The city of Phoenix uses fiber-optic cables as the main way it gets traffic data to and from its traffic signals. Fiberoptic connections can share large data streams such as camera images, which are important for traffic engineers who monitor the flow of traffic. When there is a wreck or a large vehicle backup, traffic engineers can immediately make changes to signal timing to safely move vehicles along a stretch of road. This is possible at most, but not all, the city's 1,200 signalized intersections.
Building and maintaining a robust underground fiberoptic network has other benefits, too. While the city does need access to a portion of the cable, it does not need all its capacity. Excess capacity can be used by other city agencies to provide better interconnected and more stable service to emergency responder agencies, public schools, and other public agencies.