PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland will soon be underway with a $1 million pioneering effort to use technology that together tracks vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
Sensors installed next month will keep track of information around the clock.
The pilot of what's called the Smart City PDX Traffic Safety Sensor program will begin on three high crash corridors -- 122nd between Burnside and Duke; Southeast Hawthorne from 11th to 46th and Division from 11th to 122nd.
Over time the bureau will use information to understand congestion, safety needs and big concerns such as drivers speeding or people crossing in unsafe areas.
"With this better information we’re hoping we can make better decisions in the future," said PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera.
But this does bring up the question of privacy.
“They'll just give us counts, so some video that will be immediately deleted, so there's no data retention with this, there's no identity of any individual retained with this at all,” said Rivera. "We’ve had privacy on the forefront of our thoughts as we go into this pilot."
He says sensors won't be able to see who is behind the wheel or keep track of license plates. And in then end, sensors could lead to saving tax dollars.
"This technology might actually let us get a real count of actual bicycle traffic , actual pedestrian traffic." said Rivera, "Instead of sending an engineer to stand on a street corner and count pedestrians which is what we do today."
