The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) has launched a Smart Cities programme in the City of Falls Church, northern Virginia. The first phase of the programme will involve modernising the city’s traffic control systems to provide a platform for additional “smart” technologies.

The upgraded traffic control systems aim to help improve pedestrian safety, reduce conflicts between cars and bike/foot traffic, improve traffic flow, and save the city money through energy and maintenance savings.

VTTI is deploying much of the same smart intersection technology in other locations around Northern Virginia, including at the intersections of Nutley Road at both US Highway 29 and US Highway 50. Researchers have also launched a smart intersection test bed just outside of the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus at the intersection of East Glebe Road and Potomac Avenue in the City of Alexandria.

Originally announced in 2021, the collaboration with The State of Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) also includes $10 million in support from the state budget. The project includes a new road that bisects the Falls Church campus, connecting Virginia Route 7 to the West Falls Church Washington Metro Area Transit Authority site.   

The second phase of the project is scheduled for implementation from winter 2024 to winter 2025 and will include additional traffic signal upgrades and the application of smart intersection technologies. With sensing, the traffic signal system will be able to adapt to changing traffic and pedestrian levels while improving safety through real-time adjustment of signal timing plans and the identification of vehicle-pedestrian conflict areas. These capabilities allow the project team to identify appropriate countermeasures to reduce the risks in high-conflict areas.

Future phases of the project will include implementation of adaptive lighting, which will utilise sensors installed on roadways to detect varying levels of roadway usage and adjust the lighting to meet visibility needs. More road users will result in brighter streetlights, while a decrease in road users will result in a decrease in light brightness. Adjustments in lighting levels will reduce light pollution in highly populated urban environments while also reducing energy usage.

The project will also include adoption of smart parking technologies in the future, allowing vehicle users to locate parking spaces through a smart phone application, as opposed to driving around in search of a place to park. The application will make it easier for users to pay parking fees and help reduce the excess fuel use and emissions caused by vehicles in search of parking spaces.

“VTTI is proud to be working hand in hand with the City of Falls Church, VDOT, and our industry partners to bring modern traffic signal control technologies to the area,” said Mike Mollenhauer, the institute’s principal investigator on the project. “These systems will allow for more intelligent intersection control that will improve safety and traffic flow through the city’s main corridors. We look forward to continued cooperation with Falls Church as we help them deploy adaptive lighting, smart parking, and other smart cities technologies in the near future.”

“This is a tangible example of the commitment of the city, the region and elected officials to deploy technology to improve transportation for our residents, businesses, and visitors, regionally and specifically in the City of Falls Church,” said Dave Snyder, Falls Church City Council member and vice chair of the Northern Virginia Transit Commission and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.