According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), more than 2.5 million intersection-related crashes happen annually across the country, accounting for more than 40 percent of all motor vehicle crashes involving intersections. In New Jersey, more than 34 percent of total motor vehicle crashes involved intersections. As a result, in recent years traffic congestion and motor vehicle crashes have become major concerns in high-density areas such as the Northeast, and mitigating traffic congestion and improving user safety on roadways have become top priorities of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).

UTC Partners at Rowan University conducted a feasibility study during the past year analyzing potential mobility and safety concerns of high-density transportation networks in New Jersey, specifically the area surrounding the new American Dream Mall in East Rutherford. While the project was impacted by lessening traffic volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was still able to collect valuable mobility data on the surrounding area while also developing an innovative AI tool to assess intersection safety. In this free seminar, researchers will discuss their findings on the mobility impacts of the American Dream Mall, review the new intersection safety tool they have developed, and discuss important next steps in developing effective and innovative solutions to alleviate traffic congestion and motor vehicle crashes around this complex and at intersections in general.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify mobility, safety, and congestion issues in the region and those common to high-density areas.
• Discuss practices for collecting large-scale mobility data and understand current innovative safety tools being developed.
• Highlight opportunities for implementation and continued research in this area.