On April 15, Jonathan Gifford was joined by Lisardo Bolanos (Center GRA), Jeong Yun Kweun (Center GRA), Mike McConnell, (a graduate student currently enrolled in the Applied Methods in Regional Development and Transportation Analysis class), and Zhou Yang (a graduate student from the Volgeneau School of Engineering) for a tour of the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center. The tour was offered by Rob Stalzer (Deputy County Executive-Fairfax County) to better understand the integration of transportation services.
The McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center (MPSTOC) is a model of multi-agency coordination and cooperation. The center is a partnership between Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia that brings multiple agencies and functions together under one roof to enhance the effectiveness of:
- Public safety response
- Improve traffic congestion management
- Better manage the response to and recovery from major emergencies