What Happened?
West Des Moines is using state-of-the-art camera technology to gather data on street conditions during snow and ice storms. The technology enables street crews to prepare roads more effectively to keep commutes safe and efficient.
Goal
The West Des Moines city crews have invested in infrared cameras that send a signal on roadways to gather key information. The infrared technology can track road conditions in real time while staying attached to city operations trucks as they navigate the city, KCCI reported.
The camera shoots an infrared signal onto the pavement that records information for public works crews including:
- Street surface temperatures
- Snow accumulation
- Ice measurements
Once the information is collected, public works crews can analyze the results and decide how much chemicals will be needed throughout the community to keep the roads clear and safe. When temperatures drop below a certain threshold, the city’s de-icing chemicals become less effective.
Public works crews can pinpoint specific areas along roadways in need of sale or other chemicals and send trucks. The detailed camera reports allow the city to more accurately gauge how much to use and avoid costly waste, KCCI reported.
Arlington Water Project
High-tech cameras are also helping cities maintain strong water systems. The Water Utilities Department in Arlington, Texas, recently launched a water project aimed at reducing waste across the community. If the city is able to reduce water waste by just 1 percent, it could see $300,000 in annual savings, Star-Telegram reported.
One component of the savings initiative involves deploying a robotic crawler to inspect the inside of a 24-inch water main that runs through the city center. Arlington Water Utilities officials will use the robotic crawler to gauge the condition of the water main and determine if it needs replacing. The water main is 30 years old, and a full replacement would cost Arlington $1 million, while spot repairs would be more affordable, Star-Telegram reported.
The robotic crawler is able to scale the underground pipe at a rate of 40 feet per minute. The crawler collects high-definition images of the inside of the pipe as well as other environmental data from electromagnetic sensors to accurately identify weaknesses in the pipes and the steel bars around the main, Star-Telegram reported.
Provo Water Maintenance
The Public Works Department in Provo, Utah, is proactively monitoring the city’s water system infrastructure to find weaknesses where repairs are needed before a pipe or water main bursts and leads to more expensive repairs, Herald Extra reported.
The Provo public works team has a remote-controlled video camera that is used to inspect the inside of pipes throughout the city to see where maintenance and replacement work is needed. These inspections are important to maintaining the water infrastructure’s integrity.
Currently, about 60 percent of Provo’s water pipes are 50 or more years old. The average lifespan of a water pipe is around 65 years. The camera helps public works spend limited budgetary dollars on pipes in need of immediate repairs, Herald Extra reported.
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