A new kind of digital dashboard may be coming to Buena Vista County — but leaders want more answers before they sign on.
The county board of supervisors on Tuesday tabled a decision on a two‑year contract with Urban SDK, a Florida‑based geospatial AI company that provides real‑time‑style traffic analytics and satellite‑based road data to public agencies. County Engineer Bret Wilkinson and Sheriff Kory Elston walked the board through how the software could reshape both departments’ daily work.
Wilkinson said the platform would give the county access to detailed, anonymous traffic information — including counts, turning movements and speed trends — updated every 24 hours but delayed by seven days. He told supervisors the tool could help track changes around major projects like Platinum Crush and surrounding roads.
Wilkinson said the biggest potential savings could come from Urban SDK’s satellite‑derived road elevation and surface data — technology the company says can reach sub‑centimeter accuracy. He believes it could reduce the need for dayslong surveying on upcoming road projects like County Road C65, where crews typically walk miles of roadway collecting GPS points.
Elston told the board the software could also expand how his office responds to speeding complaints and community concerns. Instead of deploying radar trailers to individual neighborhoods, deputies could pull countywide data by hour, location and speed percentile.
Elston said the tool wouldn’t help with real‑time crash investigations — but could provide context in areas with recurring issues.
Urban SDK markets itself as a geospatial AI platform used by more than 300 communities across North America, offering automated traffic analytics, infrastructure risk detection and cloud‑based reporting tools. The company says its mission is to help public agencies “turn data into actionable intelligence” and replace manual tasks with automated insights.
The proposed Buena Vista County contract totals $137,511 over two years, with the first year costing just over $67,000 and the second year just over $70,000. Wilkinson said he would pay his portion from his administrative budget, while the sheriff’s office would use the traffic‑calming module.
But supervisors expressed hesitation — not about the concept, but about whether the county has enough real‑world examples to justify the investment. Wilkinson said Iowa is a new market for the company, and while Pottawattamie County uses some features, no Iowa agency is currently using the road survey module he’s most interested in.
Supervisor Kathy Croker moved to table the decision for two weeks, giving Wilkinson time to contact out‑of‑state engineers who have used the same module.
The board voted unanimously to revisit the proposal at its next meeting on Aug. 25.
