Skip to main content

TTI launches Smart Intersection initiative

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), Texas A&M University and the City of College Station are joining forces with seven key private sector companies to help design, develop and test safer, smarter intersections, where vehicles alert drivers to stalled traffic miles before the queues begin – and suggest alternate routes. They say the ability to detect traffic flow and volume, analyse complex traffic data in real time, calculate multiple route alternatives and send the resulting recommendations to
June 8, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), Texas A&M University and the City of College Station are joining forces with seven key private sector companies to help design, develop and test safer, smarter intersections, where vehicles alert drivers to stalled traffic miles before the queues begin – and suggest alternate routes.

They say the ability to detect traffic flow and volume, analyse complex traffic data in real time, calculate multiple route alternatives and send the resulting recommendations to vehicles approaching a congested intersection will change the congestion equation. Rather than dealing with traffic choke points on an intersection-by-intersection basis, such technologies promise to address the problem systemically – to dynamically shift traffic patterns on the fly. The convergence of intelligent vehicle systems, traffic monitoring technologies, and active roadway infrastructure will shift mobility management from a reactive strategy to a dynamic, real-time system.

The Smart Intersections Initiative is the first of several promising developments coming out of the Transportation Technology Conference sponsored by TTI and held last month at the Bush School’s Annenberg Conference Center in College Station, Texas.

Several key players in transportation-related automation, among them 6692 Econolite Group, EDI, 73 Iteris, 772 McCain, MoboTrex, Savari and 189 Siemens, have indicated preliminary interest in the initiative. Talks are underway with others.

The project will be based at The Texas A&M University System’s new RELLIS campus.

The research will be conducted in three distinct environments: laboratory; a controlled environment featuring several intersections constructed at the RELLIS campus; and ultimately at live intersections in the City of College Station.

Work will centre on practical application of evolving automated and connected vehicle and infrastructure technologies. The goal is to streamline signal operations, enhance safety and improve overall mobility.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Connected vehicles - potential to transform US transportation
    April 12, 2013
    There’s a new face in the driving seat at the US Department of Transport’s ITS Joint Program Office. Fortunately, as Robin Meczes finds out, he’s no learner driver… Ask Kenneth Leonard why he wanted his new job as director of the ITS Joint Program Office, and his answer comes back without a second’s delay. “The potential to save lives, reduce injuries and help people enjoy a more efficient transportation system is the kind of challenge that makes me want to come to work each morning,” he says. “In my opinio
  • Johns Hopkins takes on transport & climate research for USDoT
    March 10, 2023
    University chosen to lead new transportation centre focused on environmental solutions
  • Cost benefit: just $25 boosts pedestrian safety in Florida
    April 29, 2019
    A relatively straightforward change to the way that pedestrians cross the street in a Florida city has made a significant safety improvement. And what’s more, it was cheap, finds David Crawford Installing a lead pedestrian interval (LPI) system at 25 central business district signalised intersections in the Florida city of Lakeland has cut numbers of incidents involving pedestrians by some 60% - at a cost of US$25 for 30 minutes' work, according to traffic operations manager Angelo Rao.
  • Econolite’s Centracs software has priority
    June 5, 2019
    Econolite is using the Annual Meeting for the official unveiling of the company’s two breakthrough software solutions for traffic management, fire and emergency services, as well as transit operations. Centracs Edaptive is Econolite’s next-generation adaptive signal control, optimising cycle, offset, and splits by using high-fidelity 1/10-second resolution data. It’s built upon Econolite’s Centracs SPM and offers deep analytical capabilities, ensuring users can maximise the performance of their signal co