Country’s Most Innovative Connected Roundabout to Launch in The Beta District
The most innovative connected roundabout in the country is on the verge of being deployed in The Beta District.
In 2022, the City of Dublin and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)’s DriveOhio partnered with smart mobility industry leader Derq to leverage its AI and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications to enhance safe navigation in and around roundabouts.
In true Beta District spirit, the 2019 pilot sought to adapt smart traffic signal technology in roundabouts, a technology that was not yet developed at the time. With Ohio at the forefront of roundabout deployment, this project sought a groundbreaking approach to assist motorists with roundabout navigation.
“When DriveOhio is looking to try something new, they know that Dublin wants to be a part of it,” said Jeannie Willis, Dublin’s Director of Transportation & Mobility. “We’ve established ourselves as willing to test any technology that is a good match for us.”
Jeannie Willis, Dublin’s Director of Transportation & Mobility
When the request for proposals was initially issued, the City of Dublin hadn’t yet created the mobility director role that Willis stepped into two years ago. At that time, she was in her 20th year as an engineering manager in City of Dublin’s Department of Public Works.
“The technology and the transportation paradigm are changing so fast right now that there is no way to know what's going to happen next,” Willis said. “It’s a thrilling time to be part of transportation, especially here in Dublin, where we aim to be a leader in transportation advancements.”
The project is focused on the State Rt. 161 and Riverside Drive Roundabout and nearby intersections. Derq’s AI processes radar and camera feeds in real-time, thereby predicting vehicular trajectories, and eventually alerting drivers when it is safe to enter the roundabout. By collecting granular information on vehicles, pedestrians, and other road users circulating in and around the roundabout, the Derq technology measures safety and optimizes roundabout operation performance.
The technology is designed to predict vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist conflicts, broadcast appropriate V2X alerts, and track the frequency of crashes and near misses. It also integrates roundabout data with data collected at adjacent signalized intersections and approaches to coordinate traffic.
“This is an example of how we're going through a pivotal shift to make our transportation system safer, more efficient and more friendly to vulnerable road users in ways that have never before been even possible,” said Willis. “We’re always on the cutting edge.
The benefits of the connected roundabout are:
• Increasing motorist and pedestrian safety in and around roundabouts
• Increasing the throughput of the roundabout by reducing the amount of traffic waiting to enter
• Increasing vulnerable road users and motoring public safety
• Increasing law enforcement awareness
Derq’s platform ingests and fuses data from traffic cameras and sensors, then runs real-time edge analytics to enable infrastructure perception and V2X/5G applications, as well as actionable safety and traffic insights.
Its dashboard provides the City with a single interface for all data visualization, in-depth analysis and system monitoring, including encrypted data storage in a private network.
As Dublin strives to be the most sustainable, connected, and resilient global city of choice, it continues to draw national attention to The Beta District.
“Other communities with similar aspirations are coming to us and asking us about our smart connected technologies. They’re curious and they're asking us questions,” said Willis. “We plan to continue leading the way as a testing ground to help advance smart mobility as far as it can go.”