What is an Automated Flood Management System?
Automated flood management systems are implemented by road authorities to improve road closure operations during extreme flood events. Road closures are traditionally performed manually, requiring responders to be dispatched urgently at various entry points to divert traffic and restrict access to flooded roadways. Execution of such operations requires significant manpower and takes a considerable amount of time. Automated closures in flood-prone areas are generally performed remotely from the Traffic Management Center allowing authorities to respond faster when extreme weather events occur. Automated operations reduce the risk of drivers being trapped in flooded roadways and allow agencies to alert road users of emergency detour routes according to predetermined scenarios of operations. Versilis warning gates & signage solutions are integrated to automated flood management systems requiring various ITS equipment such as cameras, Infrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V) digital alerting tools, and flood detection sensors. Automated road closure systems can be used as part of emergency response strategies for various types of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, winter storms, wildfires, and tornadoes.
Flooded Roadway Manual Closures — Operational Challenges
Road authorities face several challenges as part of flood events road closure operations:
- Safety concerns for motorist and responders
- Labor intensive and time consuming
- Confusion for motorists presented with unfamiliar driving conditions
Benefits of Automated Flood Warning Systems
The ability to open and close flooded roads remotely is a powerful advantage for road authorities to improve safety and efficiency during flood events. Transportation authorities are implementing automated road closures using Versilis traffic gates and signs to:
- Improve motorist safety by physically preventing entry to flooded zones
- Reduce time required to deploy road closures with fully automated operation
- Improve staff resources deployment and reduce operating costs
- Increase trip reliability with effective traffic redirection
- Create a safe work environment for all responders
Is your agency looking for solutions to improve the safety and efficiency of flood mitigation operations?
Versilis is proud to support road authorities in their efforts to enhance motorist safety while improving the efficiency of road closure operations during extreme weather events.
Learn how agencies across the United States have improved their extreme events emergency response and preparedness strategies in partnership with Versilis by visiting our project pages.
