How do you take a city with over 1,300 cameras and turn it into a model of intelligent mobility? For Dubuque, Iowa, USA, the answer lay in a strategic mix of open-platform video management, real-time analytics and forward-thinking partnerships.
In collaboration with Milestone Systems and AI analytics provider Vaidio, the city has transformed its approach to traffic management, demonstrating what’s possible when video infrastructure is treated not as a passive network, but as a source of live, decision-ready intelligence.
“We wanted to leverage our existing investments in video infrastructure to not only improve traffic flow but also enhance public safety and emergency response,” said Dave Ness, Traffic Engineering Manager for the City of Dubuque. “Milestone’s open platform video technology has allowed us to integrate cutting-edge analytics and create a truly intelligent traffic management system.”
That system connects Milestone’s XProtect VMS with Vaidio’s Vision AI platform, feeding live video into an AI engine that not only monitors but interprets what’s happening across the city. The platform links with traffic signal systems to optimise flow, detect incidents, and reduce bottlenecks—improving daily life for thousands of residents.
According to Thomas Jensen, CEO of Milestone Systems, the results speak to a much wider opportunity: “Our collaboration with the City of Dubuque demonstrates how intelligent video solutions can transform traffic management and enhance quality of life for residents.”
Real Results—and a Roadmap for Others
The impact in Dubuque has been clear:
- Commute times are down, thanks to smoother traffic flow and more responsive signals.
- Emergency response is faster, aided by real-time incident detection.
- City staff are freed up to focus on more strategic work as automation takes on routine monitoring tasks.
- Fuel use and emissions are down, supporting broader environmental goals.
Behind the scenes, Vaidio’s AI models track vehicles, spot anomalies like wrong-way driving, and even adapt camera functions on the fly based on what’s needed. Cyclists and pedestrians are also in the mix—an important step for cities prioritising inclusive transport strategies.
“Working together with Milestone and Dubuque allowed us to tailor our AI models to address the city’s unique traffic challenges,” said David Jenkins, VP of Software Architecture at Vaidio. “This collaboration has driven real-world improvements in how cities leverage video analytics for transportation.”
Feeding the Future: Project Hafnia
Dubuque’s success is also feeding into Milestone’s wider R&D pipeline. The deployment forms part of the foundation for Project Hafnia, launched with NVIDIA earlier this year, which focuses on developing the next generation of AI models for transport based on curated, compliant video data.
“The City of Dubuque’s use of AI-powered video analytics aligns with Milestone’s broader innovation initiatives,” said Jensen. “Insights from deployments like Dubuque’s smart traffic system contribute valuable real-world data that can help enhance future AI-driven solutions.”
For many local authorities, the idea of a smart city still feels out of reach. Budgets are tight. Legacy infrastructure is common. But what Dubuque shows is that it’s not about starting from scratch—it’s about getting more value from the systems already in place.
By choosing flexible, open technologies and working with partners who understand public-sector realities, cities can build intelligent systems that scale with need and deliver measurable public benefit.
Milestone Systems continues to support projects like this worldwide, helping cities rethink what video can do, and where it fits in the broader strategy for safety, mobility and sustainability.