CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — The City of Clarksville is taking a significant step toward enhancing traffic management and pedestrian safety with the introduction of advanced LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology. A new mobile unit equipped with this cutting-edge system will be deployed throughout the city, rotating between high-volume intersections for data collection.
The technology, which does not capture license plate information, is designed to monitor traffic patterns, pedestrian activity, and near-miss incidents. City officials hope the data gathered will provide valuable insights that can be used to make informed decisions about improving local infrastructure and safety measures.
“You will see the unit in various locations around town, such as Purple Heart Parkway, Providence Boulevard, and Richview Road. We’ve strategically chosen these areas and specific times of day to ensure that we gather a true, representative baseline of traffic and pedestrian behavior,” said Lauren Winters, the grants director for the City of Clarksville.
The new initiative, which is expected to run through the summer, is being funded by a grant from Vanderbilt University, awarded through the TNGO (Transportation Growth Opportunity) program. In addition to Vanderbilt, local universities including Austin Peay State University, Tennessee State University, and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga are collaborating to analyze the collected data.
Winters explained that the data would be used to identify key areas that require attention and potential improvement. “Our hope is that the technology will help us pinpoint problems and enable us to make changes where needed. After implementing those changes, we can deploy the LiDAR technology again to assess the impact—did our measures work, or do we need to re-evaluate?” Winters said.
The information gathered will also play a critical role in shaping the future of Clarksville’s transportation planning, particularly for the Mayor’s Transportation 2020+ Project. If the pilot program proves successful, the city may consider expanding the use of LiDAR technology for long-term traffic and safety monitoring.
The initiative marks a forward-thinking approach to managing growth and ensuring that Clarksville remains a safe, efficient city for both drivers and pedestrians. The use of LiDAR technology could pave the way for smarter, more responsive infrastructure planning in the years to come.
