IRVINE : City to Synchronize 3 Streets’ Signals

The city will spend about $300,000 over the next few months to synchronize traffic signals on three of Irvine’s busiest streets.

The effort--part of a program aimed at improving the flow of traffic throughout the city--is expected to reduce the number of stops that drivers must make by 10% to 30%. It is also expected to reduce travel time for most trips, said Arya Rohani, manager for transportation and engineering.

Signal coordination will occur on:

Culver Drive between Alton Parkway and Campus Drive.

Campus Drive between Culver Drive and Berkeley.

Jeffrey Road between Irvine Boulevard and Irvine Center Drive.

The projects will involve installing fiber-optic equipment in the signals that will help them work together to improve traffic flow, Rohani said. No new traffic signals are scheduled to be installed.

About half the major roads in Irvine have coordinated signals, and Rohani said it is the city’s goal to eventually have all busy thoroughfares connected to the system.

The city is constantly modifying the synchronization of signals as traffic patterns change, he added.

Most of the funding for the effort came from a county grant using Measure M money.