In November 2024, the TBD Center proudly sponsored a visit for graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Texas at Austin to the City of Austin’s Mobility Management Center (MMC). The tour offered students an invaluable opportunity to experience firsthand how a major city manages its complex transportation network and mobility operations.
Led by MMC Manager Allyson Richey, the students explored the center’s state-of-the-art operations, including the management of over 650 CCTV cameras, 1,200 vehicle-detection cameras, and Austin’s 250-mile fiber-optic network. Throughout the visit, city officials shared insights into key initiatives shaping Austin’s mobility landscape. Joel Meyer discussed Vision Zero efforts and traffic safety statistics; Brian Goldberg introduced students to the city’s signal hardware systems and emergency vehicle preemption technologies; and Andrew Shensky demonstrated how spatial analysis supports mobility management through GIS applications. Scott Feldman concluded the visit with a discussion of signal infrastructure maintenance challenges and innovations.
The visit provided students with valuable exposure to the day-to-day complexities of urban traffic management and highlighted potential career paths within public agency transportation operations. Through events like this, the TBD Center remains committed to supporting the next generation of transportation leaders by connecting academic learning with real-world practice.
