Travel times have skyrocketed on the Eisenhower Expressway between Thorndale Avenue in the western Chicago suburbs and the Circle Interchange near downtown Chicago since a resurfacing project began this spring.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) would like to know just how much travel times have increased, but the loop sensors that would normally tell the tale have been deactivated or removed because of the resurfacing.
Until new sensors are installed in the new pavement, IDOT has hired TrafficCast of Madison, Wis., to estimate travel times and detect congestion by monitoring Bluetooth signals from motorists using electronic devices, such as hands-free cell phones, Chicago Breaking News reported. Each Bluetooth device has a unique identifying signal, which TrafficCast will detect at several locations along the expressway and use anonymously to calculate travel times.
The Bluetooth Travel-time Origination And Destination (BlueTOAD) system is scheduled to begin operation in late May or early June.
There are still a few loop sensors in operation, according to Chicago Breaking News, and IDOT has been trying to fill in the gaps with helicopter observations and volunteers who travel the expressway and report their travel times, but the accuracy of traffic reports on the Eisenhower have been drastically reduced by the resurfacing.
IDOT officials tried to allay any privacy fears that might be brought up by the public. Only the travel time is recorded, they said. All identifying information is erased.
“We can assure the motoring public that this technology is used primarily for travel times,” said IDOT spokeswoman Marisa Kollias. “We are not using this to look for any specific drivers or any personal information.”
