Smart infrastructure specialist Integrated Roadways has received a green light for a 10-year $250M Smart Road Public-Private Partnership pilot from the City of Lenexa, Kansas. As a result, Lenexa could be the first U.S city where Smart Pavement technology will provide wireless charging for electric vehicles.

The first phase of the pilot, slated to begin in fall 2022, will include the deployment of Integrated Roadways’ patented Smart Pavement technology at five key intersections within the city’s central hub.

Through a public-private partnership, Integrated Roadways will spearhead the 10-year project with support from the City of Lenexa and Kiewit Engineering.

Smart Pavement consists of precast concrete road sections embedded with digital technology and fibre optic connectivity for traffic data collection through in-roads sensors. The pavement, which is designed to be upgradeable from the start, also enables Wi-Fi access, 5G, wireless EV charging and more through antennas in the expansion ports, edge services and cloud access.

The Lenexa City Council approved a resolution to allow Integrated Roadways to design the first of five intersections, accepting a $250,000 innovative technology programme grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), at its meeting on April 19, 2022. KDOT first tested the technology on a section of Interstate 35 in 2013. Lenexa’s upcoming deployment will begin at the intersection at West 93rd Street and Renner Boulevard, a direct access route to I-435. Future phases will be based on the city’s needs and 2040 Vision Plan.

“It’s time for America to rebuild its infrastructure,” said Tim Sylvester, founder and CEO of Integrated Roadways. “After our successful installation in Denver, Colorado, we began looking for a municipal partner that wanted to go big and transform infrastructure for connected vehicles. We’re excited to make our plans in Lenexa official and start preparing our roads for future generations to come.”

“Phase one is a very small taste of much more to come,” Sylvester continued, “with future phases being determined as we go, based on the city’s needs and the needs of the businesses in the area, allowing us to continue to be responsive to the city’s evolving needs as it continues to grow and develop.”

“When Integrated Roadways first approached us in 2019, we were excited to do something to get out in front of other cities,” said Tim Green, Lenexa’s Deputy Director of Community Development/City Engineer. “With the council’s support, we’re ready to move quickly.”