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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Department of Transportation announced Friday that it plans to upgrade 489 traffic signals in Marion County over the next year at a cost of $4.1 million.
INDOT said it would fund the total cost of the project and coordinate the work with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.
The work is set to begin this fall and is scheduled to be completed by summer 2021.
The upgrades will fall under three different categories:
- Traffic signals will be equipped with GPS time-synchronization cards. The cards are expected to maintain accurate time clocks for each signal, improving synchronization between the lights.
- Traffic signals will have cellular modems installed. The modems ensure time-clock synchronization and can to be controlled by INDOT’s Traffic Management Center so that signal timing can be adjusted remotely.
- The third group of signals will have cellular modems installed as well as closed circuit television cameras that can be viewed from the traffic management center to help monitor for congested streets. The real-time video will allow traffic technicians to make signal adjustments to accommodate for heavy traffic.
INDOT did not say how many signals would receive each type of upgrade. A color-coded map of affected signals is available here.
INDOT said it is hiring contractors to perform the upgrades.
In addition, INDOT said “spot improvements” are planned for 11 additional intersections:
- Pennsylvania and Ohio streets: Change southbound bus lane to right-turn lane due to bus-route changes.
- Raymond Street and Kentucky Avenue: Install left turn signals on Raymond.
- Raymond Street and Southeastern Avenue: Alter median curb on Southeastern toreduce queue blockages.
- Southport and Bluff roads: Add railroad preemption at traffic signal.
- County Line and Railroad roads: New traffic signal with railroad preemption.
- Washington and New Jersey streets: Repair damaged signal conduit.
- Washington and East streets: Install pedestrian pushbuttons to cross east leg of Washington.
- Fall Creek Parkway: Restore lane control system from 30th Street to College Avenue.
- Interstate 70 and Harding Street: Convert northbound through lane to second left-turn lane at both ramp intersections.
- Interstate 65 and Keystone Avenue: Add second left-turn lane on the northbound exit.
- Washington Street and Southeastern Avenue: Remove center island to add westbound lane and prohibit left turns from Washington.
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Just take them all down because after this mayor gets done there will be no one downtown.
And what would you do if you were the mayor?
Much needed. Way too much fuel and time wasted in our city due to poorly synchronized lights. Drive in a city that does it well and the difference is so evident. There can’t be too many investments that would yield such a high return in fuel saved, time saved, and increased citizen satisfaction. Ever try driving across 86th Street from Shadeland to Rd. to Zionsville Rd.? Case in point. How about when a new traffic light was put in front of IUPUI making it no longer possible to go down Martin Luther King at the speed limit with no stops? Or going north from the city late at night, driving the speed limit but stopping at multiple lights with no one in sight? When the Red Line work was done along College, there was apparent effort to synchronize, which makes the street better to drive despite losing a lane for a long stretch. If new lights and greater attention to synchronization are coming, it will be a welcome, if long overdue, improvement.
I agree, Mickey L. much needed, but why stop there? Major arteries into downtown like Binford, Keystone-Fall Creek, and Michigan Rd. could also use a tune-up. I’m sure arteries coming into downtown from the south could too, but I’m not familiar with which ones.
I use Binford somewhat regularly. My experience is it is a pretty smooth ride while on Binford, but more likely to hit a light if you’re going east/west on Kessler, 71, etc.. I think that is the city’s intent.
Before the recent repairs though, I would agree. I would constantly hit lights while on Binford.
Bravo! Great to see modernization and adoption of technology to improve lives for all Hoosiers. Lets be prepared to monitor the effects of these improvements and share expand across the state!
I agree with Mickey L.