City of North Little Rock, AR, chooses SWARCO McCain ATC Cabinets to improve travel times on McCain Boulevard
SAN DIEGO, California, March 29, 2023 - SWARCO McCain, Inc., a leader in the supply of advanced transportation solutions, via its Oklahoma-based distributor Pinkley Sales, has announced a partnership with the City of North Little Rock, AR, that includes the installation of McCain ATC Cabinets and eX2 NEMA Controllers at a dozen intersections on the City’s important and busy corridor, appropriately named McCain Boulevard.
In the Fall of 2022, the City made the decision to switch from NEMA cabinets to McCain ATC Cabinets, some of the first ATC Cabinets installed in Arkansas. The installation also included McCain ATC eX2 NEMA Controllers along with Omni® eX intersection software and McCain Transparity® software, a decision already bearing fruit. The solution provided the city with the feature set necessary to optimize and coordinate McCain Blvd improving eastbound travel times by an impressive 18% and 15% improvement westbound.
“I had a lot of issues with the previous system, so I was looking for something different,” says Jacob Mahan, Chief Signal Technician for the City of North Little Rock. “I wanted to get away from being called out to a cabinet because there was a faulty wire somewhere. It would take a lot of time to trace down the wire and figure out a solution. With the SWARCO McCain ATC Cabinet, everything is under control.” Mahan continues, “Of course, it just happened to be on McCain Boulevard – my team liked the idea of ‘McCain on McCain’ and the mayor was fired up about it, too. It’s a happy coincidence!” The City of North Little Rock had never previously invested in a central intersection management system, which is something that Jacob Mahan was determined to make right.
ATC eX2 Controllers, paired with Omni eX software, represent the newest traffic signal technology to help improve traffic signal operations. Designed based on the ATC controller standard published by ITE, these controllers have proven flexibility and reliability for every intersection while offering enhanced features that make intersections safer. Additionally, all McCain ATC eX series controllers allow agencies to preserve their investment by supporting design features that allow migration to newer technology. Additionally, all McCain ATC eX series controllers allow agencies to preserve their investment by supporting design features that allow migration to newer technology. Our controllers are backward compatible with NEMA TS1 or TS2, and forward compatible with ATC Cabinets.
Pinkley Sales’ Regional Manager Greg Biswell says, “North Little Rock is a great city to work with. Jacob and his team have put a lot of work in behind the scenes. Jacob’s approach to updating equipment and old standards is refreshing. The city is very forward-thinking; when this program is complete, he's probably going to be in the top two in the state for leading-edge traffic technology.”
Mahan mentions, “SWARCO McCain and Pinkley Sales have been incredibly helpful. I've been able to build several good timing plans and collect more accurate and relevant data. I can also collect data from other parts of the day that weren’t accounted for before. Mahan continues, “This is the future of traffic signals. ATC Cabinets allow for easier integration with connected vehicles, emergency pre-emption, and improved communications for quicker responses to problems.”
About SWARCO McCain, Inc.
San Diego-based transportation technology firm SWARCO McCain Inc. designs develops and manufactures intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and traffic control products to promote increased roadway safety, improved traffic efficiency, and more sustainable communities.
Part of the SWARCO Group since 2016, an Austrian-headquartered global leader in ITS and road marking systems with 5,300 traffic experts serving business partners in 80+ countries, SWARCO McCain, Inc. helps improve quality of life by making the travel experience safer, quicker, more convenient, and environmentally sound.
About Pinkley Sales
Pinkley Sales was founded in 1977 and has been a SWARCO McCain distributor since 2015, covering Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The company provides the most advanced traffic products, including NEMA, 170/270, ATC traffic controllers and cabinets, video detection systems, network communication systems, etc. Pinkley Sales is family-owned and based in Oklahoma City, OK.
About the City of North Little Rock, Arkansas
North Little Rock is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, across the Arkansas River from the state capital, Little Rock, in the central part of the state. The population was 64,591 at the 2020 census, making it the seventh-most populous city in the state. In 1906 North Little Rock changed its name to Argenta (due to its silver mines) but reverted back to North Little Rock in 1917.
