Michigan Public Transportation Testing New Thermal Cameras

Since the creation of motor vehicles, there has been tons of work and initiatives toward making them as safe as possible for not only the driving and passengers but also for those they may be sharing the road with. For example, pedestrians and bicyclists are just as or even more at risk.

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There has been some concern over the last few years about the number of bicyclists and pedestrians that have been injured or worse from a collision with a motor vehicle. Obviously, there are a number of factors that could contribute to this data but at the end of the day, it comes down to the safety of the roads overall.

Michigan is known for having some bumpy roads, literally, as the state has always had trouble keeping the roads up to par. The State of Michigan has been doing a great job of fixing important roads, highways, and bridges this year but are also looking at other ways of making the roads safer for all individuals.

A new program will be helping to reduce the risks of crashes between motor vehicles and both bicyclists and pedestrians. The Michigan Department of Transportation 
(MDOT) received a federal grant worth $551,732 to fund a thermal camera program across the state.

Port Huron-based Blue Water Area Transit, the city of Alma, Battle Creek-based Community Action Agency of South-Central Michigan, and the Detroit/Ann Arbor-based Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan are going to the first group of transit agencies to deplore the thermal cameras.

About 60 vans to buses and large motorcoaches will test out the cameras in both city and rural areas. There were 2,114 pedestrians and 1,480 bicyclists involved in vehicle crashes in 2023, which resulted in 183 pedestrians and 24 bicyclists being killed. The cameras could also have the ability to make drivers aware of deer who may be crossing to avoid costly crashes.

Here are some notable construction projects that have been completed or will finish completion in 2024, which will make Michigan roads safer!