Traffic Signal Upgrades Offer Potential to Reduce Collisions

From the City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department:

The City of Santa Cruz is scheduled to begin upgrades for all traffic and pedestrian signals citywide (excluding Mission Street/Highway 1 intersections) on Monday, May 16. This work has the potential to significantly reduce collisions at these signalized intersections.

Construction, contracted with St. Francis Electric, should be completed by June 21. There will be temporary impacts on traffic at the intersections being worked on, including short-term lane closures and lane shifts.

The project will ensure that existing traffic signals in the City meet optimum standards for greater visibility with 12-inch vehicle signal heads. Providing better visibility of intersection signals helps drivers’ advanced perception of upcoming intersections and reduces rear-end and right-angle collisions. The project will also change all pedestrian displays to countdown signal heads which have been shown to encourage pedestrians to use the push-button rather than jaywalk.

Pedestrian countdown signals contain a timer display that illustrates the number of seconds left to finish crossing the street. They can reassure pedestrians who are in the crosswalk when the flashing "DON’T WALK" interval appears that they still have time to finish crossing.

The cost of the Citywide Traffic Signal Improvements Project is approximately $540,000. The City has achieved a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant that will cover 90 percent of this cost. The City’s match is less than 1 percent, funded from a combination of California gas tax and traffic impact fees. There is no impact to the City’s general fund.

The project meets strict HSIP funding requirements that seek to significantly reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on public roads.

The City apologizes for any inconvenience this project may cause and appreciates the public’s cooperation. Any concerns or questions may be addressed to Project Manager Patrick Fung at pfung@cityofsantacruz.com or (831) 420-5086.