Solution
Smart Light Poles
By integrating next-generation light poles with the city’s transportation and traffic-light infrastructure, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) will gain new capabilities for enhancing traffic management, reducing congestion, optimizing travel times, and improving road safety.
Smart Light Poles
Click on the markers on the map to see the different functionalities
“Living Room” (near arena)
LiDAR and video monitors crowd and detects unusual behavior or presence of weapons
Traffic signal preemption
Allows for fast emergency response
Abandoned object detection
LiDAR on pole detects potential suspicious objects for investigation
Licensed plate readers
Pole sensors can identify suspect vehicles to improve law enforcement response
Opportunity
Leveraging technology to modernize traffic management in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL) is installing fiber-optic infrastructure to expand its street light network and promote digital equity, with many miles completed and more underway. In partnership with Cisco, BSL is piloting innovative light poles near the Crypto.com Arena featuring advanced sensors and enhanced connectivity. This effort lays the foundation for a citywide smart network to improve urban management and quality of life in Los Angeles.
Pilot program
To demonstrate the real-world operation and benefits of a smart pole infrastructure, BLS is conducting a pilot program that will install or retrofit a network of poles in selected downtown Los Angeles neighborhoods (adjacent to Crypto.com arena).
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Currently in planning and design, including initial feasibility/planning sessions with LAPD and other agencies
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Targeting [approx. launch date]
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Supporting LADOT’s strategic plan
The Smart Light Pole initiative aligns with key elements of LADOT’s strategic plan, which includes:
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Leveraging new technologies and data-driven approaches to improve transportation efficiency and user experience
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Implementing measures to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries, aligning with the Vision Zero initiative to ultimately eliminate all traffic deaths
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Enhancing transportation networks to support local economies and improve access to employment centers
Next steps
LADOT and other agencies are encouraged to collaborate with BSL and Cisco to determine how next-gen light pole technology can advance public safety.
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Smart poles in action
Emergency vehicle preemption and transit signal priority
High-tech Smart Poles can integrate with the city’s traffic signal network to prioritize emergency vehicles and buses, allowing them to navigate congested streets more efficiently. This can significantly reduce response times and potentially saves lives in critical situations, contributing to more effective emergency interventions as well as contribute to more accurate bus schedules.
Continuous vehicle counting and characterization
By incorporating sensors and communication technologies into light poles, the BSL and LADOT can efficiently collect data on vehicle size, driving speed, direction, locations, and time of day. Comprehensive vehicle characterization allows for a nuanced understanding of traffic patterns, enabling zone monitoring, driving-lane redesign, and traffic flow optimization. These insights are key to reducing congestion and improving traffic flow within Los Angeles, a city notorious for its traffic.
Optimizing traffic light timings
One of the most important outcomes of this initiative will be the ability to optimize traffic light timings using real-time data. By dynamically adjusting signal timings, the integrated system can minimize travel time for commuters, which leads directly to decreased carbon emissions. This environmental benefit is particularly significant in Los Angeles, where reducing air pollution and emissions is a key strategic goal.
Enhancing pedestrian safety
Cutting-edge smart pole technology can improve pedestrian safety and traffic efficiency. By utilizing real-time data analytics and advanced surveillance, pedestrian activity at intersections and mid-block crossings can be detected and monitored. This technology helps alert oncoming vehicles and dynamically adjust traffic signals, significantly reducing the risk of accidents and potentially saving lives. Features like dynamic scramble mode, which temporarily stops all traffic to allow pedestrians to move freely and efficiently, will ensure safer crossings while minimizing overall traffic impact.
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Weather pattern recognition
Smart Poles can collect real-time weather data to enhance roadside and pedestrian safety. Insights on temperature, wind, rainfall, humidity, air quality, street conditions, and smoke detection provide a comprehensive view of conditions impacting traffic flow and pedestrian movement. Combining rooftop sensor data with street-level insights enables transportation departments to make smarter, faster decisions to keep roads and intersections safe during inclement weather.
Next-Generation Light Pole Initiative
Taking Transportation to New Levels
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