Good practice:

Intelligent crosswalks – Energetic Efficiency and Road Safety

The practice consists of deploying LED strips into the ground at a pedestrian crossing, close to the public transport interface as well as being near to a sought area by pedestrians and tourists. The measure aims to reinforce road safety especially for pedestrians who are too distracted by their smartphones to bother looking at the road, telling them when to cross and when not to cross by either glowing green or red, depending on the traffic light signals. It also allow a safe and smooth access to the downtown. This system relies on a renewable and solar energy generation and storage solution - solar and wind - that powers energy production systems that are intended to be used for residential purposes, commercial, telecommunications and lighting systems. The system integrates several modules, namely video capture, energy performance optimizer, Wi-Fi network, among others that can be integrated in the future as automobile traffic counters, charging for electric vehicles, etc.

The system was introduced next to a few pedestrian crossings, allowing also the reinforcement of the pedestrian safety in the crossing by incorporating intelligent lighting, that is, when detecting a pedestrian that intends to cross, the light on the floor and the upper illumination are automatically activated, increasing the visibility of pedestrian crossing for drivers.

The system purchased had a total cost of 75.500,00 €. The funding was allocated through CIVITAS DESTINATIONS (H2020), a Project geared at implementing measures related to sustainable mobility. The purchase was carried out through a procurement that also included civil works and full installment.

The main strength behind the measure is that it contributed to reinforce road safety within the area and has already proven to be a relevant tool in reducing accidents near crosswalks. According to recente police records, no accidents near the crosswalks were registered since the system was implemented. In terms of energy production, using solar pannels and a wind turbine, on a typical day, the system is able to produce 9 Kwh.

The measure can be easily replicated to other area, considering that it has low costs in terms of energetic performance and allows combining several modules such as CCTV, Wi-Fi, recharge points for electric vehicles, and other components that can contribute to gather data to support decision-making process.