By PAM BRUZAN
A simple process, but speed and bargains are not included in the procedure
How to get a traffic light installed:
FAST AND inexpensive it's not. But
acquiring a traffic signal is as basic as:
ONE: establishing the need.
TWO: designing plans and letting
bids.
THREE: waiting.
Robert Wire, a registered
professional engineer who was involved
in the project, explained the general
procedures for acquiring traffic signals.
He works for Crawford, Murphy, &
Tilly, Inc., the Springfield firm of
consulting engineers hired by Rochester.
Illinois and most other states. Wire
explained, have adopted almost intact
the U.S. Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices for Streets and
Highways. Following these guidelines,
consulting engineers and State officials
determine the need for and the basic
design of traffic signals. Wire explained
that almost any group, including citizen
groups, may pursue such. a project.
However, he recommended that local
municipality, county or township
officials support the request.
Justifying a signal
Rochester's request was found to be
warranted as a school crossing site after
the State Department of
Transportation studied the area, Local
governments may also hire consulting
engineers to do the necessary studies,
presenting their request with substan
tiating data. Engineers were authorized
to begin design of Rochester's lights in
summer 1973. Plans for basic signals
take about a month to design, Wire
estimates. These plans are then reviewed
by the State. The time this takes
depends partly on how many other
plans are being concurrently reviewed.
Wire advises that plans will generally be
returned at least once for revisions.
After plans were approved,
Rochester advertised for bids through
its consulting engineers. The State may
advertise and generally either the State
or the municipality may receive bids.
The cost is not cheap
In most cases, project costs will be
shared between local and state or
federal governments. In a sharing
situation a citystate agreement delineates
cost and procedural responsibilities.
Municipalities with a population larger
than 5,000 may participate in the
FederalAid Urban Program under
which federal financial help may be
obtained. The state may assist financially
if at least one approach to the
intersection is a state route. In any case,
consulting engineers will generally advise
clients of the costsharing options. The wait begins after contracts are
awarded. If the signals are operating a
year after the contract is awarded
"you're lucky," Wire says. There are
two primary delays. Steel used in
mastarms is in short supply. Also, the design
of traffic signal controllers is in a state
of technological flux, making it difficult
for producers to keep pace with design
changes.
Rochester's bids were let in May
1974. Work started almost
immediately, but stopped when necessary
mastarms were not available. In this case,
temporary signal installation was
possible, and lights were installed directly on
the poles. This too was expensive. The
Village, which split the $32,000 cost of
the permanent installation with the
State, had to pay all $1,200 for the
temporary installation.
Rochester Village President Robert
L. Martin compliments engineers who
installed the traffic signal, which was
definitely needed for the safety of
school children. But Martin notes, "It's
very expensive, even on a 5050 basis."
The signals have taken a portion of the
motor fuel tax funds the Village has
been accumulating for major street
work. Martin adds, "In spite of what
your engineers or people in the
community might tell you about the
possibility of speeding the project, it
just isn't so. When you are dealing with
a larger governmental body you're go
ing to do what they want to do when
they want to do it."
The process is simple, but speed and
bargains are not included.
PAM BRUZAN
Illinois Issues/January 1975/19
The story of how one village did it
Rochester, Illinois, a small
community about five miles southeast of
Springfield, is now waiting for final
adjustment of its newly installed traffic
control signal. In September 1972 a
group of citizens met with Village and
State officials to request installation of
a signal at the intersection of a Village
street and the four lanes of Illinois
Route 29, located in front of the
Rochester school grounds.
There are several traffic situations
which warrant the installation of a
signal. Justification can be based on
heavy traffic, delays to traffic from side
streets, or pedestrian difficulties in
crossing a street. A signal may also be
installed at heavily used school
crossings, repeated accident locations,
areas of heavy traffic flow, or at a site
for a combination of these reasons. The
combination of reasons and accident
experience is hard to prove, Wire advises.
Even fatal accidents do not always
justify signal installation.
Signals are not cheap. Wire hesitates
to classify any one type of project as a
"simple" intersection, since each
situation is unique. However, he estimates a
basic fourway fixedtime device costs
about $25,000, including engineering.
"That could easily double in the more
complicated intersections," he cautions.
Graduate of Syracuse University in New
York and formerly reporter for the
Illinois State Register. Now part-time
freelance writer, housewife and
mother.