The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) has been awarded a new task work order from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to evaluate an innovative connected vehicle (CV) bicycle‑pedestrian safety system deployed at selected signalized intersections in the Tampa Bay region. The project, titled Evaluation of Connected Vehicle (CV) Bicycle‑Pedestrian Safety System Deployment, will run from February 2026 through May 2028 and will be led by CUTR’s Dr. Pei-Sung Lin and the Intelligent Transportation Systems, Traffic Operations, and Safety (ITS) research team. Over the course of the project, CUTR researchers will work closely with FDOT District 7 Project Managers to conduct comprehensive before‑and‑after data collection and analyses; measure AI-based CV system functionality and effectiveness; and evaluate the safety impacts of using advanced surrogate safety measures, such as near misses, time‑to‑collision, and driver yielding behavior.
The project directly affects pedestrians and bicyclists who rely on safe crossings at the intersections. At CV-equipped intersections, drivers receive warning messages when pedestrians or bicyclists are present or approaching the crosswalk, while pedestrians and bicyclists receive alerts about turning vehicles that may pose a conflict. By providing timely information to both road users, the system is intended to improve awareness and reduce conflicts and non-yielding maneuvers. The project also provides data to inform planning, prioritization, and future technology deployment. Local agencies, planners, engineers, and technology providers will benefit from insights into system effectiveness, scalability, and best practices for implementation.
Ultimately, this work will strengthen FDOT’s ability to deploy data‑driven, next‑generation safety solutions and reinforces CUTR’s role as a leader in applied ITS and connected vehicle research focused on protecting Florida’s road users.
