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How Can Technology Solve Traffic Congestion in Florida?

Florida Rep. John Mica has proposed that roads and highways be outfitted with sensors that gauge traffic and communicate with stop lights instead of the lights being on an automatic timer.

(TNS) -- More than 50 Central Florida leaders gathered in Orlando Monday to listen to a pitch from U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, about employing high technology to move cars and trucks on area roads.

Mica said he wants to secure money from the Highway Transportation bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to pay for a system that would change stop lights according to traffic, not by pre-timed intervals now in place at almost all intersections.

"If we don't do it, I guarantee others will. The money will be gone," Mica said during a meeting at the offices of MetroPlan Orlando, which sets policy in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.

Virtually everyone in the room said they supported Mica's notion.

"I think this is a really exciting plan," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

Mica provided a map showing the major roads he would suggest get new signals: U.S. Highways 17-92 and 441 and State Roads 50, 436, 434 and 426. Each carries a high volume of vehicles and are loaded with traffic lights.

"Bumper to bumper, jammed in almost every community," was Mica's description of the roads.

No one disagreed.

Mica said nearly $70 million has been set aside for high tech in the $325 billion annual transportation bill that has been funded for the next three years. The bill is headed for the U.S. Senate, where it likely will be modified and the differences hashed out with the House.

It is impossible to say how much money Central Florida might need, Mica said, because no one is certain what roads or how many intersections might involved in the proposed project. But it probably would take millions.

Mica said the federal government likely would offer to pay for 50 percent of the work, with the state and possibly local agencies coming up with the remainder.

Regardless of the cost, Mica said, it would be cheaper than expanding existing roads. He pointed to the $2.3 billion overhaul of Interstate 4 through downtown Orlando, plus the more than $200 million spent on building four flyovers on state roads such as 436 and 50.

"We've all got plenty of challenges before us," said Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan. "Not enough money, not enough time."

Swan, who is the MetroPlan chairman, said the organization will prepare a resolution next month for counties and cities to compile a list of potential roads and intersections for the grant money.

Also on Monday, Mica traveled to DeBary to meet with roughly 50 Volusia County officials to talk about ways to find money for SunRail commuter train stop in DeLand. SunRail officials were denied a $35 million grant from the federal government because the link would only attract about 200 riders daily.

Mica promised to look for other grant money and agreed to meet again in January to talk more about financing the connection.

©2015 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.