The t echnology in place includes ubiquitous message signs that alert drivers about driving conditions ahead, closed circuit TV cameras for visual monitoring, loop detectors that control highway ramp meters, a signaling system at 60 major intersections that automatically adapts to changes in traffic volume, automated scheduling for transit buses, and controllers and cables to feed information into a massive traffic management center. What's not so apparent is the extensive regional cooperation that has built up around the project, especially with the local governments. At its most basic, regionalism allows local governments to establish their needs and put them into a plan. The state, in turn, provides the staff and money to get the ball rolling. But it's much more than that.
Communication has to be established so that trust and cooperation can follow.
That's no longer the case here. We are able to communicate better than ever with the cities and the state. I can now call a colleague in another city for help with a problem that would take us 35 minutes to fix but would only take them five minutes. Reaching that point hasn't been easy. Wright remembers that Orion's start was rocky, and institutional problems and a lack of consensus caused the project to move in different directions.