Town Of Mount Pleasant: Mount Pleasant Clears The Way For Public Safety Responsiveness With Traffic Light Preemption Devices

Press release from the Town of Mount Pleasant:

June 23, 2021

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (June 23, 2021) - Responding to emergency calls may get faster and related accidents at intersections may be virtually eliminated in Mount Pleasant as the Town puts traffic light control in the hands of emergency responders.

The Town has partnered with Applied Information to install traffic signal preemption devices at 65 key intersections in town, joining the ranks of other large municipalities throughout the nation. Traffic preemption devices control strategic intersections to facilitate a reduced response time for emergency vehicles responding to an incident. These devices anticipate the response path of fire apparatus and adjust lights to keep the direction of travel open for the emergency vehicles. Controlling intersections in this manner also reduces the chance of vehicle collisions along the response path.

"We at the Town of Mount Pleasant prioritize the safety of our community above all else. This system fosters safer emergency responses for our emergency responders, pedestrians, and motorists," said Mount Pleasant Deputy Fire Chief Craig Oliverius. "We are confident that this Traffic Preemption system ensures the highest level of motor safety and emergency responsiveness.”

The traffic preemption devices also work seamlessly with Applied Information’s Glance TravelSafely app using connected vehicle technology that interfaces with traffic signal controllers and sends the information to motorists via Dedicated Short Range Radios (DSRC) and cellular communications. The TravelSafely app will alert motorists to emergency vehicles and where they will be approaching from as well as traffic signal timing.

View a video showcasing the benefits of the traffic preemption system here. 

This press release was produced by the Town of Mount Pleasant. The views expressed here are the author’s own.