Mohave County Implements Solar-Powered Smart Intersection to Improve Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Safety and Enable CV2X

Across Mohave County, AZ, transportation infrastructure stretches across vast desert landscapes where intersections can be miles apart, and traditional utilities are not always nearby. Managing traffic operations in these conditions requires practical solutions that can operate reliably in remote environments.

To enhance  traffic activity visibility while preparing for future connected vehicle technologies(CV2X), Mohave County recently implemented a solar-powered smart intersection monitoring system along one of its rural corridors.

The project reflects the county’s broader effort to modernize transportation infrastructure while keeping installations practical and cost-effective for rural locations.

Solving a Common Rural Infrastructure Challenge

Many transportation agencies across the western United States face a similar issue: intersections located far from grid power or communications networks.

Extending electrical infrastructure to these locations can be costly and time-consuming, often delaying projects that would otherwise provide important traffic data and safety insights.

Mohave County approached the challenge in a smart way. Instead of relying on traditional power connections, the county implemented a self-contained roadside system powered entirely by solar energy.

A solar panel mounted above the pole generates power throughout the day, while batteries housed inside the roadside cabinet store energy to keep the system operating overnight and during periods of low sunlight.

This design allows the intersection to operate independently of the electrical grid while maintaining continuous monitoring.

Expanding Visibility at Rural Intersections

At the top of the installation, multiple cameras provide a clear view of the intersection. Using AI-based video detection, Currux Vision technology, the system analyzes traffic movements directly from the camera feed.

This allows the county to monitor vehicle activity, turning movements, and traffic patterns without installing pavement sensors.

Currux Vision is monitoring oncoming traffic and providing side street vehicles that motorists are approaching.

For rural counties where maintenance crews often travel long distances, reducing the need for pavement cuts or in-road detection equipment can significantly simplify long-term operations.

The camera-based system also allows Mohave County to collect traffic information from locations that previously had limited monitoring capability.

Future Ready

The deployment also includes the Yunex Roadside Unit (RSU), enabling CV2X connected vehicle communication at the intersection. The RSU ingests real-time data from the AI-based detection system, including approaching vehicle activity from both mainline and side streets. It then broadcasts critical information such as signal timing (SPaT), intersection geometry (MAP), and detected traffic conditions.

Why is it so important? That allows approaching vehicles to better understand intersection conditions ahead of time, improving driver awareness, reducing potential conflict points, and supporting applications designed to enhance vulnerable road user (VRU) safety.

While connected vehicle programs are often associated with large metropolitan areas, Mohave County’s installation shows how rural agencies can begin preparing their infrastructure for these technologies as part of ongoing modernization efforts.

Built for Desert Conditions

All electronics required for the installation are housed in a custom roadside cabinet designed for outdoor ITS environments.

Inside the enclosure are the power management systems, batteries, communications equipment, and networking hardware required to keep the system operating continuously.

The cabinet is designed to withstand high temperatures, dust exposure, and long maintenance intervals, all common conditions across Mohave County’s desert landscape.

Engineering and System Integration

To deliver the system in a configuration suitable for remote deployment, Mohave County collaborated with Western Systems engineers to design and assemble a custom roadside enclosure tailored to the project requirements. The cabinet integrates the solar power system, battery storage, communications equipment, and field devices needed to support continuous operation in a desert environment.

All components were assembled, wired, and integrated by hand at Western Systems’ designated integration facility, where technicians installed the power distribution, solar charge controls, networking hardware, and field electronics within the cabinet enclosure.

Once assembled, the system underwent bench testing and functional verification prior to field deployment. This process ensured that the power system, detection equipment, communications devices, and connected vehicle hardware operated together as a single integrated unit before installation in Mohave County.

The final configuration includes AI-based traffic detection and connected-vehicle roadside communication equipment, enabling the intersection to support both real-time traffic monitoring and CV2X applications

The system also includes remote communications, allowing operators to access real-time intersection data and system status without traveling to the site.

This provides improved visibility into traffic conditions, supports faster diagnostics, and reduces the need for field visits in remote environments.

By completing integration and testing before installation, the project team reduced field installation time while ensuring the system would perform reliably in its remote operating environment.

A Practical Approach to Rural ITS

Projects like this demonstrate how counties with large geographic areas can bring modern traffic-monitoring capabilities to intersections where traditional infrastructure can be difficult to deploy.

By combining solar power, AI-based traffic detection, and connected vehicle infrastructure, Mohave County has implemented a solution that improves visibility into its transportation network while remaining practical for rural deployment.

As transportation technology continues to evolve, installations like this show that innovation is not limited to large cities. Rural agencies are increasingly adopting advanced ITS tools that fit their unique operating environments.

For Mohave County, the result is a smarter intersection that reflects the county’s commitment to improving transportation infrastructure across even its most remote corridors.