Institute for Transportation

About the research

Work zones are integral to infrastructure development and maintenance but can pose significant challenges related to traffic congestion, safety hazards, and delays. Traditional work zone management approaches often fall short in addressing the dynamic nature of these challenges.

The research team, building on their prior work in automatic incident detection (AID) and dynamic message sign (DMS) optimization, intend to harness the power of connected vehicle data (CVD), artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, and Industry 4.0 principles to develop a cutting-edge smart work zone management system. By leveraging CVD, the research team aims to enhance traffic incident detection accuracy and predictability. Incorporating an end-to-end Cloud-based system, the team will capitalize on the scalability, flexibility, cost-efficiency, security, and data integration capabilities of Industry 4.0, ultimately creating a smart work zone that optimizes traffic flow, reduces congestion, and bolsters overall safety for both workers and road users with the wealth of insights provided by CVD.