From Daily Commutes to the Masters Tournament: How Augusta Scaled Smart Traffic Management with Nx Go

Organization: City of Augusta, Traffic Engineering Division, Georgia, USA

Challenge: Outdated traffic monitoring system lacked flexibility, scalability, and responsiveness, especially during high-traffic events like the Masters Tournament.

Solution: Nx Go delivered a scalable, cloud-accessible visual infrastructure solution that enabled real-time monitoring, rapid response, and customizable layouts across devices—all within a unified system.

Key Results: Expanded from a few dozen to 130+ cameras (with 100 more planned), significantly improved incident response times, optimized daily traffic operations, and established Nx Go as a critical tool during major events and day-to-day traffic management.

The Traffic Engineering division of the Augusta Engineering Department (AED) oversees a complex and growing transportation network in Richmond County, Georgia, including more than 275 signalized intersections and an expanding fleet of traffic cameras. Each spring, that system is put to the test when tens of thousands of visitors arrive for the Masters Tournament—turning the city into a logistical challenge for traffic coordination.

While the Masters creates a dramatic spike in vehicle volume, managing daily operations is equally critical. The city of Augusta needed a solution that could meet the dual challenge of supporting large-scale events and maintaining optimal traffic flow year-round. Their answer: Nx Go—Network Optix’s transportation-focused visual infrastructure software.

Originally adopted to address the limitations of a rigid system, Nx Go now serves as a cornerstone of Augusta’s traffic management strategy, enabling smarter decision-making, faster responses, and seamless scalability.

Before implementing Nx Go, AED faced a number of operational and technical hurdles:

1. Cumbersome Interface: The legacy system, installed in 2017, required detailed technical knowledge and time-consuming configuration, making it inefficient for managing numerous live video streams—especially during high-pressure scenarios.

2. Limited Flexibility: During the Masters Tournament, when traffic patterns change rapidly, the inability to reconfigure views or prioritize camera feeds in real time made dynamic response difficult.

3. Scaling Limitations: With plans to expand the camera network from a few dozen to hundreds of devices, the previous system lacked the scalability and reliability required for long-term growth.

4. Delayed Incident Response: When crashes occurred or signals went offline, limited visibility and inflexible tools slowed response times, impacting public safety and commuter experience.

Nx Go addressed Augusta’s traffic management needs with a modern, adaptable solution built for scalability and real-time responsiveness. Key highlights of the deployment include:

1. Unified Monitoring Across Roadways: With Nx Go’s user-friendly interface and Nx Video Wall, AED staff can monitor dozens of live traffic streams simultaneously from a centralized system, using the insights they gather to swiftly assess congestion, detect incidents, and adjust signal operations.

2. Masters Tournament Coordination: During the annual Masters, Nx Go is used to manage traffic flow across over 45 critical cameras surrounding the Augusta National Golf Club. The ability to instantly switch between layouts and prioritize views enables staff to respond proactively as conditions change throughout the event.

3. Proactive Signal Management: When a traffic signal goes offline, nearby camera feeds provide immediate situational awareness. Technicians can remotely evaluate the issue and deploy targeted responses, reducing downtime and public disruption.

4. Customizable Layouts: Operators can create and instantly switch between custom grid views of video streams, enabling streamlined monitoring tailored to specific roles and rapidly evolving conditions.
5. Anywhere Access with Nx Cloud: With cloud-based accessibility, AED staff can manage the system remotely via smartphones, tablets, and laptops—maintaining full control whether in the office or in the field.

Nx Go's implementation resulted in significant improvements for the city of Augusta and AED:

1. Scalable System Growth: The camera network has grown from a few dozen to over 130 cameras, with another 100 expected to come online in the near future. Nx Go’s scalable architecture ensures continued performance as the system expands.
2. Improved Operational Efficiency: Real-time monitoring and customizable workflows empower AED technicians to make quicker, more informed adjustments across 275 traffic signals, leading to smoother daily traffic operations.
3. Faster Response and Safer Roads: Immediate visibility of affected corridors when traffic signals fail ensures faster diagnosis and resolution, significantly reducing delays and improving public safety.
4. Event Readiness at Scale: Nx Go’s highly customizable interface enables precise management during the Masters Tournament, significantly improving the flow of traffic for thousands of visitors and establishing it as an indispensable tool during high-traffic events.

“We highly recommend Nx Go to other municipalities in our industry. Its ease of use, extensive customization, cloud-based access, and scalability were exactly what we needed. Nx Go has notably improved our ability to manage daily operations and large-scale events like the Masters Tournament, making our roadways safer and more efficient for all who use them.”

- Augusta Engineering Department