Initiative details
The main road safety challenge that was tackled in this initiative is safety of the pedestrians and drivers on the main street of Põlva. The daily traffic volume on this road segment is high, with approximately 5000 vehicles, including trucks, passing through it every day. Simultaneously, high number of pedestrians use the same road daily to get to work or school. From a traffic safety perspective, this road segment is challenging – the hilly and winding road can distract drivers from speed limits, and the increased prevalence of light vehicles (bicycles, scooters etc) further amplifies the danger of this situation.
Smart Road is a vision of the future street, where all road users are equally preferred, and the emphasis is no longer solely on cars. Smart Road is designed to encourage drivers to objectively consider their traffic behaviour and to pay more attention to vulnerable road users. At the same time, the creators of Smart Road understand that vulnerable road users are indeed more difficult to notice, and effective solutions must be provided to assist drivers in focusing their attention on them.
Smart Road is a vision of the future street, where all road users are equally preferred, and the emphasis is no longer solely on cars. Smart Road is designed to encourage drivers to objectively consider their traffic behaviour and to pay more attention to vulnerable road users. At the same time, the creators of Smart Road understand that vulnerable road users are indeed more difficult to notice, and effective solutions must be provided to assist drivers in focusing their attention on them.
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Policy makers
Public authorities
Children 0-16
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Parents
Seniors
Company employees
Fleet operators
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Educational staff
Emergency services
Public transport
Van drivers
Lorry/truck drivers
Cyclists
Micromobility riders
Powered two wheeler riders (excluding micromobility)
Pedestrians
Others
Topic
Create awareness
Education in school or in community organizations
Improve vehicles and infrastructure
Knowledge building and sharing
Provide alternative solutions
Training
Organisation details
Põlva Municipality
Local Public authority
Estonia
Põlva
Contact name
Tiina Suur
Telephone number
+37253014448
Tiina.Suur@polva.ee
Website link
Project activities
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
The Smart Road project started on 15th of June 2021 and ended on 31st of December 2023. During this period the main project activities that were carried out were developing and coordinating a sketch solution, preparing and coordinating the project’s legal requirements with offices and companies involved, and last but not least – building, tuning and configuring the smart road solution.
The new smart road section is about 2.7 km long with an average speed measurement capacity and includes 14 smart pedestrian crosswalks on Kesk and Jaama streets in Põlva. These pedestrian crosswalks are equipped with radars and cameras and additionally, five smart crosswalks are equipped with vehicle number plate recognition cameras to measure the average speed of cars and have signs with variable information at the start and endpoints of the smart road section.
The crosswalks are equipped with LED lights, to notify the drivers with the light signal when a pedestrian is crossing the street. In addition, the smart crosswalk system’s algorithms use cameras and radars to collect non-personalised data on traffic density. For example, the number and direction of pedestrians crossing the street and the number, type and average speed of vehicles that have passed through the crosswalks. Also, a measuring point for the air quality has been installed on the Smart Road.
One of the most important aims of the project is the promotion of the idea and drawing public attention to the innovative solution that can be implemented by other institutions and local governments to improve traffic safety.
The new smart road section is about 2.7 km long with an average speed measurement capacity and includes 14 smart pedestrian crosswalks on Kesk and Jaama streets in Põlva. These pedestrian crosswalks are equipped with radars and cameras and additionally, five smart crosswalks are equipped with vehicle number plate recognition cameras to measure the average speed of cars and have signs with variable information at the start and endpoints of the smart road section.
The crosswalks are equipped with LED lights, to notify the drivers with the light signal when a pedestrian is crossing the street. In addition, the smart crosswalk system’s algorithms use cameras and radars to collect non-personalised data on traffic density. For example, the number and direction of pedestrians crossing the street and the number, type and average speed of vehicles that have passed through the crosswalks. Also, a measuring point for the air quality has been installed on the Smart Road.
One of the most important aims of the project is the promotion of the idea and drawing public attention to the innovative solution that can be implemented by other institutions and local governments to improve traffic safety.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
There were a few challenges that had to be overcome in terms of implementation. For example, the procurement procedure didn’t go as smoothly as it could have, the first was cancelled due to a mistake discovered in the procurement control procedure and the results of the second tender were contested by the participants in the tender. The Supreme Court of Estonia didn’t uphold the challenge to the procurement and two months later the contract with Bercman Technologies was concluded. Another obstacle that needed to be overcome was people’s lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of the necessity of the project, which was addressed during the project by informing the public that Smart Road is a traffic safety-enhancing solution aimed not at monitoring or penalising anyone, but at collecting input data and providing the best possible living environment for everyone based on that data. Additionally, the actual increase in safety during the first weeks of the Smart Road in use contributed to solving this issue.
