The future of traffic management is getting brighter for the residents of Edmond, as the city pushes forward with its Intelligent Transportation System upgrades. The project, aimed at easing the mobility challenges presented by the city’s growth, is into its fourth phase and seeks to significantly reduce vehicle delays and the number of collisions at intersections, according to the City of Edmond.
Recent announcements indicate that Edmond's Intelligent Transportation System, which has been evolving since 2006, will now include fresh installations targeting 19 intersections along the bustling 33rd Street corridor. This ambitious project, which also covers several other crucial areas in the city, is set to incorporate 16 miles of fiber optic cable and a wide array of technological advancements, according to a statement obtained by the City of Edmond’s official news. The modernization is aimed, at making roads safer and traffic flow smoother with state-of-the-art systems.
As part of this upgrade, Steve Lawrence, Director of Engineering for the City of Edmond, highlighted in a recent interview, "ITS implementation reduces vehicle delays at intersections by 40 percent during rush hour, and by 75 percent during off-peak hours." Lawrence also touted the reduction in collisions, which have reportedly dropped by half at intersections under the Intelligent Transportation System umbrella.
Corson Smith, Senior Transportation Engineer for the City, informed the City of Edmond’s official news about the intricate network of field devices, signals, and cameras interlinked by fiber optic communications. Smith emphasized, "It's all about creating a connected network that can think and react in real time." This network is designed, to adjust traffic flows on-the-fly — prioritizing emergency vehicles and adjusting signals dynamically around events and incidents.
Expected to finish by August 2026, the current phase will upgrade intersections to meet national traffic system standards, helping them work better with the city's existing traffic management. The project costs $12.57 million, with much of it funded by federal grants, showing Edmond's strong commitment to improving infrastructure, as per the City of Edmond.
