger vehicles and heavy vehicles, Suffolk’s signal timing programme should help reduce CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption, which in turn will contribute to environmental and air quality improvements.

“We are proud to be selected by the city of Suffolk to support another important mobility infrastructure project in the commonwealth of Virginia,” said Jeff Gerken, regional vice president at Iteris. “This traffic signal timing programme represents the continued expansion of Iteris’ specialised consulting services in the mid-Atlantic, and will ultimately help to increase safety and mobility for the city’s traveling public, while also improving air quality and reducing fuel consumption.”

Iteris has designed, deployed or equipped over one third of all signalised intersections in the USA, supporting local and state transportation agencies with detection sensors, and traffic signal design, timing and synchronisation services.

Iteris applies cloud computing, artificial intelligence, sensors, advisory services and managed services to achieve safe, efficient and sustainable mobility. Its end-to-end technology monitors, visualises and optimises mobility infrastructure around the world to help ensure roads are safe and travel is efficient.