Victoria trials smart pedestrian crossing

Pedestrian - crossing - Victoria — Image courtesy of Heather McKean on Unsplash.

The Victorian Department of Transport is making pedestrian crossings safer and more reliable by installing high-definition detectors for select Melbourne pedestrian crossings.

The new technology will be introduced as part of a $340 million Smarter Roads program. The program will focus on creating more space on roads and making transport easier for motorists throughout Melbourne.

The new technology is being installed at 75 signalised crossings across Melbourne. The technology will be able to detect pedestrians and cyclists in real time, collecting data on traffic patterns.

The technology will also be able to allow more time for pedestrians to cross walkways, with sensors detecting the number of pedestrians at a given crossing. This will not only reduce waiting times for motorists, but also ensure that people will have time to walk across a pedestrian crossing.

Safer right turn signals will also be part of the technology investment, removing conflict between pedestrian and vehicles that are turning right, improving safety for both motorists and pedestrians.

Locations such as schools, train stations and other busy hotspots will see the largest impact from the technology, with a focus on improving the safety for motorists and pedestrians during peak hours.

Trial sites have already seen the technology reduce wait times by an average by 25 seconds.

The dynamic pedestrian crossings will be rolled out across west, east and south-east of Melbourne, with some sites including Altona North, Dandenong, Moorabbin and Werribee. The full list of locations are available here.

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