The new signals will respond to congestion in real time throughout the day.
Hoping to cut drive times by up to 13 percent, Maryland will spend $50 million to install smart traffic signals statewide.
Currently, if congestion occurs, "the state's 2,500 signals require a technician to go out and reprogram their timing, leaving them unable to adjust quickly to keep traffic moving," explains Katherine Shaver in The Washington Post. The new signals will use pavement sensors to detect even minor backups, and adapt by re-timing light changes.
Maryland isn't the first state to use smart signals, but its network may become the country's most extensive. The rollout will begin this month, starting in corridors with the most compatible technologies.
FULL STORY: ‘Smart’ traffic signals soon will change themselves in Maryland
Boston AI Pilot Optimizes Traffic Light Timing
The program has led to reductions in stop-and-go traffic of as much as 50 percent.
Chattanooga Expands ‘Smart Intersection’ Network
The city is building on a smaller test project that uses sensors to gather data about traffic movement to help transportation planners make more informed traffic management decisions.
China's Largest Online Retailer Using Artificial Intelligence to Tackle Congestion
A subsidiary of Alibaba, the massive online retailer, will deploy cloud computing and artificial intelligence to help relieve congestion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie