VDOT updating traffic signal communication devices in Henrico

Have you noticed something new perched atop some Henrico County intersections? You’re not alone.

The devices are not traffic cameras – rather, they are new intersection communication devices being installed by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

To date, VDOT has installed the new 5.8GHz radios at 20 Henrico intersections that are maintained by the agency, with plans to install 60 more in the coming months, according to VDOT Communications Coordinator Sara Owens.

“As technology has evolved so has communication to traffic signals,” Owens said.

The new form of intersection communication is replacing older, out-of-date radios in order to help with transportation flow in Henrico County and surrounding areas.

In Henrico, VDOT maintains all intersections that involve a state route number – 154 in total – while Henrico County maintains 140 of its own (those that don’t involve any state routes).

Unlike most localities in Virginia, Henrico maintains its own roads. That means that the county receives a lump-sum payment from VDOT each year and can spend it on projects for non-state roads as desired, while most other localities must submit requests and wait for VDOT to prioritize those projects.

With the more advanced radios in place, VDOT and Henrico County will be able to make traffic signal changes remotely during emergencies and allow signal technicians to have real time information on a traffic signal’s performance.

The new signals will bring more data to technicians running the radios.

“The new communication equipment provides more secure, reliable, and higher speed connections that can be appropriately managed,” Owens said.