In terms of implementation, things that went well were for example the relatively short implementation period of the project. Nevertheless, despite this, all the work was successfully carried out by Bercman Technologies and Krakul, yielding very good results. In addition, there has been a lot of verbal feedback from the local people, who are highly grateful for this solution for example in the winter, when there’s a lot of snow in Estonia and not much daylight, the visibility on the streets is not as good as it should be. However, with the Smart Road and the smart crosswalks, the pedestrians, especially the children, can be noticed a lot sooner by the drivers due to the blinking lights on the pedestrian crossing signs and hence, can cross the street safely.
In terms of implementation, things that went well were for example the relatively short implementation period of the project. Nevertheless, despite this, all the work was successfully carried out by Bercman Technologies and Krakul, yielding very good results. In addition, there has been a lot of verbal feedback from the local people, who are highly grateful for this solution for example in the winter, when there’s a lot of snow in Estonia and not much daylight, the visibility on the streets is not as good as it should be. However, with the Smart Road and the smart crosswalks, the pedestrians, especially the children, can be noticed a lot sooner by the drivers due to the blinking lights on the pedestrian crossing signs and hence, can cross the street safely.
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
Bercman Technologies AS and its subsidiary Krakul OÜ were external partners whose role was to develop and install the innovative integrated solution consisting of smart crosswalks and an average speed measurement system. The project included software development, hardware assembly and installation, post-installation configuration and testing and long-term maintenance.
Bercman is a technology company listed on Nasdaq First North, specialising in development services, the creation of proprietary products, and the delivery of comprehensive technology systems.
Krakul is Estonia's leading developer of the Internet of Things and autonomous systems, offering complete product solutions - from idea to prototype and production.
Bercman is a technology company listed on Nasdaq First North, specialising in development services, the creation of proprietary products, and the delivery of comprehensive technology systems.
Krakul is Estonia's leading developer of the Internet of Things and autonomous systems, offering complete product solutions - from idea to prototype and production.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
When the Smart Road was launched in December 2023, the average speed of over 65 kilometres per hour was recorded in nearly 2 percent of vehicles. According to data from the second week of January 2024, this figure dropped to 0.1 percent, where it has remained since. Overall, the average speed on the Smart Road has decreased from 52 km/h to 48 km/h and has remained at that level until today, indicating that the Smart Road solution has brought about a change in driver behaviour. Therefore, within a short period of time, it is possible to assess that the Põlva Smart Road is a high-value project that has a positive impact on traffic safety. The Smart Road enables the Põlva Municipality to collect real-time traffic and environmental data, facilitating data-driven decision-making in Põlva.
Here's some statistics that has been gathered since the beginning of the active period of Põlva Smart Road:
• Põlva 3 pedestrian crossing has the highest density of pedestrians crossings the street on the Smart Road with 172 066 crossings (both ways);
• Põlva 10 pedestrian crossing has the highest density of cars driving through with 2 483 751 drive throughs (both ways).
Furthermore, Smart Road has attracted attention both domestically and internationally. For example, the Estonian Transport Administration recently visited the Põlva Smart Road to explore the possibility of implementing this solution for their organisation’s work on public roads and for activities aimed at improving traffic safety. Beyond the borders of Estonia, the Põlva Smart Road sought global attention when Invest in Estonia published an article about the Smart Road, reaching over a million people through social media.
Here's some statistics that has been gathered since the beginning of the active period of Põlva Smart Road:
• Põlva 3 pedestrian crossing has the highest density of pedestrians crossings the street on the Smart Road with 172 066 crossings (both ways);
• Põlva 10 pedestrian crossing has the highest density of cars driving through with 2 483 751 drive throughs (both ways).
Furthermore, Smart Road has attracted attention both domestically and internationally. For example, the Estonian Transport Administration recently visited the Põlva Smart Road to explore the possibility of implementing this solution for their organisation’s work on public roads and for activities aimed at improving traffic safety. Beyond the borders of Estonia, the Põlva Smart Road sought global attention when Invest in Estonia published an article about the Smart Road, reaching over a million people through social media.
What has been the effect of the activities?
The Smart Pedestrian Crosswalk system which is a big part of the Smart Road solution has been developed by Bercman Technologies with inspiration from the Vision Zero strategy. In 2021 a study was carried out by Tallinn University of Technology and Stratum engineering office to assess the impact of the Smart Crosswalk solution on road safety. The study showed that the potential for conflicts in the unregulated street crossings was reduced by 40% thanks to the smart crosswalk’s early light signal notification which gave drivers more time to respond and slow down the vehicle earlier.
