Middlesex County Welcomes Federal Transportation Delegation to DataCity

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MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ - On Tuesday, October 27, Middlesex County leadership hosted representatives from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) for a tour of DataCity and the Network Operations Center, currently located in Piscataway. The space serves as headquarters for the DataCity Smart Mobility Testing Ground, capturing information gathered by the living laboratory situated in New Brunswick, and providing researchers with key analytical data. The delegation, which included USDOT Assistant Secretary of Research and Technology Seval Oz, not only learned about the development, milestones, and long-term goals of DataCity but was also immersed in the proprietary, future-forward technology of the center.

"DataCity is a reflection of Middlesex County's enduring legacy of innovation," said

Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. "By partnering with the NJ Department of Transportation and experts at Rutgers University CAIT, we are leading the nation in smart mobility technology and autonomous vehicle research. We believe that our work here not only sets an industry benchmark but has countless applications beyond transportation and pedestrian safety. Welcoming federal transportation leaders to learn more about our signature initiative is incredibly validating."

"The research being done at DataCity is essential to the County's Vision Zero Initiative," said Middlesex County Commissioner Charles Kenny, Chair of the Transportation Committee. "It is rewarding to see the U.S. Department of Transportation show interest in the County's efforts toward eliminating all traffic fatalities. We see the investment we're making in safe mobility bearing fruit right now while capturing national attention - signaling that we're on the right track."

"As USDOT advances its Digital Corridors Initiative, facilities like DataCity can play an important role in testing interoperable technologies, improving safety, and supporting automated mobility," said U.S. Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Seval Oz. "I see tremendous opportunities to build on this foundation, expand regional partnerships, and help bring these innovations from research into real-world deployment."

"DataCity was born from a strategic partnership with Rutgers CAIT and Middlesex County, and it is because of the County's critical investment that we are garnering national interest," said Dr. Ali Maher, Professor and Director, Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT). "This visit from the Assistant Secretary and her leadership team to DataCity is a testament of our alignment on safer, smarter, and more efficient mobility, and we look forward to potentially working together in the future to continue advancing university research into practical deployment, ultimately expanding DataCity into a national testbed for innovative mobility solutions"

Since 2019, Middlesex County, Rutgers University CAIT, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and several other partners have been working together to take DataCityfrom a grant proposal to a one-of-a-kind smart corridor. To date, DataCity has served as a testing and pilot ground for pedestrian and intersection safety applications. Safety data collected from DataCity have supported both planning and real-time safety applications on County roads. Historical traffic near-miss data from intersections have been used to identify critical vehicle-vehicle and vehicle-pedestrian conflict points, helping County planners and engineers develop countermeasures that advance Vision Zero's goal of eliminating traffic fatalities on County roads. Real-time vehicle and pedestrian data have been used to generate pedestrian-at-crosswalk alerts that can activate roadside alert systems and support connected vehicle applications. These alerts can also be transmitted through traveler information services to smartphone navigation applications. A prime example is the demonstration at the Blanquita B. Valenti Community School, where real-time pedestrian crossing data enable the signal controller to extend pedestrian crossing time, extend the all-red interval to allow vehicles to clear the intersection to avoid hazardous conditions, and activate roadside alerts and crosswalk lighting to increase driver awareness and improve pedestrian visibility.

These developments have received several recognitions over the years, including presentations at the 22^nd and 26^th annual NJDOT Research Showcases and the 2026 Outstanding Project Award for Local Public Agencies for Construction/Implementation from the Intelligent Transportation Society of New Jersey (ITSNJ). In the coming months, the Network Operations Center will transition from its current location in Piscataway to a new space in the New Jersey Innovation Hub in New Brunswick inside the HELIX.

For more information about DataCity, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/transportation.

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