Traffic at the five-way intersection at Picton Main Street and Walton is about to improve.

New cameras are coming in an effort to improve the flow of traffic. They will replace the current system of underground sensors.

The new camera system has already appeared in Kingston and other municipalities across the province. It is said to be an upgrade when it comes to detecting vehicles and bicycles. 

“The new system replaces the old road sensors, which are now obsolete. Camera-based sensors will now detect traffic flow and operate the traffic lights. The cameras will not record footage, and they will not be used for traffic enforcement,” said the County’s communications officer Mark Kerr.

The cameras will not record or save data. Their sole purpose is to improve the flow of traffic by tracking moving objects to tell a computer a car is waiting.

For decades, Ontario cities have relied on inductive loop detectors, wire sensors embedded underneath the asphalt. When these loops break, they are no longer able to detect vehicles waiting at an intersection. Fixing them requires ripping up the road. The new system, once in place, will not require a significant delay to maintain or fix.

The replacement is being driven by failures in the current system. “The existing road sensors are obsolete, and some have already failed, so the County decided it was the right time to replace them before additional sensors fail,” Mr. Kerr said. 

Cameras also avoid the wear-and-tear of harsh Canadian winters and road resurfacing. Work will occur Sept. 28 and 29, and the new system will be operational by the end of September. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area during the construction period in case of delays. Traffic control measures will be in place. 

“For now, this is the lone location. The other traffic lights use a different system. The County has decided to go with the newest model that is compatible with the system currently in place at this location,” Mr. Kerr explained.

Unfortunately, pedestrian traffic will not benefit from the new cameras.