Addressing Boston’s Traffic Woes: Google’s Project Green Light
Living in Maine, I often find myself navigating through the notorious Boston traffic when I need to do “big city stuff.” Unfortunately, the age and dense population of the Massachusetts metropolis make it one of the most miserable places to drive in the country, even surpassing the traffic woes of Los Angeles in many areas. However, there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
To tackle the issue of congestion, Boston has forged a partnership with Google’s ambitious Project Green Light. Leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), this innovative system aims to alter traffic light patterns in real-time, with the goal of reducing traffic congestion in the city.
Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Boston’s chief of streets, expressed the value of the system, stating that it “provides our traffic engineers with important data to tweak a signal by seconds, which can help reduce congestion along a corridor.” By making small but strategic adjustments, the city hopes to smooth out the stop-and-go traffic that plagues its streets and simultaneously decrease harmful emissions.
Early testing of the Project Green Light partnership in Boston has yielded promising results. At intersections like Huntington Avenue and Opera Place, as well as Armory Street and Green Street, officials have reported a significant reduction of over 50% in stop-and-go traffic. Moreover, cities across the globe that have implemented Project Green Light have experienced an average reduction of 10% in emissions.
These improvements are sorely needed in Boston, which consistently ranks among the worst cities in the U.S. for traffic congestion. CNBC highlighted earlier this year that drivers in the city lost an average of 42 hours sitting in traffic in 2023. Therefore, any positive change that alleviates the burden of commute times is a welcome development for everyone.
Matheus Vervloet, a Google product manager, emphasized the impact of Project Green Light, stating, “Through Project Green Light, we are using AI to improve the lives of people in cities around the globe by reducing traffic and emissions. The success of Green Light is only possible thanks to the partnership we have with cities like Boston.” Vervloet expressed excitement about the initial results in Boston and expressed a desire to expand this technology to more intersections, highlighting the potential to revolutionize urban traffic management.
While Project Green Light is still in its early stages, with Seattle being the only other U.S. city currently involved in its testing program, Google has paved the way for global implementation. The project is already live in over 70 intersections worldwide, impacting the daily car rides of approximately 30 million people each month. Looking ahead, the company has bold plans to expand to “hundreds of cities and tens of thousands of intersections in the next few years.”
With its AI-powered system, Project Green Light offers a glimmer of hope for a city plagued by traffic congestion. Boston’s partnership with Google provides a platform for innovation, enabling traffic engineers to make minute adjustments that can have a significant impact on reducing congestion and cutting emissions. As this technology continues to evolve and expand, we may see a brighter future ahead for cities grappling with traffic challenges around the world.