Deployment of a wireless mesh network for traffic control

Wireless mesh networks (WMN) have attracted considerable interest in recent years as a convenient, new technology. However, the suitability of WMN for mission-critical infrastructure applications remains by and large unknown, as protocols typically employed in WMN are, for the most part, not designed for real-time communications. In this chapter, the authors describe a wireless mesh network architecture to solve the communication needs of the traffic control system in Sydney. This system, known as SCATS and used in over 100 cities around the world - from individual traffic light controllers to regional computers and the central TMC -places stringent requirements on the reliability and latency of the data exchanges. The authors discuss experience in the deployment of an initial testbed consisting of 7 mesh nodes placed at intersections with traffic lights, and share the results and insights learned from measurements and initial trials in the process.