Transportation remains a challenge in the DMV, but experts say different technologies can improve infrastructure.
That includes data sharing to reduce traffic congestion, establishing “smart roads,” and more charging for electric vehicles. Transportation leaders in the public and private sectors discussed these topics during a recent panel hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce in Tysons. The business advocacy organization’s most recent quarterly survey of business leaders cited transportation as a top concern, only slightly behind affordable housing and tax reduction.
Given these ongoing concerns, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is finding ways to use tech to better transportation. It also has its own strategic plan for technological implementation to be more intentional.
“We’re trying to make sure we’re fully embraced in transportation technology,” said Monica Backmon, the CEO of NVTA. “Knowing what works and also being cognizant that technology is evolving so quickly.”
NVTA will invest nearly $5 billion in transportation improvements by 2034, Backmon outlined. About half of that goes to roadways, and the other half will be to upgrades in public transportation, bike lanes and technology.
Investment in tech, about $52.9 million from the primarily publicly-funded organization, has gone to infrastructure like real-time data tracking of buses and rail.
That plan includes establishing cybersecurity protocols for different technologies, including autonomous vehicles. Backmon was honest that the NVTA is still working on figuring out what adequate implementation looks like, with the help of the public and private sectors.
Opportunities for tech to fill infrastructure gaps
Elizabeth Kersey, the vice president of government and corporate affairs at the road infrastructure company Transurban North America, explained that there needs to be a “holistic” solution to tackle issues like congestion.
One way that’s happening in the DC region is through “smart roads,” Kersey said. These are streets embedded with sensors and radars to collect data about traffic patterns, detect accidents and assess weather conditions. The I-495 and I-395 express lanes are smart roads, she said.
“The roads [are] kind of like a local news station,” Kersey said. “We really want to continue working on those types of mobilities. Again, taking this holistic approach to transportation that we’re really interested in.”
But not all innovations need to be “sexy,” per Nancy Smith, the corporate affairs director from infrastructure management firm I-66 Express Mobility Partners.
Some of the best innovations are low-tech, she said, like a bumper system along curves to ensure motorcyclists don’t crash during tight turns.
“That can save a life or prevent further injury,” Smith said, “and that may have greater impact on one individual driver or a group of drivers than, say, any of the high-tech innovations that we do.”
