Des Moines to try out new high-tech traffic signs

The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved spending up to 500-thousand dollars to help the state’s largest city create some high-tech traffic signs. Stuart Anderson, of the Iowa Department of Transportation, says the “way-finding” sign system in Des Moines will help people find parking ramps. But, Anderson says they’ll be more than just an arrow pointing in the direction of the ramps. He says several of the signs in downtown Des Moines will have real time information directing drivers to ramps that have available parking spots. Anderson says the signs help save the drivers some grief. He says it sometimes happens that parking ramps are full and drivers go to the ramps and don’t know they’re full. He says the new signs will direct the drivers to the ramps that have spaces open. Anderson says it’ll be the first system of its kind in Iowa. He says it’s still fairly new around the country, with some larger metropolitan areas, such as St. Paul, Minnesota utilizing them. Anderson says the signs can pay off with several benefits. He says one big benefit is the signs are expected to reduce some of the congestion in downtown Des Moines. He says they also are expected to help cut emissions in the downtown area because people won’t have to drive around looking for an open parking ramp. Anderson says the signs will be especially useful during big events, such as the state basketball tournaments. Anderson says the money is from a federal fund designated for use of what are call “Intelligent Transportation Systems.”