GILBERT, AZ — Cameras are mounted on traffic signals at intersections throughout Gilbert, but town officials are clear about what they are not for.
"They're not to give tickets, it's not to recognize your car," town engineer Susanna Struble said.
The Town says the cameras are designed to track how traffic flows, not just at one light, but across entire corridors. Inside Gilbert's Traffic Operations Center, engineers monitor hundreds of intersections simultaneously, with each one feeding back live video and data in real time.
"They're there to pick up that information and help us read what is actually happening as traffic flows through, how much volume there is at any one time. And if we need to make automatic changes at an intersection, we can do that visually from here," Struble said.
The goal, the town says, is fewer crashes and smoother traffic flow.
"We don't want a single fatality happening or a serious injury happening in town," Struble said.
For people around Gilbert, the cameras took some getting used to.
"First, I thought it might be to give out tickets, but as long as that's not the case, I think it's great," driver Nick Stephenson said.
Visitor Margie Parker agreed.
"I think it's great, it makes me want to come back," Parker said.
As Gilbert continues to grow, engineers say the technology helps them stay ahead of constantly shifting traffic patterns.
"It allows us to keep them safer, and get them in and out of where they need to go more efficiently," Struble said.