Automotive
U.S. cities test traffic light systems that reward drivers who obey speed limits
Albuquerque and Portland are using speed sensors to give earlier green lights to non-speeding drivers in an effort to curb high-speed crashes.
The short version
- Cities including Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon, are pairing traditional "rest in red" traffic signals with speed sensors to trigger early green lights for drivers at or below the speed limit.
- Local officials report reductions in crashes, injuries, and overall speeds along targeted corridors like Albuquerque's Lead and Coal avenues and Portland's Southeast Powell Boulevard.
- Drivers advocacy groups and researchers caution that further study is needed to evaluate potential negative impacts, such as driver frustration or increased red-light running.
- Researchers are currently assessing system performance to determine if the approach can successfully alter long-term driving behavior without extensive public education campaigns.
Key facts
- Albuquerque deployed a modified "rest in red" system using speed sensors on Lead and Coal avenues, which city officials credit with lowering crashes and injuries.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Portland implemented the signal strategy during late-night hours on Southeast Powell Boulevard, dropping average speeds at the first test intersection from 39 mph to the 30 mph limit, according to city signal manager Peter Koonce.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- A 2023 study in North Carolina found a 43% reduction in total crashes across five roads after implementing a standard rest-in-red system without speed sensors, according to the state's transportation department.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Jay Beeber of the National Motorists Association questioned whether driver behavior will change without public education campaigns and raised concerns that uneducated drivers may simply become frustrated.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Other municipalities that have tested variations of signal-based speed enforcement include Boulder, Colorado; Long Beach, California; and Los Angeles.[Associated Press · ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- Transportation engineering researchers note it is too early to draw sweeping conclusions about long-term effectiveness or determine if the technology could lead to drivers running red lights.[Associated Press · ABC News]