Charleston eyes AI-powered traffic signals
Charleston drivers may soon notice a high-tech helper at the city’s busiest intersections: AI-powered traffic cameras designed to make roads safer and smoother for everyone.
While the technology is already rolling out on Maybank Highway, Charleston city officials are keeping an eye on other corridors – including the bustling Clements Ferry Road – for future upgrades.
“AI technology has the potential to improve a corridor’s operational efficiency and safety through active monitoring and real-time response,” said Michael Mathis, the city’s director of traffic and transportation. The system uses cameras integrated with traffic signals to track vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle movements; flag near-misses; and even adjust signal timing dynamically. Mathis emphasized that the technology is focused on safety, not law enforcement or surveillance.
On Maybank Highway, the city installed AI cameras at River Road, Fenwick Hall Allee, and the Headquarters Plantation Drive access road on the Stono River Bridge. These intersections, Mathis explained, are part of a pilot project to collect data on traffic patterns and potential safety hazards.
The nearly $200,000 project is funded through Charleston’s 2025 budget, and officials say it represents a leap forward in proactive traffic management.
The city is still getting familiar with AI traffic tech. Last summer, a project along Calhoun Street – funded by a $1 million federal SMART Grant – installed cameras and adaptive signals at nine busy intersections. That corridor sees nearly 20,000 vehicles daily, plus thousands of pedestrians, making it one of downtown Charleston’s most congested and accident-prone streets.
“Different corridors have different challenges,” Mathis noted. “Calhoun Street is a high-volume pedestrian area and creates different challenges than high-volume traffic, lower pedestrian-volume corridors such as Maybank Highway or Clements Ferry Road.”
Clements Ferry, Mathis said, is on the city’s radar.
“There is currently no funding for AI traffic signals on Clements Ferry Road,” he said, “but it is one of several corridors the Department of Traffic and Transportation would like to implement this technology on when funding becomes available.”
Mathis said if the Calhoun Street pilot proves successful, the city hopes to expand the system to other busy routes like Folly Road, Clements Ferry Road, and U.S. Highway 17.
If approved, installation could take 12 to 18 months and would likely focus on signalized intersections along the corridor. The AI could help manage growing pedestrian and bicycle traffic as the area becomes more accessible and developed.
The city is exploring multiple funding options, including federal grants, state resources, and local budgets. Coordination with the South Carolina Department of Transportation and Berkeley County would also be necessary, as parts of the corridor lie outside Charleston city limits.
“Traffic is one of Charleston’s biggest challenges, and our team is tackling it head-on,” Mathis said.