Edmonton looks at implementing artificially intelligent traffic lights

The City of Edmonton could soon give the green light to use artificial intelligence at some intersections.

City council heard a motion from Ward 1 Councillor Andrew Knack on Tuesday, asking city administration to look into the technology.

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The city is looking to places like Pittsburgh for inspiration, which used the company Surtrac to install its system.

On the company’s website, it says the system takes a decentralized approach to control of traffic.

“Each intersection allocates its ‘green time’ independently based on actual incoming vehicle flows, and then projected outflows are communicated to neighbouring intersections to increase their visibility of future incoming traffic,” the website says.

In June 2012, nine intersections in Pittsburgh were equipped with the technology. That has since been expanded to 50 intersections.

According to Surtrac, the system reduced travel times more than 25 per cent, on average, and wait times at traffic lights were reduced by an average of 40 per cent in Pittsburgh.

“It looks like it may reduce emissions by about 21 per cent,” Knack said. “Needless to say, I want to have that information.”

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Mayor Don Iveson told reporters on Tuesday that he understands that current systems that are out there use sensors to recognize traffic queue lengths, analyze data to change light patterns during peak times and predict future traffic tie-ups.

“I think it’s the way of the future,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I think it's the way of the future," he said.

The mayor added that some of the more sophisticated traffic control systems are able to prioritize transit and emergency services vehicles.

City administration will now put together a report that will include the age of current traffic lights,  possible locations for the system and cost.

Knack told council that he has heard that in other North American cities, the cost to implement the system has been between $20,000 and $50,000 per intersection.