Berlin Traffic Control Centre Traffic Management Ensures Urban Mobility

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1 Berlin Traffic Control Berlin Traffic Control Centre Traffic Management Ensures Urban Mobility

2 Berlin Traffic Control Centre Berlin citizens spend 70 minutes per day on average in traffic. Be it in cars, on public transport, on bicycles, or walking. Mobility is therefore a daily real-life experience for all of us. Affordable mobility is essential for the development of Berlin. Therefore the Berlin Senate ensures that Berliners reach their destinations safely, quickly, and comfortably. In order to maintain smooth mobility in the city, the Berlin Senate has developed a comprehensive traffic management system. The role of the Berlin Traffic Control Centre (VKRZ) is to control street traffic in the major road network of Berlin using state-of-theart traffic technology and to provide the people of Berlin as well as the media with up-to-date information on mobility services thus ensuring mobility in Berlin. Michael Müller Senator for Urban Development and the Environment Traffic Management The members of staff at the VKRZ manage and control traffic on the approx. 1,600 km network of main roads in Berlin. A major tool for this purpose is the largest number of volume-controlled traffic lights anywhere in Germany and, additionally, traffic control systems on motorways and in tunnels. They inform motorists via variable message signs on the urban motorways and in the city s road network. All these systems are connected to the VKRZ via traffic computers and sub-stations and are continuously delivering data on their operating status and the traffic situation. This data is complemented by real-time photographs of the traffic situation which are regularly transmitted to the VKRZ from 300 cameras installed on the streets. Whenever the traffic detectors monitor disturbances in the traffic flow, traffic pictures taken by the cameras located in the affected area can be displayed on the monitor wall. Staff at the VKRZ can then quickly analyse the cause of the disturbance. If need be, the systems can be activated manually in order to regulate traffic.

3 Traffic Control Centre VMZ Download photos: berlin.de/verkehr/ lenkung/vkrz Motorways and Tunnels Traffic on the urban motorways and in the tunnels is controlled by means of 10 traffic control systems. These are equipped with an intelligent control mechanism which reacts to the prevailing traffic situation. The traffic control systems inform motorists about congestions on the motorway sections ahead, display speed limits, allocate or close lanes and provide warning notices concerning possible hazards. Traffic control via traffic lights is based on signal coordination patterns which are pre-planned for different days of the week, hours of the day and traffic situations and which are activated automatically. If a traffic light does not operate according to the scheduled signal coordination pattern, staff at the VKRZ can intervene in order to restore the standard pattern of the light signal system. Large-scale Events In case of large-scale events, particularly in the centre of Berlin, the coordination patterns of the light signals can be adapted in advance and activated during the event. The VKRZ s task is to continually monitor the light signal system, immediately eliminate interferences and, in case of failures of the light signal system, initiate traffic control via traffic police and the repair of the affected traffic light. For some particularly problematic spots in the motorway network, e. g. at interchanges and in tunnels, individual lanes can be opened and access lanes closed in order to improve traffic flow. In addition to that depending on the current traffic situation existing signal coordination patterns of the traffic light system in the adjacent urban street network are used to manage the diverted traffic as efficiently as possible. The usual daily congestions during peak hours might not be completely eliminated by means of these measures; however they help to reduce congestions. Motorcades for State Visitors Almost every day, motorcades for state visitors to the Federal Capital present a special challenge. In order to guide the state guests securely and quickly through the city, VKRZ activates specific coordination patterns for the traffic light system along the route. VMZ

4 Like all other services of the VIZ, the Traffic Map is accessible for free at The city s mobility portal also provides all current information on street traffic, on public transport (underground, regional railway), on air traffic and on flexible mobility services such as car sharing and bike sharing schemes as well as intermodal routing services. Traffic Information chris-m / Fotolia.com VKRZ informs motorists about road accidents or other critical incidents and situations. By means of Traffic Message Channel (TMC) procedures, the latest information is transmitted automatically to the associated radio stations and navigation systems for publication. Further traffic related information is processed by the VIZ, the Berlin Traffic Information Centre. VIZ researches and provides information on construction sites and other events in the road network. The most important scheduled and foreseeable events for the day are compiled and sent to the media for publication. With only 5 minutes delay, the Traffic Map pictures the current traffic situation in Berlin s approx. 1,600 km road network and shows where traffic flows smoothly and where motorists should expect traffic congestions. The map is based on current traffic data from more than 1,000 measuring points as well as travel data of cars moving in traffic (floating car data). Berlin is in constant flow. It is the VKRZ s task to ensure that street traffic flows smoothly under normal circumstances, but also during peak times and in case of unforeseeable events: by implementing state-of-the-art volume and event controlled traffic control systems, by fast and coordinated intervention in case of disruptions, and through up-to-date traffic information services for Berlin citizens. Staff at VKRZ in the former Tempelhof Airport contribute to this, 24 hours a day, all year round. soerenkuhrt / Fotolia.com

5 How to find us Verkehrsregelungszentrale Platz der Luftbrücke Berlin Access via Columbiadamm 10 Platz der Luftbrücke Columbiadamm Tempelhofer Damm P Paradestraße Postal address: Verkehrslenkung Berlin (VLB) Tempelhofer Damm Berlin [email protected] Layout: adlerschmidt kommunikationsdesign Kommunikation Am Köllnischen Park 3, Berlin [email protected]