Published March 15 2024

The U.S Department of Transportation Thursday announced a $1.43 million grant for the City of Bellevue to pilot the use of traffic signals that would change in real time to protect people biking and walking across intersections, as well as people who use wheelchairs.

In Bellevue, 53% of all pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries are related to motorists’ failure to yield. For the Real-Time Traffic Signal Safety Interventions project, the Transportation Department will test the use of intelligent sensors, video analytics, deep learning and edge computing to detect risks for vulnerable road users and immediately adjust traffic signals.

Bellevue will prototype the proposed technologies at five signalized intersections in the Crossroads neighborhood, including the pedestrian-focused area around the BelRed light rail station and nearby schools, parks and shops. The project area will also help prioritize older adults (25% of Bellevue’s population is 65 or older), with an estimated 13% of the population reporting having a disability. More than half of people living in or near Crossroads are over 65 or under 18, underscoring the urgency of improving road safety in this area.

Members from the community can expect to see public engagement opportunities related to the project later this fall, with initial testing of the technologies starting in the spring of 2025.

The SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) grant program, funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supports public agencies and transit authorities testing technologies that improve transportation efficiency and safety. Bellevue’s SMART grant includes an exciting partnership with the City of Tacoma to demonstrate scalability and technology portability during subsequent phases of this project.

Learn more about USDOT's SMART grants and Bellevue’s Vision Zero strategy to achieve zero traffic deaths by 2030.