Traffic congestion and unexpected incidents are daily frustrations for commuters and a significant challenge for urban planners. From the creeping crawl of rush hour to the sudden halt caused by a stalled vehicle or debris, these disruptions impact our time, economy, and safety. But what if we could predict, detect, and respond to these issues in real-time, making our roads smarter and safer? Enter Artificial Intelligence. AI is revolutionizing how we understand and manage traffic. By leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms, we can move beyond traditional sensor-based systems to create truly intelligent transportation networks. Imagine cameras on highways, not just recording traffic, but actively analyzing it. AI models can process these visual feeds, learning to distinguish between normal traffic flow and developing congestion patterns. They can identify the subtle changes in vehicle speed and density that signal a bottleneck forming long before it becomes a standstill.