With businesses and new residents continuing to move DFW daily, city officials have begun to think more about traffic before it becomes a serious issue.
For years, the metroplex has worked on expanding highways and fixing roads to ease congestion, but with additional drivers on the road, some say more needs to be done. That’s why Dallas City Council members will hold a briefing on Tuesday to address potentially using data from smartphones and smart vehicles to better coordinate traffic signals.
The City of Dallas has been working on replacing old, decaying traffic signals with new ones that can communicate with a central traffic management center at Dallas City Hall. Now, they want to expand on the abilities of the new traffic signals, by allowing them to use data from smartphones and smart vehicles for better traffic control. “I think it’s a good idea. There’s a lot of smart traffic signals in Charlotte, Atlanta, that area, where they will move on as you go,” said Driver Frank Field.
According to NBC DFW, smartphones are able to track congestion through a network of other phones, while signals from smart vehicles transmit information to manufacturers and driver assistance services. If approved, the plan would cost around $21 million and take five years to install. While there are safety concerns, many think it may be worth it in order to avoid sitting in traffic.
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