Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Contact: Shannon Whalen McDaniel 703-228-3685 (voice) 703-228-4711(TTY)
Contact: Myllisa Lardieri Kennedy 703-228-3152 cell: 571-722-8721 (voice) 703-228-4611(TTY)
Arlington County Board Moves to Improve Emergency Response Time, Critical Communications
- $651K for Emergency Vehicle Preemption System
- $4.7 M to start Fiber Optic Network overhaul
- Federal, local money funding projects
ARLINGTON, Va. --- The Arlington County Board today authorized contracts to build an emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) system along Lee Highway, between Falls Church and Rosslyn, and to construct the first phase of a fiber optic network project that will ultimately replace and upgrade the County’s communications infrastructure.
“These are the sort of critical infrastructure investments that ensure County government will continue to provide high-quality services to our community,” said County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman.
Faster response times, safer routes for emergency responders
The County set a goal to install an EVP system along each of its major corridors in order to improve emergency response times and intersection safety. The Board’s action today authorizes a $651,286 contract to build the Lee Highway EVP. The project will include placing EVP technology at 31 intersections from East Falls Church to Rosslyn, greatly expanding the County’s EVP network. Preemption technology is already in place on Columbia Pike and Glebe Road.
“Emergency vehicle preemption technology is critical to saving lives by giving responders safe, speedy passage through intersections and cutting precious minutes off the time it takes to get patients to life-saving care at a hospital,” said Chief James Schwartz of the Arlington County Fire Department.
EVP gives emergency vehicles the right-of-way at signaled intersections with an automatic green light. The emergency responder is able to safely navigate the intersection, while drivers and pedestrians are clearly directed to cede the right-of-way via the traffic signals.
Upgrading Arlington’s Communications Network
Built in the early 1980s, the County’s current communications network lacks the speed and capacity to meet present and future demands, and is nearing the end of its useful life. It consists of outdated and increasingly unreliable twisted pair (copper) cables and a leased private network.
"Arlington's dense urban corridors require a modern system that offers greater efficiency and flexibility for monitoring traffic, operating signals, and providing real time driver information. Expanding and enhancing the system will help ensure that the Arlington streets operate as seamlessly and safely as possible both day-to-day and during emergency situations," said William O’Connor, Director of the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services.
The Board today authorized a $4,669,093 contract to construct phase one of a three-phase project to replace the current network. Phase one includes:
- Connecting six miles of fiber optic cabling with 54 traffic signals along Clarendon Boulevard and Wilson Boulevard, Glebe Road, and Columbia Pike
- Installing the backbone of the County’s future communications network - two separate 144 strand fiber optic cables, one for the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and one for the Common Network (C-NET) applications
When completed, the new fiber optic system will allow Arlington to embrace future ITS management and communication technologies, and help on a daily basis to:
- Maintain our existing traffic signals operation at peak performance
- Provide better communications for County facilities
- Help public safety and transportation agencies better monitor large events
- Reduce response time to incidents
- Improve transit operations
Construction Timeline
Chesapeake Electrical Systems Inc will serve as the contractor for both the EVP system and the fiber optic cabling. Construction on both projects is scheduled to begin in early March. The EVP system work will last six months, while phase one of the fiber optic project will take roughly eight months to complete.
Funding
The Lee Highway EVP project will be funded by federal funds previously awarded to the County. The total cost for the Fiber Optic Network project (all three phases) will be approximately $20 million. The County has secured $10 million to date in various federal grant funds toward the ITS portion of the project and existing local resources will be used to fund the C-NET portions of the project.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
