The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is deploying Ciena's (NYSE:CIEN) converged packet optical and packet networking solutions in its private fiber-optic network, which spans nearly 560 highway miles across the state. The upgrade, being completed through Colorado's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program, is intended to support an increased number of intelligent communication devices to allow travelers and transportation agencies to be better informed about roadway conditions.

The network upgrade is intended to enable CDOT to connect more hardened and weatherproof devices, up to 20 devices per fiber without any shared or constrained bandwidth. The devices will be linked by an underground network of fiber-optic cables to provide up-to-date roadway conditions to travelers and transportation agencies. When the deployment is complete, the ITS is expected to support approximately 1,500 devices, including traffic cameras, traffic message signs, speed sensors and weather monitoring devices.