Fargo Uses AI and New Engineering to Improve Traffic Safety
Fargo is implementing a combination of AI-driven research and engineering redesigns to reduce vehicle crashes. NDSU Professor Armstrong Aboah is leading a two-year study at the intersection of University Drive and 19th Avenue North to develop a “smart intersection” system, while city engineers introduce “friction” elements to lower vehicle speeds, according to city officials.
Why are there new cameras at 19th Avenue and University Drive?
The cameras installed at the intersection of University Drive and 19th Avenue North are part of a two-year “naturalistic” traffic safety study. Professor Armstrong Aboah, an engineering professor at North Dakota State University, is using the equipment to observe people and vehicles in their everyday environment without interference.
Aboah told The Forum the project uses data science concepts including machine learning, computer vision, and visual reasoning. The goal is to create a “smart intersection” powered by artificial intelligence that optimizes traffic flow and provides real-time safety information to prevent crashes.
Aboah selected this location because it is considered one of Fargo’s most dangerous intersections. It also experiences high foot traffic from NDSU campus residents, student apartments, and Fargodome event attendees.
How is Fargo using “friction” to slow down traffic?
Fargo transportation engineer Jeremy Gordon is utilizing “friction”—design elements intended to reduce vehicle speeds—to improve road safety. This includes the installation of roundabouts, planting trees on arterial roads, and adding on-street parking.
Gordon noted that the city is correcting “negative offsets” at intersections, where medians block left-turning drivers from seeing vehicles behind them. A fix involving the removal of certain medians or curbs to create head-on left-turn lanes is scheduled to begin construction later this month.
Other safety measures include removing flashing yellow turn signals during peak hours. In downtown areas, the city has replaced signals with four-way stops, a move Sgt. Josh Loos describes as a “big improvement” that forces drivers to pay attention.
What are the primary causes of major crashes in Fargo?
Sgt. Josh Loos, head of the city’s traffic safety division, identifies distracted driving as the most significant problem facing the city. Loos stated that major crashes often result from a combination of excessive speed and drivers looking at their phones.
The city currently employs six traffic safety officers who monitor approximately 50 “areas of focus” based on crash data. Loos noted that wide roads like 13th Avenue and 25th Street often act as “race tracks” because they lack physical barriers to prevent high speeds.
Loos reported that the “racing community” often stages at the Circle K on 19th Avenue and 10th Street, traveling south on University Drive to at least 13th Avenue before returning via 10th Street.
What happens next for Fargo’s roads?
Construction to improve visibility and reduce crashes at the University Drive and 19th Avenue North intersection is likely to begin later this month. The city may also continue expanding its “friction” strategy, with a redesign of the intersection at Fifth Street planned for next year.
The city could potentially implement more roundabouts on 10th Street and University Drive to disrupt street racing circuits, though Gordon noted that adding roundabouts to established neighborhoods is more difficult.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “smart intersection”?
According to Professor Armstrong Aboah, it is an AI-powered system that provides real-time safety information to vehicles and pedestrians, optimizes traffic flow, and adapts to changing pedestrian behaviors and city growth.
What is a “negative offset” in road design?
Transportation engineer Jeremy Gordon defines it as a design where medians are slightly offset, causing left-turning drivers to block the view of cars behind them.
How does the city’s traffic safety division operate?
Sgt. Josh Loos manages six officers who do not take calls for service but instead focus on enforcement and crash response at roughly 50 designated “areas of focus.”
Do you think AI-powered intersections or physical road “friction” are more effective at reducing city traffic accidents?