Traffic Management Operation is a municipal transportation authority responsible for monitoring and optimizing traffic flow across a growing metropolitan region. Facing increasing congestion, pedestrian safety concerns, and pressure to modernize infrastructure, the organization deployed an advanced LiDARbased traffic monitoring system mounted on streetlights and utility poles throughout key intersections.

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors use pulsed laser light to measure distances and create precise, real-time 3D maps of surrounding environments. Unlike camera-based systems, LiDAR operates effectively in low-light conditions and delivers highly accurate object detection regardless of shadows or glare. When connected via Power over Ethernet (PoE), LiDAR sensors can receive both power and data connectivity over a single Ethernet cable, simplifying installation and reducing infrastructure costs.

In this deployment, LiDAR sensors and edge processing systems are mounted on poles at intersections to:

• Monitor vehicle count and speed
• Detect pedestrian presence and movement
• Trigger adaptive traffic signal timing
• Identify near-miss incidents and safety hazards
• Collect data for long-term traffic planning
• Video surveillance of traffic area with tradition cameras

The system required ruggedized network infrastructure capable of delivering high-power PoE, extended fiber connectivity, and reliable operation in outdoor environmental extremes.

The Challenge

Deploying intelligent LiDAR infrastructure on streetlight and poles introduced several technical challenges.

Long-Distance Extension

City intersections often span hundreds to thousands of feet from centralized traffic control rooms. Copper Ethernet alone could not reliably support these distances. Fiber optic connectivity was required to provide secure, high-bandwidth uplinks from pole-mounted equipment to aggregation switches in hardened roadside cabinets or traffic management centers.

Extending PoE Power

High-performance LiDAR sensors and embedded processing systems frequently require more than standard PoE power. Many advanced LiDAR units demand 60W to 90W or more for onboard compute, heaters, and environmental stabilization. The network switch had to deliver sufficient PoE per port without external midspan injectors, reducing failure points and simplifying pole installations.

Extended Temperature Environment

Equipment mounted on streetlights is exposed to direct sunlight, freezing temperatures, wind, rain, and vibration. Summer pole-mounted enclosure temperatures can exceed 60°C, while winter conditions may drop well below freezing. The solution required industrial temperature-rated hardware capable of reliable, long-term outdoor operation.

The Solution

To address these challenges, Traffic Management Operation deployed Omnitron’s RuggedNet® 4-Port Managed PoE Switch with 10Gigabit Uplink at each smart intersection.

The RuggedNet PoE switch provides:

• Four high-power PoE ports delivering up to 100W per port
• 10Gigabit fiber uplinks for high-bandwidth aggregation
• Industrial temperature operation
• Rugged metal enclosure for pole or cabinet mounting
• Advanced Layer 2 management features

Each streetlight-mounted enclosure houses a RuggedNet PoE switch connected to multiple LiDAR sensors via Cat6 Ethernet. The switch delivers both power and data over a single cable to each sensor. A 10Gb fiber uplink connects the pole to a centralized aggregation switch located in a traffic cabinet or operations center.

This architecture enables:

• High-resolution LiDAR data transmission with minimal latency
• Centralized traffic analytics and intersection control
• Secure fiber backbone connectivity
• Simplified deployment with reduced cabling complexity

By consolidating power and connectivity into a single managed switch, the solution eliminates the need for separate PoE injectors, reduces installation time, and improves long-term serviceability.

The Result and Conclusion

With Omnitron’s RuggedNet PoE switches deployed across key intersections, Traffic Management Operation achieved:

• Real-time adaptive traffic signal optimization
• Improved pedestrian detection and safety response
• Reduced congestion during peak hours
• Scalable fiber backbone architecture for future smart city expansion
• Lower maintenance costs due to rugged, industrial-grade equipment

The deployment now serves as a blueprint for expanding intelligent LiDAR-based monitoring throughout the city’s transportation network.

Why Omnitron Systems

Traffic Management Operation selected Omnitron for several critical reasons.

Reliability

Omnitron’s RuggedNet switches are purpose-built for industrial and outdoor deployments. With hardened components and extended temperature support, they provide the resilience necessary for 24/7 municipal infrastructure.

Technical Features

The 4-port managed 10Gigabit uplink RuggedNet PoE switch delivers up to 100W per port—ideal for nextgeneration LiDAR and edge processing systems. Advanced management capabilities, including VLANs, QoS, link fault detection, and SNMP monitoring, allow the network team to maintain visibility and control across the deployment.

Pre and Post Sales Support

From initial design consultation through deployment and integration, Omnitron’s engineering and technical support teams worked closely with Traffic Management Operation. This partnership ensured proper fiber selection, power budgeting, and network architecture optimization.

Made in USA Compliance

For municipal and federally funded infrastructure projects, compliance is critical. Omnitron’s RuggedNet switches are:

• TAA Compliant
• BAA Compliant
• NDAA Compliant
• Made in USA

These certifications provided confidence in supply chain integrity and regulatory alignment for publicsector procurement.

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