The City of Owen Sound is making use of a new artificial intelligence technology in its road condition assessment process.
The city says the data collected from this process will assist in making the most of the annual road resurfacing budget as it invests in critical infrastructure.
The artificial intelligence, known as IrisGO, will document the condition of each road segment in the city. From this data and the expertise of the public works and engineering staff, priority roads will be identified for resurfacing.
By using this method, the city says road resurfacing locations will be strategically chosen based on up-to-date information, and allocating the needed annual funding during the capital budget process.
The city says in 2022, council approved a $700,000 budget for asphalt resurfacing, with locations including the 700 block of 6th Avenue West, 20th Street East from 16th Avenue to 20th Avenue East, the 5th Avenue East loop at 1st Street, and others.
The technology will support the city in meeting its strategic goals, and has resulted in a 10-year Asphalt Resurfacing Plan.
Mayor Ian Boddy says, “supporting growth and development means investing in our infrastructure. By using the latest technology, we can get the best value for our tax dollars and start closing the gap on our road funding needs.”
