Tennessee State University’s (TSU) College of Engineering has received $700,000 to help make transportation safer.
The funds are part of a $10 million grant awarded to the City of Nashville through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program. TSU will collaborate with the Nashville Department of Transportation and WeGo Public Transit to conduct research focused on improving pedestrian safety and reducing traffic fatalities in the city.
Led by Kamrul Hasan, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, the research team will utilize artificial intelligence and LiDAR technology to monitor near-miss accidents, assess the effectiveness of safety interventions, and enhance real-time traffic analysis.
Atiqur Mallick and Tupac Moseley, both graduate students working toward their master’s degrees in computer science and computer information systems engineering, will take on pivotal roles in the project, contributing their expertise and skills throughout its development.
In a statement, Moseley said, “We’re excited to see how the project grows and how our involvement—through real conversations with community members—helps improve safety. I’m also looking forward to expanding industry collaborations, not only with TSU but with other HBCUs as well. The fact that we’re working just down the street from TSU and engaging with people in this corridor and North Nashville is a great opportunity.”
This research aligns with Nashville’s Vision Zero Action Plan, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries through the implementation of innovative safety measures. Through this collaboration, TSU faculty and students will contribute to improving urban safety, with findings that could also provide valuable insights to influence transportation policies and infrastructure development in Nashville and beyond.
