Toll bridges and tunnels within the San Francisco Bay Area will soon be equipped with hundreds of security cameras and related equipment for homeland security purposes. Details relating to the scope of the security enhancement efforts to protect the bridges and tunnels are not available.

Following 9/11, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Highway Patrol took action to protect the transportation infrastructure in the Bay Area with a project called B.A.S.E. (Bay Area Security Enhancement). The security solution incorporates technology that could meet a wide geographical spread of the transportation assets and be deployed quickly and economically.

RVision LLC, a provider of pan/tilt/zoom camera systems for outdoor environments and built for metropolitan safety and security, was awarded the contract to supply the cameras. Competition for the camera supply contract was conducted throughout a four-month period beginning in October 2001.

Part of Caltrans’ selection process for security cameras included testing at its laboratory in Sacramento for image fidelity, temperature, vibration, and field tests on the toll bridges. A Caltrans test yard on one of the toll bridges was established to stage, integrate, and develop an equipment installation procedure for the B.A.S.E. project.

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