Ever-increasing urban populations coupled with a demand for better and innovative services place pressure on cities to address these complex and sometimes daunting challenges. One key challenge is improving the management of intersections that includes congestion delay issues, as well as safety concerns.
The Parsons Corporation’s first Smart Cities Challenge, titled Transforming Intersections, focuses on solutions that lessen time spent at red lights, while increasing mobility and safety. Cities, counties and agencies interested in improving their urban transportation may apply to participate in the Challenge until October 18th, 2019.
40% of all pedestrian accidents happen at intersections, and over 4 million hours of vehicle delays come from poor signal timing within America alone. With better signal-timing, it’s possible to cut down a driver’s fuel consumption by 20%. It is believed that a well redesigned intersection will positively impact everything from the cars driving through them to the pedestrian walking across them.
With Parsons Intelligent Intersections, counties and cities leverage existing data to re-time traffic lights based on traffic patterns. Connected vehicles communicate with traffic signals, increasing efficiency and environmental friendliness via smaller carbon footprints. Special priority can even be granted to emergency and transit vehicles, or increase green light cycles if pedestrians need extra time to cross the street.
Andrew Liu, Senior Vice President of Smart Cities at Parsons, further detailed the contest in a press statement. He said, “Starting today, cities and counties in the United States, Canada, and beyond can apply to collaborate with us to use new mobility technologies to address the challenges their transportation networks face every day. The winner of the smart cities challenge will receive a free 1-year trial of the Parsons Intelligent Intersections solution for their transportation corridor.”
