Incidents

Predictable, cyclical events like rush hours, and even traffic surges brought on by large sporting events, can be controlled automatically, however unpredictable,“non-recurrent” events are the main cause of interruptions to normal traffic flow. Incidents and incident response is therefore one of the most important elements of traffic management. This is why the state police (CHP) are involved so heavily in traffic control, with monitors and dispatchers at the Caltrans TMC and at the CHP Communications Center (there are no police at ATSAC). With over ten million people moving on 650 miles of freeway and 6,400 miles of surface streets in the region, incidents include nearly everything imaginable.