How LiDAR is revolutionizing traffic monitoring for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Recent World Cup stories have centered around NJ Transit controversies, but there’s another, less told story about how officials will manage traffic around the Meadowlands. Unlike the 1994 World Cup, the 2026 tournament will not offer spectator parking at the stadium. Fans will instead rely on mass transit, shuttle buses and designated transportation hubs to reach the matches. While the move is designed to reduce congestion around the venue, officials still expect significant traffic from buses, rideshare vehicles, deliveries, security operations and the thousands of workers required to support one of the world’s largest sporting events.
To help manage that surge, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is turning to LiDAR technology, a laser-based system poised to transform how we manage congestion. LiDAR uses real-time 3D mapping and predictive traffic monitoring to keep vehicles and pedestrians moving safely and efficiently throughout the tournament.
From loops to lasers
Traffic monitoring has historically relied on embedded roadway sensors such as inductive loops, which detect vehicles by measuring changes in magnetic fields. These systems are mostly effective, but come with drawbacks. Installation of inductive loops requires in-ground construction, which is costly and disruptive. They also struggle to detect stopped vehicles, lane changes and objects that are not vehicles, like pedestrians and cyclists.
LiDAR, short for Light Detection and Ranging, offers a more flexible alternative. Mounted on existing poles, a single LiDAR unit can monitor more than 100 meters of roadway in real time. It can track traffic volume, vehicle speeds, lane changes and even behaviors like sudden stops or illegal turns. With accuracy rates typically exceeding 99 percent, the technology provides a far more complete picture of roadway activity.
LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that uses laser pulses to measure distances and create detailed, three-dimensional maps. The system emits millions of laser beams per second, which bounce off objects and return to the sensor. By calculating how long it takes for each pulse to return, LiDAR can determine the precise location of objects in its field of view. The pulses create a “point cloud,” a high-resolution 3D model of the environment accurate down to the centimeter. These models can capture everything from vehicles and roadway markings to pedestrians and infrastructure. Unlike traditional cameras, LiDAR does not rely on visible light, making it effective in low-light or adverse weather conditions. It also inherently anonymizes data, as it detects shapes rather than identifiable features like faces or license plates.
LiDAR systems are increasingly integrated with artificial intelligence, allowing traffic managers to move from reactive operations to predictive ones by identifying congestion before it builds and adjusting traffic signals or issuing alerts accordingly. The technology’s ability to detect pedestrians and cyclists also improves safety, particularly in high-traffic environments.
How else is LiDAR is used?
LiDAR’s uses extend far beyond the roadway. In urban planning, it is used to create detailed maps for infrastructure development and flood modeling. In construction, LiDAR supports site surveys and progress monitoring with a level of precision that traditional methods cannot match.
Autonomous vehicles rely heavily on LiDAR to navigate their surroundings, using real-time 3D mapping to detect obstacles and make driving decisions. Environmental scientists use airborne LiDAR to measure forest density, track coastal erosion, and even uncover archaeological features hidden beneath vegetation. This versatility is one reason the global LiDAR market has grown rapidly in recent years
How New Jersey will use LiDAR for the World Cup
For the 2026 World Cup, NJDOT is implementing what it describes as a “first-in-the-nation” LiDAR deployment around MetLife Stadium and its surrounding road network. The system will focus on historical bottlenecks, including the New Jersey Turnpike, Route 3, Route 120 and Interstate 95.
The goal is to create a real-time digital twin of the roadway network, a dynamic 3D model that reflects current traffic conditions as they evolve. LiDAR sensors will continuously scan the environment, feeding data into NJDOT’s traffic management systems. This will allow operators to respond to incidents almost instantly. In practice, this could mean adjusting electronic message signs to redirect drivers, adjusting signal timing, or dispatching emergency responders more quickly when issues arise.
The system will also monitor pedestrian movement around the stadium, helping to prevent dangerous interactions between vehicles and crowds. Officials expect LiDAR to improve traffic flow by as much as 20 to 30 percent during peak periods, reducing delays and enhancing the overall fan experience.
What did it cost?
While NJDOT has not publicly detailed every line item associated with the deployment, LiDAR systems are generally considered a cost-effective alternative to traditional infrastructure upgrades. A single LiDAR unit can cost anywhere from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on its capabilities, but it can replace multiple conventional sensors and provide more data. The broader investment likely includes hardware, software integration, data processing systems and ongoing maintenance.
Compared to the cost of roadway expansions or additional inductive loops, LiDAR offers a relatively low-cost alternative.
The World Cup and beyond
Perhaps the most important aspect of NJDOT’s LiDAR initiative is its long-term value. The World Cup is the immediate catalyst, but the technology is expected to remain in place long after the final match is played.
The area surrounding MetLife Stadium hosts dozens of major events each year, including NFL games, concerts, and large-scale public gatherings. Anyone who has attended one of these events is familiar with the surge of traffic as attendees make the mad dash back to the car and onto congested highways. The LiDAR technology installed for the World Cup will be poised to support the traffic flow of future events.
The data and insights generated may also inform broader transportation planning efforts across New Jersey. As NJDOT refines its use of LiDAR and integrates it with other intelligent transportation systems, the technology may be expanded to additional corridors and urban centers.
Sources:
First Look Services. (n.d.). What is LiDAR scanning? An introduction to cutting-edge surveying technology in New Jersey. firstlookservice.com
Highways Today. (2022, March 11). Velodyne Lidar provides traffic data for German city. highways.today
LiDAR Tech Pros. (n.d.). Traffic management using LiDAR drones. lidartechpros.com
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). What is lidar?. oceanservice.noaa.gov
New Jersey Department of Transportation. (2025). Route 495 / Route 1&9 ITS improvements project documentation.Outsight. (n.d.). Next-gen traffic monitoring with LiDAR. insights.outsight.ai
