Several traffic signs in Omaha might soon be removed as a part of the city’s traffic signals modernization plan
OMAHA, Nebraska – It’s possible that some of Omaha’s traffic lights will be eliminated.
According to Omaha Public Works, the city’s traffic signals are currently in the fifth phase of an overhaul that is expected to take between 10 and 12 years.
As part of the strategy, every traffic signal will be scrutinized to determine whether or not it satisfies the requirements stated in the federal government’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The standards take into account a variety of aspects, such as the number of vehicles and pedestrians on the road, as well as wait time, gaps in traffic, and collisions.
After being assessed, a traffic signal will either undergo modernization in the form of the addition of real-time monitoring or it will be considered for removal if it is determined that the signal is either no longer required or does not satisfy current federal criteria.
The Omaha Public Works Department estimates that by the end of 2022, roughly 400 of the city’s total of 1,000 traffic signals will have been updated.
After being examined, twenty-four traffic lights have been taken out of service since 2017.
The evaluation of six additional signals will begin this week and continue for the next two months. The lights will be turned off, and the city will conduct an investigation of the traffic, consider the concerns of the public, and collect additional information. During the course of the investigation, any signals that met the predetermined criteria will be permanently eliminated.
Public Works reports that data from the Federal Highway Administration demonstrates that deleting unnecessary signals will reduce the number of car accidents and wait times, as well as remove infractions of the red light law.
The following are the locations of the traffic lights that are being investigated:
87th Street and Sorensen Parkway 72nd Street and Nebraska Place 56th Street and Whitemore Street 60th Street and Spaulding Street Florence Boulevard and Sprague Street Ida Street and Irvington Road
There are no designated school crossings among the signals that are being looked into. Two of the signals are located outside of the municipal limits and will be investigated with the assistance of the Engineer’s Office for Douglas County.
