Tokyo�s traffic landscape is broadcast on a towering bank of integrated monitors, and is staffed by several officials working 24-hour shifts.
From left to right, the Expressway Display Board, Central Display Board, and Information Display Board paint a picture of the immediate traffic situation by compiling information from cameras, helicopters, police, citizen reports, and over 17,000 vehicle detectors all around the city.
Seated in the middle is the Commander of the Control Center, with operators on the sides to collect information. The Information Board on the far right can display anything from handwritten notes to additional maps brought up on the computers.
The Central Display Board highlights 1,000 intersections, and has 15,154 traffic signals in the system. When traffic jams are detected or reported, the affected area turns from green to red. It also displays traffic accidents and closed streets.
Information is passed on to Tokyoites live through radio reports and 300 traffic information boards on the roadways. To directly influence traffic, it�s possible to manually adjust the signal intervals for 7,000 of the traffic lights, and communicate directly with traffic officers in the field.
23rd January 2011
Inside the Tokyo Traffic Control Center
