12-year agreement upgrades aging traffic systems with smarter technology that also protects pedestrians and cyclists
- 7 Emergency Service Districts in Harris County sign 12-year agreement to help firefighters and paramedics reach emergencies faster
- Simpler technology lowers costs for 7 Emergency Service Districts serving 4.1 million residents
- New cameras and real-time monitoring give agencies more visibility into every intersection
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (June 15, 2026) – Miovision, the global leader in intelligent mobility solutions, announces a 12-year agreement with 7 ESDs (Emergency Service Districts) in Northwest Harris County to help firefighters and paramedics respond faster to emergencies with the help of Miovision Opticom™. The industry-leading smart traffic signal system detects approaching emergency vehicles and automatically turns the lights green to clear their path. The ESDs in Northwest Harris County are upgrading aging and broken traffic systems across 437 intersections with new technology that clears the path for first responders and adds real-time protections for pedestrians and cyclists.
Harris County first deployed an emergency vehicle preemption system in 2007, but when Hurricane Harvey struck southeastern Texas in August 2017, flooding damaged roughly 25% of the county’s intersections. The existing technology was more than a decade old, offered no central monitoring, and placed the full maintenance burden on agencies with limited resources. The ESDs recognized it was time for a smarter, more reliable system that could keep emergency responders connected and residents protected. Choosing Miovision’s Opticom was the first step, and this 12-year expansion builds on that commitment
“When we saw Miovision’s Opticom system, it was a no-brainer. The fact that we don’t need resources committed to supporting the day-to-day operation of the system is a godsend because in public safety, you never have enough money and you never have enough people,” said Mike Pate, Project Manager, Harris County ESD No. 16. “With the new system, we’ll know within minutes after they finish their work whether the intersection is back up or not. The visibility of the system’s effectiveness was an instant sell with the chiefs.”
The new system uses technology already installed in emergency vehicles, eliminating the need for additional costly equipment and lowering expenses for each vehicle and intersection. Cameras will be used to obtain pre-arrival information about an event at the intersection. If a signal ever goes down, the system alerts agencies within minutes so first responders always have a clear path.
“Northwest Harris County exemplifies the forward-thinking approach that will define public safety infrastructure for the next generation,” said Kurtis McBride, CEO of Miovision. “Moving to a hardware-free, cloud-based system gives these agencies the operational confidence, cost predictability, and data-driven tools they need to protect their communities long into the future. This is exactly the kind of partnership Miovision was built to deliver.”
With its entire preemption network connected through a single, cloud-based platform, the Northwest Harris County ESDs sets a new standard for public safety infrastructure in one of America’s largest counties. The partnership gives the ESDs the tools, data, and long-term stability to protect their communities for years to come.
To learn more about Miovision Opticom, click here: https://miovision.com/opticom/
About Miovision:
Founded in 2005, Miovision is a global leader in Intelligent Mobility, helping cities enhance road efficiency, optimize traffic flow, and improve safety for all modes of transportation. Using connectivity, advanced sensors, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, Miovision enables the orchestration of transportation systems and road networks. The company is also pioneering the industry’s first GenAI agent for traffic engineering, transforming complex mobility data into high-confidence, actionable insights. Recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Miovision supports more than 5,000 customers in over 68 countries, providing cities with the insights and tools they need to proactively manage traffic.
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