City Council listened to the public and at last night’s regularly scheduled City Council meeting, they voted unanimously to revert the Downtown traffic signals back to their previously timed mode of operation. The change will go into effect on Wednesday, September 20th effective 6:30 a.m.
As has been in the past, the signals will go into flash mode between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. daily. Street crews will then begin placement of reflective strips on all downtown signal heads. In a Work Session prior to the Council Meeting, Public Works Director Mark Willrett reviewed the results of the three-month test. The study was meant to simulate the replacement of overhead traffic signals with stop signs. The test result was shown to be safer and more cost effective to taxpayers.
However, public feedback was resoundingly opposed to the idea. Based on that feedback, and results from a survey submitted to Downtown business owners; the overwhelming desire was to “turn the lights back on.” While Council opted to restore the signalized intersections, they directed staff to research options and costs on countdown timers for crosswalk signals, curb extensions and radar cameras for problem intersections.
