New AI traffic system saves Lee’s Summit drivers time, fuel. Here’s how
Traffic lights along a new traffic control system have been set up on Missouri 291 at Deerbrook Street in Lee’s Summit, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced last week.
The new traffic signal is intended to improve traffic flow and address safety concerns on the state highway, which runs north and south through the city. MoDOT estimates that 27,000 vehicles use the highway each day.
Construction crews for MoDOT turned on the traffic signal Oct. 3 at the intersection of Missouri 291 and Deerbrook Street, which is in the northeast part of Lee’s Summit.
The traffic signal features a state-of-the-art adaptive traffic synchronization system known as In|Sync, and is part of a $2.8 million project on Missouri 291 between I-470 and U.S. 50, MoDOT said. Crews said they expect to see improved traffic at that intersection and along the corridor.
The Missouri 291 project included resurfacing the highway, adding turn lanes, installing signal equipment and upgrading the intersections.
Work on improving intersections included the installation of new traffic cameras and pedestrian-friendly upgrades. Chester Bross Construction Co. was listed as the general contractor for the project.
“This project will lead to better safety, better capacity and better signal coordination,” Alex Martinez, a senior traffic studies specialist, said in a statement.
With the new traffic lights come new traffic cameras.
MoDOT said the cameras were part of the In|Sync traffic synchronization system, an artificial intelligence system installed by Lenexa-based Rhythm Engineering.
The system is designed to enable drivers to reach their destinations quicker “by constantly adjusting the timing and sequencing of the traffic signals based on real-time traffic patterns and conditions,” according to a statement by Rhythm Engineering.
The In|Sync system has been installed at 12 other intersections along Missouri 291 since 2009.
Due to the success of the traffic synchronization system in Lee’s Summit, MoDOT said traffic patrols along the highway were suspended because the police department saw less instances of drivers running red lights.
MoDOT estimated that the implementation of the In|Sync system has saved drivers more than 34,000 gallons of fuel, 95,000 hours of travel time and eliminated nearly 9.5 million traffic stops per year based on the results of a case study conducted by Rhythm Engineering.
Crews started work during the summer and are expected to complete the project later this month.
MoDOT added that the set-up of the new traffic signal at Missouri 291 and Deerbrook Street has been delayed for several weeks while electric crews from Kansas City traveled to Texas and Florida to help with recovery efforts from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
This story was originally published October 9, 2017 at 3:05 PM with the headline "New AI traffic system saves Lee’s Summit drivers time, fuel. Here’s how."