The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that $20 million in federal funding will be used to program intersections along the Wasatch Front in Utah. The primary objective of this project is to improve road safety by enabling these intersections to communicate with emergency vehicles and buses, ultimately saving lives.
UDOT plans to install new technology in select vehicles that will turn traffic lights green when the vehicles approach, allowing emergency vehicles to move through quicker. This V2X project will benefit emergency vehicles by helping them reach their destinations faster and will assist buses in catching up when they are behind schedule. The technology operates automatically and does not require any input from the driver.
Currently, around 500 intersections and 300 vehicles have the necessary detectors and computers installed. There are plans to significantly expand the V2X project throughout the year. The next phase of the project involves urging automakers to become involved. USDOT aims to have all vehicles capable of receiving notifications about potential accidents or road hazards at locations such as intersections and bridges.
By using wireless sensors and connectivity, the technology can provide notifications without the need for drivers to rely on their phones. The goal is to implement this technology in a quarter of signalized intersections in the top 75 metro areas, including Salt Lake City, where 20% of intersections already have this technology in place. Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt emphasized the importance of this technology in preventing accidents and pileups on the roads.