Implementing Smart Pedestrian Crosswalks as part of a comprehensive Smart Road solution, which includes also urban average speed measurement system, has made the town centre of Põlva safer for both pedestrians and drivers. Every resident of Põlva and every person visiting Põlva benefits from this initiative – the traffic in the town centre is calmer and therefore safer. The Smart Road project contributes to safer pedestrian crossings and an overall increase in traffic safety in Põlva. In addition to the local impact in Põlva, the reach of this initiative is broader, both nationally and internationally, as the idea has been covered in various media outlets. For example, Põlva Smart Road project was covered in Invest in Estonia – article „The Town of Põlva will get Estonia’s smartest road“ (https://investinestonia.com/the-town-of-polva-will-get-estonias-smartest-road/), which reached via social media over 1 million people. Smart Road ensures that every resident and visitor of Põlva (which Põlva has a lot this year due to many different cultural events that are taking place within the framework of Tartu 2024), from children to the elderly, feels safe while moving on the streets. Furthermore, measuring average speeds and providing feedback on the results helps influence the traffic behaviour of drivers. The Smart Road pedestrian crossings collect anonymous data on traffic density daily, such as counting pedestrian crossers and vehicles passing through the crossings. Additionally, important air quality indicators are measured on the road segment. All this data will serve as a basis for making the best decisions for the town’s development in the future.
Implementing Smart Pedestrian Crosswalks as part of a comprehensive Smart Road solution, which includes also urban average speed measurement system, has made the town centre of Põlva safer for both pedestrians and drivers. Every resident of Põlva and every person visiting Põlva benefits from this initiative – the traffic in the town centre is calmer and therefore safer. The Smart Road project contributes to safer pedestrian crossings and an overall increase in traffic safety in Põlva. In addition to the local impact in Põlva, the reach of this initiative is broader, both nationally and internationally, as the idea has been covered in various media outlets. For example, Põlva Smart Road project was covered in Invest in Estonia – article „The Town of Põlva will get Estonia’s smartest road“ (https://investinestonia.com/the-town-of-polva-will-get-estonias-smartest-road/), which reached via social media over 1 million people. Smart Road ensures that every resident and visitor of Põlva (which Põlva has a lot this year due to many different cultural events that are taking place within the framework of Tartu 2024), from children to the elderly, feels safe while moving on the streets. Furthermore, measuring average speeds and providing feedback on the results helps influence the traffic behaviour of drivers. The Smart Road pedestrian crossings collect anonymous data on traffic density daily, such as counting pedestrian crossers and vehicles passing through the crossings. Additionally, important air quality indicators are measured on the road segment. All this data will serve as a basis for making the best decisions for the town’s development in the future.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
A primary goal of this project was to create a safer environment for all Põlva’s residents, from children to the elderly. The system's capability of measuring and providing feedback on average vehicle speeds is a key component in positively influencing driver behaviour.
The average speed measurement has proven to be an effective tool for traffic calming and reducing collisions globally. In Põlva, this method, integrated with the smart crosswalks, offers an innovative, cost-effective solution to further elevate road safety. Looking ahead, these crosswalks have the potential to integrate with V2X communication technologies, enhancing vehicle-infrastructure interaction.
The system anonymously collects traffic flow data, including pedestrian and vehicle counts at crosswalks, as well as monitors key air quality indicators, which will allow municipal leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions for Põlva's and any other municipality’s future development.
Smart Road project improves the road safety of the town by not punishing the people, monitoring every movement they make and imposing a fine if someone accidentally makes a wrong move. Instead, the main aim is to reshape people’s traffic habits - to be more attentive and less reckless.
From world practice, it is shown that paying constant attention to drivers' behaviour on the road, by providing feedback on vehicle speed, leads to long-term and wider behavioural changes. Over time, drivers habituate to the new norms, leading to lasting changes in driving behaviour even when immediate feedback is not present. It is expected that drivers in Põlva will calm their vehicle speed also on roads where average speed is not measured. As more drivers comply with traffic calming measures, it can create a social norm of safer, more responsible driving within the whole town.
Põlva Smart Road is a good practice that every municipality or organisation can initiate in their area. It is innovative, safe, easy to implement and makes the roads safer for everybody. It is always better to prevent any kind of possible harm instead of dealing with the consequences.
Traffic calming measures lead to fewer accidents, reducing or preventing fatalities and serious injuries. This directly impacts the quality of life for individuals. The costs associated with traffic accidents are substantial, ranging from 1-3% of GDP per country, including medical expenses, emergency services, and property damage. Preventing accidents reduces these costs significantly. But also, calmer and smoother traffic reduces fuel consumption and emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability. And calmer traffic means quieter streets which attract businesses and residents and improve the whole quality of the city environment.
The average speed measurement has proven to be an effective tool for traffic calming and reducing collisions globally. In Põlva, this method, integrated with the smart crosswalks, offers an innovative, cost-effective solution to further elevate road safety. Looking ahead, these crosswalks have the potential to integrate with V2X communication technologies, enhancing vehicle-infrastructure interaction.
