FIU’s traffic lab celebrates grand opening

By Sissi Aguila

One of the most sophisticated labs of its kind in the nation, FIU’s Integrated Intelligent Transportation System Laboratory (IITS) at the Lehman Center for Transportation Research officially opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, May 11. Researchers will use the high-tech facility in collaboration with state and local agencies to develop innovative solutions to transportation challenges faced by South Floridians.

Mohammed Hadi, who is a professor of engineering at FIU and oversees the new lab, said students using the state-of-the-art hardware and software will be able to provide feedback and possibly even suggest improvements to the Traffic Management Center at the Florida Department of Transportation.

After the grand opening, Steve Sauls, vice president of FIU’s Governmental Relations; Tom Gustafson, director of Government and Transportation Policy for the Lehman Center; Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart; Amir Mirmiran, professor and dean of the College of Engineering and Computing; and Professor Mohammed Hadi, who will oversee the new lab posed in front of the great video wall displaying live feeds from area expressways.

Traffic central

IITS is equipped with a video wall, central software, servers and operator workstations that duplicate, on a smaller scale, those that are used at FDOT traffic management centers. Students and researchers will be able to observe and analyze live traffic conditions along FDOT roadways, including the Palmetto Expressway and Interstate 95. They will also develop plans to improve traffic congestion and safety.

“We are so busy operating the actual system each day that we often don’t have the time and resources to do internal research,” said Javier Rodriguez, ITS operations engineer for the FDOT Transportation Management Center, which is teaming up with FIU to share transportation management information. “Now, FIU students will be able to assist us in that area in order to optimize our operations.”

Prior to the ceremony, U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Sweetwater Mayor Manuel M. Maroño and transportation officials were briefed by researchers from the College of Engineering and Computing on the lab’s capabilities and future plans for the Lehman Center.

“The partnership between FDOT and FIU is crucial,” said Rep. Diaz-Balart, a member of the House Transportation Committee. “FIU is uniquely suited to examine critical transportation needs.”

The Lehman Center, the only one of its kind in South Florida, has conducted numerous research projects in the areas of public transportation, GIS and intelligent transportation systems since 1993.

Harpal S. Kapoor, director of Miami-Dade Transit; Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart; Amir Mirmiran, professor and dean of the College of Engineering and Computing; Gus Pego, FDOT’s District 6 chief in Miami; Javier Rodriguez, executive director of Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX); and Sweetwater Mayor Manuel M. Maroño helped dedicate FIU’s new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) lab.