LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The City of Las Vegas could soon roll out a new pilot program that officials say could help improve pedestrian safety along Fremont Street.
The City Council is moving forward with a pilot featuring 16 automated "smart signals" that detect pedestrians and adjust traffic flow in real time for the Fremont Street Experience.
Jhovani Carrillo explains how the new AI "smart signals" will work:
"We are moving forward with the pilot plan right now," Mayor Shelley Berkley said.
Berkley said the city secured a $1.4 million grant from the federal government in 2024 to test out the new technology.
The cameras will be installed along the tourist corridor around the Fremont Street Experience. The automated signals will be able to detect people waiting to cross the street and communicate that to traffic lights to adjust the flow of traffic in real time.
"You don't have to hit a button anymore. The sensor will be able to detect how many people are waiting to cross the street," Berkley said. "The sensor will extend the time before the light changes so that people can cross the street safely."
The mayor confirmed the technology can also detect jaywalkers.
Local resident Charlene Williams, who grew up walking the Fremont Street Experience, knows firsthand how crowded it gets with tourists and traffic.
"People will just cross the street and not wait for the light. We also don't know if a car will come and hit you, either," Williams said.
Another local resident, Janita Williams, said sometimes the traffic lights along the corridor change too fast.
"Crossing the street, sometimes we get less time to walk, and the light turns real quick," Williams said.
The city said the location was chosen because of the high number of pedestrians in that area.
The pilot program comes as roughly 82 people have been hit by cars across the valley in LVMPD's jurisdiction since the beginning of this year. At least six people have died.
The city did not say when the new technology would be installed, but if it's successful, they could implement it city-wide.
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