Technology
Detroit Scales Smart Intersections, Kiosks, Community Broadband Programs
City continues to advance smart intersection systems, kiosks and community broadband efforts after initial rollouts.
How we reported this
Detroit's SMART MODES initiative has placed smart intersection technology at 19 to 22 strategic locations using a $2 million USDOT SMART grant to cut traffic fatalities in Historically Disadvantaged Communities.
The deployments come as the city maintains its data-driven approach to mobility after achieving Gold Status Certification from the Bloomberg Data Alliance in 2021 for its Department of Information Technology. Officials now examine how to extend sensor networks and public kiosks already operating in central Detroit.
Current infrastructure in place
The city installed 28 sidewalk smart kiosks across central Detroit and neighborhoods such as Midtown and Corktown. Each kiosk supplies transit information, public safety alerts, emergency call buttons and free Wi-Fi hotspots. Miovision's system at the World's Smartest Intersection relies on sensors and 360-degree cameras and has already cut travel times by 30 percent at that site.
These tools form the backbone of Detroit's current smart strategy, according to city planning documents. The Last Mile Project, run by the Detroit Blockchain Center, uses Althea's KeyLTE infrastructure to create community-owned smart city networks aimed at closing the digital divide.
Building on deployed systems
City records show the SMART MODES locations target safety improvements in specific corridors. The 28 kiosks and the Miovision installation provide measurable data on traffic flow and public access points. The 2021 Bloomberg certification confirmed Detroit's capacity to use that data for ongoing decisions.
Next work centers on integrating these separate elements into broader operations. Planners review how the community networks from the Last Mile Project can connect with the existing kiosks and intersection sensors. The approach relies on the same grant-funded and locally managed assets already installed rather than new standalone programs.
Detroit continues to track performance at the 19 to 22 SMART MODES sites and the 28 kiosks while maintaining the KeyLTE links established through the Detroit Blockchain Center. Updates will draw from the same public data sources used for the Bloomberg certification and the USDOT-supported deployments.