The Parsons Corporation and its partners announced on Tuesday that the first Smart Cities Challenge, titled “Transforming Intersections.” will significantly increase mobility around cities and reduce the amount of time citizens spend at red lights.

The objective of Parsons’ Smart Cities Challenge is to change the way cities move by collaborating with governments to solve the most complex mobility issues. With Parsons Intelligent Intersections, cities and counties can leverage existing data to provide automated traffic re-timing based on changing traffic patterns, enhancing mobility for the region.

In addition, connected vehicles can communicate with traffic signals, which will lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly driving with a smaller carbon footprint and, ultimately, safer intersections. Traffic signal owners can also provide priority to transit and emergency vehicles or automatically extend green cycles for pedestrians needing extra time to cross the street.

“Every year people spend more than a week and a half of their life sitting at red traffic lights,” said Chuck Harrington, Parsons chairman and CEO. “By changing intersections through our Transforming Intersections challenge, we will not only revolutionize how cities move, but we’ll provide people with some of their valuable time back to do things other than sit at a traffic light. Our goal is to give cities the opportunity to increase their mobility, reduce their carbon footprint through reduced idling of vehicles, and keep their city moving.”

About Parsons 

Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider for the future of global defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure, with capabilities across cybersecurity, missile defense, space, connected infrastructure, and smart cities.