NEWS RELEASE
REGION OF WATERLOO
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The Region of Waterloo and Miovision Technologies have collaborated over the past few years to implement a real-time data collection system at signalized intersections through the Miovision TrafficLink Advanced Transportation Management System (ATMS).
Regional Council’s approval to expand the system to the remaining signalized intersections across the Region of Waterloo will help guide how roads, transit, and pedestrian and cycling facilities will improve through 2041. An expanded system will bring us closer to reaching the Region’s long-term greenhouse gas reduction targets as we improve our active transportation infrastructure.
“Optimizing our intersections to safely get people to their destination, whether by bike, wheelchair, scooter, transit, cars or on foot, is a key focus, and if that also means transit can better travel through the region, then it’s a great way to get more people using GRT and ION,” said Colleen James, Regional Councillor, and Chair of the Planning and Works Committee. “Working with this local company and investing in our infrastructure is the right thing to do for our environment and our community, as we grow to one million people.”
Moving this project forward builds on the successful pilot that started in 2018. The pilot included the installation of a Miovision system at 270 signalized intersections, including critical intersections along the ION route. The benefits of these early installations included detailed tracking of operations to give priority to ION trains travelling through the intersection and reduced delays to pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.
"As a company rooted in Kitchener-Waterloo, we are dedicated to leveraging our technological expertise to create a safer, more efficient transportation network in our own backyard. This expansion showcases our innovative solutions and our commitment to the well-being and mobility of our community,” said Kurtis McBride, CEO of Miovision.
The Miovision ATMS uses cameras, connected to the traffic signal controller at signalized intersections, to retrieve traffic data about all intersection users, including cyclists, pedestrians, cars, buses, LRT, and trucks, to help Regional staff optimize intersection usage. The camera is not used for enforcement. The camera resolution is very low, meaning no person's facial features or license plate information is recognizable. All the video captured is automatically overwritten every 14 days.
The analytical tools provided through ATMS will help staff monitor:
- Pedestrian, cyclist, and motor vehicle volumes at signalized intersections.
- Pedestrian, cyclist, and motor vehicle volume trends over time.
- Traffic congestion.
- Conflicts between different intersection users.
- Vehicle travel time and speeds.
- Performance of traffic signal coordination/timing plans.
The Region will install cameras at the remaining 250 traffic signals between July 2 and December 31, 2024.
Miovision's processes align with the Region’s Information Management policies, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), and the 10 Fair Information Privacy Principles outlined in the Canadian Standards Association’s Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information.
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