The system anonymously collects traffic flow data, including pedestrian and vehicle counts at crosswalks, as well as monitors key air quality indicators, which will allow municipal leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions for Põlva's and any other municipality’s future development.
Smart Road project improves the road safety of the town by not punishing the people, monitoring every movement they make and imposing a fine if someone accidentally makes a wrong move. Instead, the main aim is to reshape people’s traffic habits - to be more attentive and less reckless.
From world practice, it is shown that paying constant attention to drivers' behaviour on the road, by providing feedback on vehicle speed, leads to long-term and wider behavioural changes. Over time, drivers habituate to the new norms, leading to lasting changes in driving behaviour even when immediate feedback is not present. It is expected that drivers in Põlva will calm their vehicle speed also on roads where average speed is not measured. As more drivers comply with traffic calming measures, it can create a social norm of safer, more responsible driving within the whole town.
Põlva Smart Road is a good practice that every municipality or organisation can initiate in their area. It is innovative, safe, easy to implement and makes the roads safer for everybody. It is always better to prevent any kind of possible harm instead of dealing with the consequences.
Traffic calming measures lead to fewer accidents, reducing or preventing fatalities and serious injuries. This directly impacts the quality of life for individuals. The costs associated with traffic accidents are substantial, ranging from 1-3% of GDP per country, including medical expenses, emergency services, and property damage. Preventing accidents reduces these costs significantly. But also, calmer and smoother traffic reduces fuel consumption and emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability. And calmer traffic means quieter streets which attract businesses and residents and improve the whole quality of the city environment.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
The information about the project was shared in social media (Põlva website, FB, Instagram) and in the local newspaper „Põlva Teataja“. Põlva Smart Road was also covered in different news portals and their social media channels in Estonia (ERR, Lõuna-Eesti Postimees, Lõunaleht, Lõunaeestlane, Autogeenius, Tehnikamaailm etc). It was also in the national television news and on the radio. In addition, the project got attention outside of Estonia – an article was published in Invest in Estonia, which reached more than one million people. The news was also reported by the Baltic News, a trans-Baltic news portal. Since Bercman Technologies, the builder of the smart road, is traded on Nasdaq, the news about the construction of the smart road was published both in Estonian and English through the stock exchange news service.
Here are some examples of the media coverage of the initiative and its results:
• https://lounapostimees.postimees.ee/7825617/polvasse-tuleb-esimene-linnasisenekeskmise-kiiruse-mootmise-loik
• https://lounaeestlane.ee/bercman-ja-polva-vallavalitsus-allkirjastasid-lepingunutitee-rajamiseks/
• http://www.lounaleht.ee/index.php?page=1&id=36073&type=2
• https://auto.geenius.ee/rubriik/uudis/polva-nutitee-avastas-juba-esimesel-paeval-80-
• km-h-labi-linna-kihutanud-auto/
• https://eestielu.goodnews.ee/polva-vallavalitsus-rajas-nutitee/
• https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b08e4b745e1512d5f586d74a6b3576e5a&lang=en
• https://lounapostimees.postimees.ee/7935741/videolugu-vilkuvate-tuledega-nutiteesurus-polva-liikluse-aeglasemale-kaigule
• https://balticnews.com/bercman-technologies-delivers-completed-smart-road-to-polva-municipal-govt/
• https://news.err.ee/1609211683/polva-s-finished-smart-road-project-handed-over-to-local-government
• https://investinestonia.com/the-town-of-polva-will-get-estonias-smartest-road/
Here are some examples of the media coverage of the initiative and its results:
• https://lounapostimees.postimees.ee/7825617/polvasse-tuleb-esimene-linnasisenekeskmise-kiiruse-mootmise-loik
• https://lounaeestlane.ee/bercman-ja-polva-vallavalitsus-allkirjastasid-lepingunutitee-rajamiseks/
• http://www.lounaleht.ee/index.php?page=1&id=36073&type=2
• https://auto.geenius.ee/rubriik/uudis/polva-nutitee-avastas-juba-esimesel-paeval-80-
• km-h-labi-linna-kihutanud-auto/
• https://eestielu.goodnews.ee/polva-vallavalitsus-rajas-nutitee/
• https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b08e4b745e1512d5f586d74a6b3576e5a&lang=en
• https://lounapostimees.postimees.ee/7935741/videolugu-vilkuvate-tuledega-nutiteesurus-polva-liikluse-aeglasemale-kaigule
• https://balticnews.com/bercman-technologies-delivers-completed-smart-road-to-polva-municipal-govt/
• https://news.err.ee/1609211683/polva-s-finished-smart-road-project-handed-over-to-local-government
• https://investinestonia.com/the-town-of-polva-will-get-estonias-smartest-road/
Supporting materials
