Traffic & Parking Control Company, LLC (TAPCO), a Wisconsin-based leader in traffic safety and parking solutions, has made a generous donation of advanced traffic equipment to the college’s Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation (IPIT). The equipment will be used in classroom instruction to give transportation engineering students hands-on experience with real-world traffic management technology.
The new equipment was unveiled and demonstrated at a May 16 event at IPIT’s Northwest Quad campus location, and included leadership from both organizations and students who will benefit from the gift. TAPCO’s Senior ITS Development Manager Lindsay Harvey said it is unique for college students to have experience with this kind of equipment.
The donation includes a traffic signal cabinet, signal head, and two accessible pedestrian crosswalk buttons designed to help people with disabilities safely cross the street. This type of equipment is commonly installed at roadway intersections to manage both vehicle flow and pedestrian safety.
“We are truly grateful to TAPCO for this gift which will be used in classroom instruction with our civil engineering students,” said Xiao Qin, professor and director of UWM’s IPIT. “This gift is a great example of industry partnering with UWM to support student learning and advance community safety.”
Real hardware deepens learning
Until now, students learned the hardware of a traffic signal control system through textbooks or design manuals with illustrations, Qin said. They designed and implemented simulated signal timing through computer software.
The donated equipment will not only give students the opportunity to connect what they’ve learned from the textbook to the real-life equipment but also operate their signal timing commands and immediately observe signal changes.
Students also can conduct research on communication between traffic signals with other devices in a connected environment, cybersecurity on traffic control devices, and system energy consumption.
One of the highlights is the SWARCO McCain 352i ATC Cabinet, a compact but powerful traffic control box that manages traffic lights and other signals. It’s designed to handle complex setups without extra wiring or additional cabinets and is ready for smart technologies such as connected roads and autonomous vehicles.
“Safe and reliable transportation for the traveling public cannot be possible without the expertise and knowledge of traffic engineers and technicians in the field,” said Harvey. “The technology available today is moving at a faster pace than ever, and TAPCO is proud to have this opportunity to share it with UWM engineering students for enhanced learning. We know many of the graduates of UWM stay in Wisconsin, so we hope this investment helps promote a future of improved mobility and safety for our community.”
The donation also features the iDS/iNS Series Accessible Pedestrian Signals, which provide audible cues (beeps or spoken messages) and tactile feedback (vibrations) to indicate when it’s safe to cross. These signals make intersections more accessible and safer for vulnerable road users, including people who are vision impaired or have other disabilities.
Andrew Graettinger, associate dean for research in the college, was also on hand at the event. The equipment was intentionally stationed in a room with windows and outside corridors on three sides so that anyone walking on the floor will have a view of it, he said.