I’m pleased to share that the Beachwood community is now benefiting from new technology that creates a “sea of green” as traffic lights change to green when emergency vehicles approach intersections. The technology follows police cars and fire engines in real time which dramatically accelerates arrival times at incident locations. This increases responsiveness and safety in the city and can help save lives. See bit.ly/BeachwoodEmergencyVehiclePreemption.
Our safety personnel say they are thrilled with the effectiveness of the technology which is positioned at all major intersections in the city. The devices were installed in safety vehicles and traffic signals by Path Master, which provides the necessary components to make intersection signals function effortlessly and features itself as the place where “traffic meets technology.”
I recognized the need for this technology, and I’ve overseen this project since its earliest planning stages. I’ve been aware of the difficulty safety vehicles have in traversing through highly trafficked intersections in the city, so this new technology will transform their ability to arrive more quickly.
Police Chief Kate McLaughlin says she is extremely grateful to be assured that lights will turn from red to green before vehicles reach an intersection. “This technology enables our department to do the best job possible on a daily basis,” she says. “Timing is very important, and seconds make a difference.” She added that travel time from one end of the city to the other has been drastically reduced.
Fire Chief Steven Holtzman said that because the number of people in the city can balloon up to 100,000 during the day, and being able to control the traffic has been one of his biggest concerns. He described the technology as one of the best tools to be installed in the city in recent memory.
This technology is truly transformational and is easily one of the best things we have done since I began serving as Mayor. If we save just one life, it’s well worth the investment.