Our local AI traffic system is turning my commute into a nightmare

Our city installed an AI system to control all the stoplights downtown about a month ago. They said it would cut down on wait times and help traffic move smoother. But now, during the morning rush, the lights seem totally out of sync. I was late to a job last week because a light stayed red for what felt like forever while no cars were coming the other way. My crew has started leaving earlier just to account for the extra delays. It's frustrating to see tax money spent on tech that doesn't work as promised. I get that AI is supposed to be smart, but this feels like a step backward. Have other places had luck with this kind of setup?

4 comments

4 Comments

davidyoung3mo ago

Man, I was totally for these smart systems at first. I really believed the tech would fix things. But seeing it mess up real traffic, man, it changed my mind fast. When the computer doesn't get it right, it's worse than the old way. You're right, it feels like a step back.

wren6382mo ago

My town put in those flashing yellow left-turn arrows a few years back (the ones that tell you when it's okay to go). For the first month, they were just stuck on solid yellow, which meant nobody ever turned. It created this weird standstill at every intersection until they finally got the timing right.

robert_fox43mo ago

Seattle's traffic AI took eight weeks to start working right.

the_gavin3mo ago

Ugh, yeah, that's the worst. I mean, it's like they just flipped a switch and let the AI run wild without enough real-world testing. You see it tuning the lights all wrong, making a left-turn lane empty while the straight line backs up for blocks. Then they have to go in and fix each sensor and intersection manually, which takes forever. Honestly, eight weeks sounds fast. I'd bet it's still not really right.