Gaining Momentum: The Evolution of the San Francisco Bay Area Freeway Management System

This article describes the changes that have taken place in San Francisco’s freeway management system over the past two decades, as well as plans for the future. The first stage was installation of Traffic Operations Systems equipment on the freeways to monitor traffic and increase the amount of travel information available to motorists via 511. Increased coordination between regional and local partners came next and SMART corridors were established. Intelligent transportation systems include closed circuit television, changeable message signs, highway advisory radios, and the use of Amber Alerts, which provide vehicle information on suspected child abductors. The article also describes the partnership between the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).