Phoenix turns to AI to fight Chase Field game-day gridlock About 25 new signals will adjust timing on the fly during games and concerts PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The city of Phoenix is expanding its network of traffic signals run by artificial intelligence, with about 25 new ones coming downtown in the next few months. The signals, between Interstates 17 and 10, will use AI technology from a company called NoTraffic to move traffic during sporting events and concerts at Chase Field and Mortgage Matchup Center, adjusting timing in the moment instead of running a preset schedule, said Simon Ramos, a traffic engineering supervisor for the city. Another 16 are planned near Loop 101 on the north side of town, he said. Most U.S. traffic signals run on preset schedules written by an engineer, sometimes years ago. The Federal Highway Administration says fewer than 1% can adapt to the traffic in front of them and rewrite that timing. Phoenix has about 1,300 signals citywide and six traffic engineers responsible for monitoring and managing timing. The city has been experimenting with AI traffic signals since 2020, and there are now about 50 to 60 intersections outfitted with AI detection technology, Ramos said. “If you just sit there and do the math with 1,300 signals and six staff members – we take any help that we can get,” Ramos said on the latest episode of Generation AI. The systems detect cars, bicycles and pedestrians, count vehicles, identify traffic trends and alert the city to congestion or crashes, he said. The work began with a Maricopa Association of Governments pilot on Glendale Avenue between Central Avenue and State Route 51, later expanding to about 20 nearby intersections. A recently completed University of Arizona study used the technology at roughly 30 more intersections to examine