We've all been there. Nothing compares to the frustration of sitting at a red light when no one is coming the other way.
City officials are working to change that. A pilot program is underway to use AI to improve signal timing and safety.
“We believe that by leveraging technology, we can better understand and respond to transportation issues,” says Jim Alberque, IT Manager.
“We convert real-time video from traffic cameras into data,” Alberg explains.
Transportation Manager Jed Niffenegger notes that this has traditionally been a manual and time-consuming process. A staff member stood at the intersection with a clipboard inputting traffic numbers.
“Theoretically, with this pilot project, we can quickly get data to optimize traffic lights,” Niffenegger said. “We like to say 'always real time.'”
pilot
The City of Raleigh has more than 200 traffic cameras installed throughout Raleigh.
During the pilot phase of the program, the AI system will be able to analyze data from approximately 12 cameras. The City does not store videos or collect identifying information.
potential
“Once we complete and expand the pilot, we will be able to provide timing engineers with real-time, accurate data to improve signal timing,” Niffenegger points out. “This allows for significant cost savings, both in terms of time and fuel savings.”
For example, a corridor like Capital Boulevard carries 60,000 vehicles per day. A 1% improvement in timing on a 2-mile stretch of six traffic lights could potentially save tens of thousands of dollars per day.
Alberke and Niffenegger emphasize that this could be extremely beneficial for a growing city like Raleigh. Even with increased traffic, the solution is not necessarily to widen the roads. Many hallways still have sufficient capacity.
Traffic movement problems are often at intersections. This helps us make the most of what we have.
As the program and technology is fine-tuned, it may be used in other cities across the country.
What about the irritation of red lights? This AI technology has the potential to reduce congestion and make intersections safer.
