A Smarter Intersections Project in College Station, Texas Enabled Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Applications by Equipping 49 Buses with On-Board Units (OBUs) and Five Intersections at a Cost of $1.9 Million Over 18 Months.
Project Partners Implemented and Evaluated the Impacts of Implementing Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) Technologies.
College Station, Texas, United States
Under the USDOT SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) Grant C-V2X roadside units (RSUs) and on-board units were deployed at five intersections between September 2023 and March 2025 to address rising pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in College Station, Texas. The project aimed to improve intersection safety for VRUs through visual and auditory warnings of turning buses, including an illuminated bus icon and audible ‘Caution Bus Turning' announcement. The project also tested a smartphone navigation app supporting blind/low-vision users.
The system included RSUs, OBUs, a pedestrian detection system, LED Bus signs, traffic signal controllers, cameras, and other equipment to equip five intersections. TTI researchers worked with the RSU vendors and the City of College Station on the installations. City staff completed the fieldwork for the equipment installations.
The cost of the project was estimated at $1.9 million, with $481,155 for equipment ($316,155 for RSUs at five intersections and $165,000 for OBUs on 49 buses).
Smarter Intersections Pilot Project Implementation Report
Each intersection RSU cost approximately $63,231 and each OBU cost approximately $3,367.
