Cedar Park leaders introduce new detection system at traffic signals

Published: Thu, 12/07/23

Cedar Park leaders introduce new detection system at traffic signals

Officials will now be installing a new traffic signal detection and optimization system at each of the city’s intersections over the next few years.
(Courtesy Pexels)

Community Impact
By Zacharia Washington
10:00 AM Dec 6, 2023 CST

Traffic lights in Cedar Park will now have updated detection and optimization systems following a unanimous council decision Nov. 9.

The context

Traffic signal detection is a hardware system located at intersections throughout the city that informs the signal where a vehicle is waiting or approaching, so it knows how and when to change, Assistant Director of Public Works Stephen Hanuscin said at the Nov. 9 council meeting.

Hanuscin said the city’s three main goals with the new system are to ensure maintenance, and obtain efficiency and safety at intersections across Cedar Park.

Diving in deeper

While the city has a system in place to detect the presence of vehicles at intersections, city staff recommended implementing an updated version for the following reasons:

The system is 30-year-old technology, and there have been advancements in technology since then. Hanuscin said the city needs to find a newer system.
This updated system is a result of the city’s master mobility plan.
It's one of council’s goals.

City staff outlined specifications for the new system, which includes:

Using simultaneous video and radar detection, instead of solely relying on video
Applying object-based detection, which recognizes the type of vehicle identified
Enabling the traffic lights to send alerts to drivers with connected mobile devices, which is an emerging technology

“This technology is awesome, and hopefully it helps improve the traffic moving through Cedar Park by being smart about traffic flows at different times of day,” council member Mel Kirkland said.

One more thing

The new system is estimated to cost the city no more than $3.5 million, with one of the largest funding sources being Cedar Park’s 2022 bond program.

While there was no timeline specified on the implementation of the newly approved system at existing intersections, the technology will be installed on new traffic signal projects moving forward, Hanuscin said.

By Zacharia Washington - Zacharia joined Community Impact in January 2022 after a year spent working at the Texas Observer. She is a government reporter covering Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander and Liberty Hill. Prior to CI, Zacharia graduated from Huston-Tillotson University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in communication; shortly after, she graduated from The University of Texas with a master’s degree in journalism and media. Zacharia has a passion for journalism, service and the community, and she's honored to work at a place with the same values as her own.

2131 N Collins Ste 433-721
Arlington TX 76011
USA

Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options