HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - Hillsborough County has a new way to help traffic move along more effectively as more people relocate to the area.

What You Need To Know

  • Hillsborough County has a new Traffic Management Center

  • Staff can watch cameras around the county and adjust signal timings at traffic lights as needed

  • Officials say putting these services under one roof is all about trying to manage traffic issues easier as congestion increases in the area

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Spectrum Bay News 9 got a tour of the county’s new Traffic Management Center.

“It’s very exciting — been a long time in the making,” said senior traffic management engineer Brian Gentry.

The county recently moved its traffic operations from a small room with old equipment to a new facility with state-of-the-art technology.

Now, staff can watch more than 100 cameras around Hillsborough on several big screens.

They can keep an eye on traffic issues and can even adjust the signal timings at traffic lights to help move traffic along.

“We’re able to use different software and cameras to pinpoint crashes, and/or emergency construction, and modify signal timings to mitigate that congestion,” Gentry said.

He said the department can also dispatch crews to areas where there might be a malfunction, like a traffic light not working.

Right down the hall is a workshop where all the road signs in Hillsborough County are made. County crews work at all hours to have thousands of signs ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Officials say putting these services under one roof is all about trying to manage traffic issues more effectively.

“A great innovation for us,” said traffic operations manager Kyla Fischer. “It allows us to collaborate, work closer together. Be a lot more flexible, nimble and responsive to traffic congestion, operational needs and maintenance needs.”

County officials also say there are plans in place to expand and add new technology to the Traffic Management Center.