Politics & Government

Newport Beach To Use Bluetooth Technology To Improve Traffic

The city will implement a new program to help monitor traffic flow in the city.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA -- Newport Beach drivers may soon see less traffic along the city's roadways.

The City Council this week approved a plan to implement Bluetooth technology to help monitor the beach town's traffic flow, according to a Los Angeles Times article.

The program, which will cost $119,000, will monitor traffic along major roadways including Newport Coast Drive and Coast Highway, according to the newspaper.

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The BlueToad System will gather information from mobile phones and hands-free devices from cars to help determine the traffic flow. The system will allow the city to gather current travel time, travel information such as the preferred roadways for drivers, and metrics for determining the effectiveness of traffic signals, according to a city staff report.

The system will be implemented next year.

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

--Photo via Shutterstock

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.