The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) has launched the first phase of its Smart City test bed located near the university’s Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church.

This initial technology implementation involves modernizing the city's traffic control systems to provide a foundation onto which additional “smart” technologies may be applied. The upgraded traffic control systems aim to help improve pedestrian safety, reduce conflicts between cars and bike/foot traffic, improve traffic flow, and save the municipality money through better energy and maintenance efficiency.

"VTTI is proud to be working hand in hand with the City of Falls Church, VDOT [Virginia Department of Transportation], and our industry partners to bring modern traffic signal control technologies to the area,” said Mike Mollenhauer, the institute’s principal investigator on the project. “These systems will allow for more intelligent intersection control that will improve safety and traffic flow through the city's main corridors. We look forward to continued cooperation with Falls Church as we help them deploy adaptive lighting, smart parking, and other smart cities technologies in the near future."

Originally announced in 2021, the collaboration with VDOT also includes $10 million in support from the state budget. The project includes a new road that bisects the Falls Church campus, connecting Virginia Route 7 to the West Falls Church Washington Metro Area Transit Authority site.   

VTTI is deploying much of the same smart intersection technology in other locations around Northern Virginia, including at the intersections of Nutley Road at both U.S. Highway 29 and U.S. Highway 50. Researchers have also launched another smart intersection test bed just outside of the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus at the intersection of East Glebe Road and Potomac Avenue in Alexandria.

The second phase of the project is scheduled for implementation from winter 2024 to winter 2025 and will include additional traffic signal upgrades and the application of smart intersection technologies. With sensing, the traffic signal system will be able to adapt to changing traffic and pedestrian levels while improving safety through real-time adjustment of signal timing plans and the identification of vehicle-pedestrian conflict areas. These capabilities allow the project team to identify appropriate countermeasures to reduce the risks in high-conflict areas.

Additional future phases of the project will include the implementation of adaptive lighting and smart parking technologies:  

  • Adaptive lighting will utilize sensors installed on roadways to detect varying levels of roadway usage and adjust the lighting to meet visibility needs. More road users will result in brighter streetlights, while a decrease in road users will result in a decrease in light brightness. Adjustments in lighting levels will reduce light pollution in highly populated urban environments while also reducing energy usage.

  • Smart parking technologies will allow vehicle users to locate parking spaces through a smart phone application, as opposed to driving around in search of a place to park. The application will also make it easier for users to pay parking fees and help reduce the excess fuel use and emissions caused by vehicles in search of parking spaces.  

“This is a tangible example of the commitment of the city, the region and elected officials to deploy technology to improve transportation for our residents, businesses, and visitors, regionally and specifically in the City of Falls Church,” said Dave Snyder, Falls Church City Council member and vice chair of the Northern Virginia Transit Commission and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

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