Skip to main content

Seattle goes with the Flow

Traffic Signal Management platform will be deployed across city’s University District
By David Arminas April 19, 2024 Read time: 2 mins
Seattle's University District (© Cpaulfell | Dreamstime.com)

Flow Labs, a transportation software technology leader specialising in artificial intelligence, will deploy the company’s Traffic Signal Management platform across Seattle’s University District.

Flow Labs will analyse key corridors in the district to generate detailed information concerning traffic patterns, congestion points and other factors affecting traffic flow. This will enable Seattle’s Department of Transportation to understand the effectiveness of signal timings and overall traffic network performance.

Flow Labs’ Integrated Connected Vehicle Data Platform will integrate the city’s roadway infrastructure data, capturing high resolution data from traffic signals, detection systems and connected vehicles. It provides Seattle with a comprehensive real-time view of roadway conditions at every level.

“The Seattle Department of Transportation is a very progressive agency that understands the importance of analytics in delivering the safest, most efficient conditions for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists,” said Jatish Patel, Flow Labs’ chief executive and founder. 

“By leveraging the data that’s already flowing from our roadways and road users, Seattle DoT will have complete visibility into roadway conditions and the ability to adjust traffic patterns as often as needed to ensure streets work better for everyone.”

Seattle’s University District is an urban residential and business community. It is home to the University of Washington’s main campus, including the more than 70,000-seat Husky Stadium, which dramatically impacts the area’s traffic volumes on football game days. The Flow Labs platform enables Seattle DoT to proactively manage traffic signals taking into account pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety while balancing efficiency goals during large scale events.

Flow Labs uses AI to clean and analyse data from multiple sources, including connected vehicles and detection devices, to provide previously unachievable traffic volume accuracy and the clearest picture of intersection efficiency available - all with no hardware required.

“Performance measurement has always been difficult, particularly getting clear metrics on overall mobility, efficiency and sustainability. The necessity of expensive hardware and manual fieldwork has always been a barrier to improving traffic conditions,” said Patel.

“The Flow Labs platform taps into the power of integrated transportation data and AI so agencies can orchestrate the entire transportation ecosystem for improved safety, accessibility and quality of life in cities for all road users."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Velodyne Lidar buys Bluecity
    October 5, 2022
    Lidar and software firms already work together on Velodyne’s Intelligent Infrastructure Solution
  • Econolite introduces cloud-based signal performance solution
    July 31, 2017
    Econolite has launched Centracs Signal Performance Measures (SPM), a cloud-based high-resolution traffic data collection and analytics software solution designed to improve traffic signal optimisation and continuous monitoring. It has been developed in support of the fourth round of the Every Day Counts (EDC-4) program of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that encourages implementation of automated traffic signal performance measures as a means to optimise traffic signal coordination and programm
  • Optibus and Ito World plan ahead
    September 26, 2022
    Software and routing specialists get together to create 'more efficient' public transport
  • Connected citizens boosts Boston’s traffic management
    March 30, 2017
    Data-derived traffic management is starting to show benefits as David Crawford discovers. The city of Boston has been facing growing congestion problems in its Seaport regeneration district, with the rate of commercial and residential growth threatening to overtake the capacity of the road network to respond.