The Tainan Police Department on Tuesday said it successfully used drones, social media and messaging app Line to manage and alleviate traffic during the Lunar New Year holiday, resulting in smoother traffic for all motorists.
The city’s Lunar New Year traffic task force collaborated with the Tainan Department of Transportation, the Tainan Department of Public Works, the Directorate-General of Highways and the Freeway Bureau’s Traffic Control Center to monitor traffic around the clock at important junctions, such as freeway on and off-ramps, the police department said.
Thanks to the use of aerial drones at key intersections, officers were dispatched to direct and alleviate traffic jams as soon as possible, the police department said, adding that use of Line and Facebook facilitated communication, allowing for the faster redeployment of police to areas requiring attention.
“Through these measures, we were able to pinpoint where traffic was piling up and, in certain cases, we could remotely delay traffic signals,” the police department said.
Collaboration with the bureau allowed the city to tap into surveillance systems to monitor traffic flow in real time, allowing for better coordination and mobility of personnel, the police department said.
The utilization of technology and interagency collaboration allowed the city’s 252 traffic outposts to handle any sudden situation with alacrity, the police department said, adding that it mobilized a total of 3,438 officers during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The police department proactively communicated with the Police Broadcasting Service and offered up-to-date information regarding traffic conditions in the city and the surrounding region, it said.
“We issued 163 notices regarding alternative routes and 238 real-time traffic updates,” the police department said.
The strategic use of communications platforms, aerial drones and proactive announcements on the radio, as well as interagency collaboration, greatly aided the city’s efforts to offer safe and enjoyable travel, both within the city and in the surrounding region, it said.
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