New Jersey Transit has been awarded a $1.6 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation to develop an artificial intelligence system aimed at improving rail grade crossing safety. The grant will fund a collaboration between NJ Transit and Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) to research and develop AI technologies that can help reduce pedestrian and vehicle strikes at rail grade crossings.
"Alongside Rutgers CAIT, we are working to set a new standard in transportation safety aimed at preventing grade-crossing incidents leveraging the power of artificial intelligence," said NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. "We thank the USDOT for this grant award, which allows NJ Transit to continue to introduce innovative technologies that enhance safety in and around the communities we serve."
The AI system will be equipped with stationary cameras at five light rail grade crossings and forward-facing cameras in one Hudson-Bergen Light Rail vehicle. The technology will analyze real-time camera video data to detect safety events and provide critical information for future infrastructure enhancements.
"Equipping rail grade crossings and critical infrastructure with AI-powered technologies allows NJ Transit to collect and analyze previously unattainable safety data," said CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher. "This information will serve as the foundation for data-driven safety countermeasures that will be deployed to protect communities, reduce service delays, and enhance rail reliability throughout New Jersey."
In the second stage of the project, NJ Transit plans to implement the AI-powered technology at 50 grade crossings and five light rail vehicles on its light rail systems. This initiative is expected to increase safety, reduce delays, and provide improved access to safe transportation options for communities across the state.