Washington taps Arinc for tunnel control system

Arinc Inc. has won a $1.75 million contract from the Washington Department of Transportation to modernize the central computer system for two major highway tunnels on Interstate 90 near Seattle, the company announced this week.

Under the contract, Arinc of Annapolis, Md., will install its advanced information management system at two onsite tunnel control rooms and in the Washington State Department of Transportation's regional headquarters in Shoreline, Wash.

The new technology will work with existing tunnel subsystems, including multiple traffic detectors, video cameras, fire alarms, lighting and ventilation systems, emergency telephones and traffic message displays.

The system's platform offers an off-the-shelf solution to the transportation industry. Its open architecture, based on commercial off-the-shelf hardware, makes it cost effective not only for control applications, but also for customer information systems and security systems, according to the company.

The two Interstate 90 tunnel complexes where the systems will be installed are Mount Baker Ridge and Mercer Island, both of which are located south of Seattle.

Arinc develops and operates communications and information processing systems and provides engineering and integration for airports, aviation, defense, government and surface transportation.

The company has more than 3,000 employees and annual sales $608 million, according to Hoover's Online of Austin, Texas.