In 2022, the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) was awarded a grant under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program to develop a fully functional Traffic Management Center (TMC).
The TMC will support transportation, mobility, and multi-modal transportation including pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and possibly parking. The TMC will also serve as a hub for regional traffic and crash data for Nashville. It will be integrated closely with other agencies in the region including Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Nashville Fire Department (NFD), WeGo Public Transit, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to support those agencies and operate the transportation network in an integrated and coordinated manner.
The TMC is the foundation to Metro Nashville’s smart mobility initiative and will act as the nerve center for the future of automated and responsive multi-modal transportation systems.
Objectives
NDOT has also established a set of seven objectives for the TMC. These were developed by NDOT prior to the TMC Concept of Operations and were confirmed to be the primary TMC objectives during stakeholder outreach performed as part of the Concept of Operations development. The objectives of the TMC include the following:
- Traffic Safety
- Traffic Operations
- Traffic Monitoring and Management
- Emergency Management
- Resource Management
- Record Management
- Information Dissemination
Traffic Management Center Functions and Objectives Flowchart
Contact Us
Nashville Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Traffic Management Center (TMC)?
A Traffic Management Center (TMC) serves as the mission control for a state, region, or city’s transportation network. The Traffic Management Center monitors roads, intersections, traffic signals, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities and proactively deploys traffic management strategies to improve safety, reduce congestion, and coordinate with other entities during incidents, planned special events, construction, severe weather, and other events.
Fully comprehensive Traffic Management Centers continuously monitor the transportation system to identify opportunities to improve safety, reduce delay, and keep the system reliable.
How will having a Traffic Management Center benefit the Metro Nashville and Davidson County area?
Traffic Management Centers benefit the public by providing travelers with a transportation system that continually responds to changing conditions, providing up-to-date real-time information, and quickly addressing maintenance issues. Commuters get to where they need to go faster and more reliably regardless of which mode they choose, businesses benefit by avoiding unnecessary delays, and tourists have a more enjoyable experience. The Traffic Management Center can also partner with other government agencies, achieving mutual benefits from sharing information and operating the transportation system in a unified manner.
How does a Traffic Management Center affect Nashville-Davidson County?
Travelers in Nashville-Davidson County should experience effective traffic signal timing and coordination. Optimal signal timing plans are being developed and implemented to minimize delay and stops and to maintain safe and efficient traffic mobility along city streets and arterials for daily peak and off-peak traffic. The Traffic Management Center will also provide real-time traffic information via social media.
Traveler information can provide important information to aid travelers in making informed decisions about when to travel, which modes and routes to use, and the need for increased awareness due to unusual conditions. Timely and accurate information can assist travelers with avoiding delay or at the very least allow them to better understand why a delay is occurring. Traveler information also provides an important safety component. Advanced notice of an incident, debris in the roadway, unexpected congestion, and other conditions can raise traveler awareness and avoid potential crashes. This information can also assist first responders with traveling to an emergency situation faster and more safely by providing travel conditions in advance.
What are the Traffic Management Center hours of operation?
Operators will be manning the Traffic Management Center Monday through Friday 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The Traffic Management Center may also occasionally be staffed during special events such as sports events, concerts, and large public gatherings (New Years Eve, Fourth of July, etc.)
How can I set up a tour of the Traffic Management Center for my organization?
To request a tour, please send an email to [email protected].