Workers Install 'Smart Road' Technology On Brighton Boulevard
(CBS4) - New technology has been installed inside the pavement along a stretch of Brighton Boulevard to help make our roads smarter and safer. New "smart roads" make up a block of the busy roadway between 38th and 39th streets.
Four pieces of pavement have been installed with new technology that will collect important information for the Colorado Department of Transportation.
"It's the job of the DOT to save lives and make lives better," explained Peter with CDOT's RoadX program. "This is a great opportunity to use technology in a way to do just that."
Sensors in the pavement can detect a vehicle's weight, speed and pattern of travel. The information then will also CDOT to study how traffic moves on the roadway and how it could be improved for drivers.
"There are known problem areas where this type of technology can benefit and that's what we are working to do," Kozinski said.
The smart roads are a collaboration between CDOT and a startup in Kansas City called Integrated Roadways. The company said in the future, there could be even more benefits for drivers.
"Eventually the data from the system will feed into navigation and mapping applications so you can have better real-time information about traffic or routing," explained Tim Sylvester, the Founder of Integrated Roadways.
Sylvester said the technology will improve safety as well. The sensors will immediately alert first responders when a crash occurs, and it can help police investigate a crash.
He added that one day they will add features like charging smart cars and providing Wi-Fi for passengers and pedestrians, through the road itself.
CDOT will test the new technology for one month. If it is successful, they hope to use it on Red Fall Pass on U.S. 285.
Makenzie O'Keefe joined the CBS4 team as a reporter in 2017. Read her bio, connect with her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter at @makenziepokeefe or email her your story ideas.
