Illinois Tollway highlights AI, drones and real-time monitoring as safety priorities
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Summary
Deputy Chief of Traffic and Incident Management Steve Magnus briefed the board on current and emerging technologies — including AI-driven traffic rerouting, tethered drones and integrated CAD systems — and urged continued board support to expand those tools.
Deputy Chief of Traffic and Incident Management Steve Magnus told the Illinois Tollway Board on May 20 that the agency is expanding its use of technology to speed incident detection and improve roadway safety.
Magnus described current tools — cameras, dynamic message signs (DMS), microwave vehicle detection sensors (MVDS), roadway weather stations (ARVIS), tethered drones, automated vehicle location and mobile CAD access — and said the Tollway integrates Waze data into its CAD system to push information to motorists. "These tools and systems are more than just investments in infrastructure," Magnus said, urging the board to maintain funding for training and deployment of new systems.
The nut graf: Tollway staff told directors that technology improvements support faster incident response and congestion management for millions of annual travelers; Magnus framed the investments as essential to safety and operational efficiency and asked the board for continued support to scale pilots and trainings.
Board members did not vote on policy or funding during Magnus's presentation. Magnus identified pilot projects in automated traffic management, video analytics, queue detection and AI-driven traffic rerouting for construction and incident management. He said tethered drones and specialized vehicle lighting have improved scene safety and that the Timbs to Go smart work zone application has won Tollway awards for safety enhancement.
Magnus highlighted dispatch improvements that use CallWorks and Mobile CAD to coordinate incident response and said integrating Waze data into the CAD system allows operations to push traveler information. He said pilots of video analytics and automated management will allow operators to respond dynamically to changing traffic patterns.
Executive Director Cassandra (executive director) and board members congratulated staff for technology and outreach work; Cassandra later referenced the Tollway's broader IT leadership when acknowledging an award nomination for Mike Shea, the agency's chief information officer. Magnus concluded his remarks with a direct appeal to the board: "So please, let's commit to keeping the Illinois Tollway a leader in safety and mobility."
