Push to add technology to every traffic signal in Erie and Niagara Counties

While the majority of the thousands of traffic lights in Erie and Niagara Counties still aren't optimized for traffic, new technology has been added to many intersections, and the region is trying to take a big step forward in synchronizing the signals.

The Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) — working with NITTEC, the New York State Department of Transportation and many local municipalities — has applied for a federal RAISE planning grant to begin the process of adding communications infrastructure to signals throughout the two counties.

"It'll make a huge difference," said Mike Davis, GBNRTC's principal transportation analyst. "All of our local agencies are on the same page and backing this wholeheartedly."

Andrew Bartlett, NITTEC's traffic engineer, said the regional approach is appropriate, considering 33 different government entities own signals in the two counties.

""Even just along a single stretch of a roadway, you could have two Department of Transportation signals, followed by two town signals, followed by a city signal," Bartlett explained. "It's getting all those signals on the same system so they can all communicate with one another is crucial."

The system of choice for WNY has been Miovision, a company based in Ontario, Canada. The Towns of Tonawanda and Amherst, the City of Buffalo and the NYSDOT have collectively installed more than 200 of Miovision's traffic-detecting cameras, with hundreds more in the pipeline.

7 News spoke exclusively with the Miovision team during a recent visit to Buffalo.

"Western New York has been a huge advocate of our technology," said Carl Puddy, Miovision's NY sales account manager. "It's been really great to see."

Olivia Babcock, a traffic engineer with Miovision, said at its core, the technology works to constantly collect data on vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists to allow engineers to optimize intersections. The systems also provide real-time adjustments to help with traffic flows.

"If there's no one waiting, we'll just keep giving the green to the other direction," Babcock said. "So hopefully that eliminates some frustration and ultimately, that'll lead to safer operations. People aren't getting frustrated and running red lights or going when they're not supposed to."

Miovision has been busy acquiring companies to expand the capabilities of its products, including giving intersection prioritization to transit and emergency vehicles.

Because New York is likely the largest deployment for the company, Miovision invested in the state by setting up a manufacturing facility near Rochester in Newark, N.Y.

Davis said we should learn if GBNRTC and its partners are awarded the federal grant within the next few months, and the goal is to add communication capabilities to every single signal in the two counties.

"I think it's a great opportunity, and hopefully we're successful with it," Davis said.