ATSAC IS WATCHING YOU
If the car is a sacred object in Los Angeles -- and for many people, it does seem to be one -- then ATSAC is the Temple.
Located under City Hall East, downtown, the Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control center monitors and controls every traffic light in the city, making real-time adjustments based on traffic conditions at about 4400 intersections. ATSAC was first used to route vehicles around the Coliseum during the 1984 Olympics; now it’s one of the largest and most sophisticated traffic control systems in the world.
This story aired on KCRW programs Which Way, L.A.? and All Things Considered in 2014.