The City of Boston is working with Google’s Project Green Light team to optimize traffic signal timing and improve traffic flow in highly congested areas.
The city, along with the Streets Cabinet and the Innovation and Technology Cabinet, will work with Google to use AI to model traffic patterns and create signal timing recommendations that can reduce stop-and-go traffic and emissions.
“One of the most frustrating parts of living in a major city is traffic, so Boston is taking every step to combat congestion and get people to where they need to go,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We often find that small traffic hotspots from mistimed signals or curbside issues can swell into larger congestion, so targeting these micro spots goes a long way. This innovative work with the latest technology from Google’s Project Green Light will help relieve the frustrating congestion that so many of our residents face, while helping to reduce emissions and inefficiencies on our city streets.”
Beginning this spring, the Project Green Light team has analyzed traffic at hundreds of signalized intersections using AI and Google Maps driving trends to provide recommendations for optimization of traffic signals and patterns. The Boston Transportation Department’s (BTD) traffic engineers assessed each recommendation for safety, feasibility, and effectiveness to determine if the recommendation could be implemented. Once a suggestion is implemented, Project Green Light team said it then measures the impact on traffic patterns and provides this analysis to BTD to continue monitoring for any future needed changes.
Thus far, the city has implemented four recommendations at three intersections in the city. At two intersections, the city said that Green Light’s recommendation has reduced stop-and-go traffic by more than 50 percent.
“We hear from residents throughout the city that traffic can be stressful and takes time away from family, friends, and work,” said Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Boston’s chief of streets. “Project Green Light provides a powerful tool that helps us optimize traffic flow on our streets. It provides our traffic engineers with important data to tweak a signal by seconds which can help reduce congestion along a corridor. We look forward to continuing this partnership as one way to help our streets work better for everyone.”
