LEOMINSTER — As city officials reviewed a routine streetlight request during the September 8 city council meeting, a Leominster police captain offered an unexpected insight: artificial intelligence is altering local traffic patterns — and not for the better.
Captain John Fraher, who oversees the department’s traffic unit, told the council that AI-powered GPS apps like Google Maps and Waze are sending drivers down streets that have historically seen little traffic.
“I gotta tell you, AI has really had an impact on the traffic unit,” Fraher said. “All of these GPS services — Waze, you know, Google Maps — all these things that people use are now figuring out where each other are, and they’re sending people down streets that they never have before.”
Photo Credit: Leominster Access Television via YouTube
Fraher said the increase in unexpected vehicle volume is creating congestion and complaints in neighborhoods that had previously seen minimal traffic.
“So right now in town, we have traffic complaints and issues on streets that we have never had in the past,” Fraher said. “We have back roads that are now becoming traveled just as much, if not more, than some traditional semi-mains — and it’s a lot to keep up with.”
The remarks came during a public safety and traffic committee hearing on a petition to install a streetlight at 699 Willard Street — a request from Ward 3 Councilor David Cormier on behalf of a resident who said the road is too dark at night. While the topic was local lighting, Fraher used the moment to highlight broader concerns about navigation algorithms that prioritize speed over safety or road suitability.
The city council closed the public hearing on the matter (i.e., Petition 6-26) and agreed to wait for a written referral from the Department of Public Works before taking further action on the Willard Street lighting request.
