Title
Smart Technology Improvements - Citywide
Description
This report provides the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee with an overview of the Smart Technology Improvements utilized across the Public Works, Street Transportation and Water Services departments. The report provides information regarding current and planned technologies aimed to improve street safety and enhance operational efficiency with the use of Smart Technology.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
The City has taken a proactive and collaborative approach to implement smart technology across multiple departments. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to innovation and responsible resource management in support of our community's long-term sustainability and quality of life. This report provides an overview of the technologies and strategies currently in use, as well as a forward-looking perspective on planned initiatives and emerging opportunities.
Public Works Department
The Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department has consistently invested in smart technologies to improve operations, enhance customer service, and more effectively sort and recover recyclables. A recent significant upgrade was made at the 27th Avenue Materials Recovery Facility, where the City processes recyclables. This upgrade included major equipment improvements, such as optical sorters with a high-speed, short-wave infra-red detection system capable of distinguishing materials like plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), as well as paper and cardboard. The facility now also features an artificial intelligence (AI) powered sorting robot, which ensures precise quality control. These advancements have allowed the City to recover more materials and produce high-quality bales, which are then sold to manufacture new products.
The Solid Waste Division has also included various software tools to boost routing efficiency and operational performance. All City collection vehicles, including those for trash, recyclables and green organics, are outfitted with automated vehicle location systems to monitor and track collection schedules and improve route management. The division is also working to integrate route-optimization software to digitize current routing operations and enable flexible, real-time route adjustments. These smart technologies have collectively enhanced the division's operational effectiveness, supporting efforts to divert more waste from landfills and meet targets of 50 percent waste diversion by 2030 and zero waste by 2050.
Street Transportation Department
The Street Transportation Department (Streets) is committed to improving the efficiency of the City's transportation infrastructure and enhancing safety and mobility for all modes of travel, including motorists, buses, light rail, pedestrians and bicyclists. To support this mission, the department leverages a wide range of smart technologies that strengthen day-to-day operations and system performance. Several of these tools have already demonstrated measurable improvements in safety and mobility across the city and will continue to play a vital role in creating safer, more reliable and more efficient streets for everyone in Phoenix.
Connected Vehicle Acceleration Zone (CVAZ)
The Maricopa County Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Cities of Phoenix, Avondale and Tolleson, and the Arizona Department of Transportation, is leading the Connected Vehicle Acceleration Zone (CVAZ). CVAZ is part of the Saving Lives with Connectivity: Accelerating Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Deployment Program, a federally funded initiative to deploy V2X technologies at the largest scale to date in the United States. This effort is supported through a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. V2X technologies connect roadside infrastructure to road users of all modes. The goal is to provide a communications system where critical information is shared between road users, vehicles and traffic control systems. V2X technologies aim to reduce crashes, optimize traffic flow and support future connected and automated vehicle applications.
CVAZ is a large-scale deployment of V2X technology designed to improve safety, mobility and efficiency for all road users. This initiative will equip up to 650 signalized intersections in Phoenix with roadside units and install up to 230 onboard units in vehicles, including transit and emergency response fleets.
At the CVAZ intersections across Phoenix, vehicles equipped with onboard units will realize substantial benefits.
- Fleet passenger vehicles can receive data and safety alerts such as signal phasing and timing, and notifications for approaching emergency vehicles or work zones.
- Emergency vehicles benefit from faster response and reduced crash risk at intersections by preempting traffic signals.
- Transit Signal Priority will help improve light rail reliability and efficiency.
- Vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists, will gain added protection through real-time alerts to approaching vehicles to prevent vehicle-pedestrian related accidents.
Advanced Detection Intersection Cameras
In many parts of the City, we are no longer able to build our way out of congested streets but must rather turn to smart technology to optimize traffic flow and improve safety for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. Streets recently partnered with NoTraffic, a technology development vendor, to utilize their advanced detection system. This AI powered system consists of video cameras and radars that detect vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles in varying weather and lighting conditions. The systems are connected to a virtual operations center that provides notifications to the Phoenix Traffic Management Center. The system also utilizes algorithms that adapt traffic signals to varying levels of traffic to reduce congestion in real-time.
The NoTraffic system also collects traffic signal performance measures such as traffic counts, average speeds and travel direction for all modes of travel. This essential information assists staff in developing signal timing plans, predicting future traffic demands and allocating resources to optimize travel for all modes of travel.
Information gathered through NoTraffic technology was recently used to evaluate signal timing throughout the City. It played a vital role in changes made to the yellow-change and red-clearance intervals that have been proven to reduce red light running occurrences.
Collectively, the V2X and advanced detection technologies align with the City's Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan and support the City's goals of creating safer streets, reducing congestion, lowering emissions and ensuring equitable access for all underserved communities.
Water Services Department
Implementation of Smart Sewer Technology
To ensure reliable daily operations and protect public health and the environment, the Water Services Department (WSD) is implementing a Smart Sewer approach leveraging advanced technologies and real-time data. SewerAI uses artificial intelligence to accelerate sewer pipe inspections and improve the accuracy of condition assessments, allowing the City to evaluate system health more frequently. SmartCover sensors provide real-time alerts of rising manhole levels, helping staff identify developing blockages early and prevent overflows. Kando monitoring detects unusual industrial discharges at key points in the system, protecting downstream pipelines and treatment processes. Together, these tools shift operations from reactive response to proactive preventive maintenance that strengthens service reliability and conserves resources.
Enhancing Leak Detection and Pressure Monitoring
To safeguard infrastructure and promote conservation, the WSD has instituted a comprehensive Leak Detection Program employing advanced acoustic technologies, including data loggers and correlators. In addition, WSD has installed smart hydrant sensors to track pressure and temperature changes and get alerts at a moments notice. These tools enable specialized staff to systematically scan the distribution network, detect concealed leaks, and minimize water loss, thereby supporting system reliability and long-term asset management.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Ginger Spencer, Deputy City Managers Frank McCune and Alan Stephenson, and the Public Works, Street Transportation and Water Services departments.