Tallahassee to add more than 100 cameras to traffic

The Tallahassee City Commission awarded a contract Wednesday aimed at updating and enhancing the city’s transportation management system by replacing and installing new cameras across the city.

The decision, which was authorized through the Commission’s consent agenda, empowers City Manager Reese Goad to award and execute a contract with Intelligent Transportation Services, Inc. The Commission is seeking 220 traffic cameras for the Tallahassee Advanced Transportation Management System (TATMS). TATMS is the system that monitors and controls traffic signals in the city of Tallahassee and Leon County.

The current system monitors roadways for incidents and congestion and provides verification of signal timing adjustment. The contract will replace 98 aging cameras, but also includes 102 cameras for new locations and 20 for backups or future expansion.

New cameras will carry a price tag of more than $450,000, but the city won’t have to pick up the tab. An agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) included a provision that FDOT would reimburse the city for up to $750,000 for the camera replacement project. The winning bid was one of 12 that got as high as $790,000.

The contract won’t just expand the system’s coverage area, but also who can access it.

According to agenda item details from city staff, the updated cameras will allow video feeds from cameras to be shared to other city departments, like the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD). The current analog camera video feed cannot be shared outside of the Traffic Management Center.

Tallahassee Spokesperson Alison Faris told Florida Politics that TPD currently can access some traffic cameras, but the expansion will allow them to access the feed from all cameras. She added that the addition of further cameras will boost the coverage of the city’s 360 signaled intersections.

Goad must now finalize the deal with the company before the transaction takes place.

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