City Starts Process to Improve Traffic Lights

Traffic signals at 16 locations across town are scheduled for improvements that officials say will help traffic flow more smoothly.

The City Council voted this week to seek bids for the $700,000 project, to be financed with money from the state gasoline tax and redevelopment agency funds.

The project includes replacing a four-way stop with a signal at Newhope Street and Southpark Avenue, the entrance to the Price Club shopping center. That intersection needs a signal because of an increasing amount of traffic on Newhope, said Wayne S. Osborne, Public Works director.

Nine intersections will get left-turn improvements, Osborne said, which will feature left-turn arrows and “green balls.” When the arrow goes off, instead of a red light, a green ball will allow drivers to make a left turn if there is an opening in oncoming traffic.

Drivers now get frustrated because they are not allowed to make left turns when there are large gaps in oncoming through traffic, Osborne said. With the improvement, he said, “they won’t need to wait until the next green arrow.”

Another 15 signals will be rewired, Osborne said, a procedure required about every 10 years. At some of the intersections to be improved, he said, the signals have not been rewired for 12 to 15 years. As a result, he said they are beginning to have operational problems.

Other signal improvements will include changing pedestrian crosswalk signs from the “walk” and “don’t walk” message to the international “hand and man” symbol.

Deadline for bids is Feb. 20. Improvements are expected to begin in mid-summer.