Are smart traffic lights key to making York region roads safer?

Technologist proposes app enhanced with quantum technology to ease traffic jams at Richmond Hill school

Yorkregion.com
May 11, 2023
Melissa Wallace

In an effort to solve traffic woes at St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School in Richmond Hill, technologist Dave D’Silva hosted a public meeting on April 28 to discuss a smart traffic light proposal.

The idea aims to reduce traffic on a long-term basis by introducing a “dynamic traffic light” system via an app that communicates with cars and drivers to ease tension, stress and traffic congestion.

“This can be done with AI and blockchain for data safety,” said D’Silva. “As the system ramps up, my quantum technology used for scheduling seaports can be adapted.”

D’Silva is a former founding committee member of Road Watch, an initiative supported by the City of Richmond Hill and York Regional Police where the public can anonymously report instances of aggressive and dangerous driving through their website.

Like Road Watch, the app would require input from the community in order to ease traffic jams.

“Overall this is all about data,” said D’Silva. “When you have data, you solve problems.

“By having co-operative people with an app that will say, ‘Yes, I will participate in the city knowing where I am, help me get there faster,’ it’s the incentive for success.” He said the data would be used to help with scheduling so the volume of traffic at certain times would be reduced.

The idea didn’t go over well with the school’s vice principal Jim Marrin, who said an app would not help the school community today, and relying on drivers to be prompt and show up at a designated time would not work.

“Everybody talks about us being creatures of habit, but we’re not, we’re all over the place, you know?” he said. “We’re not going to be there at the same time every day.

“I want a better neighbourhood for my school to be able to go through and I want that to happen as soon as possible. I don’t want to wait 20 years to come up with a solution.”

The meeting ended with a commitment from Coun. Simon Cui to work with the traffic department to consider reinstating a traffic light timing solution that worked at the school in the past.

D’Silva plans to continue engaging the community as project manager of Quantum Qid and is looking for another school to consider the proposal. He hopes to one day see York Region initiate a “world-class smart traffic light system.”