The city of Jackson maintains more than 300 traffic signals but some of them at busy intersections have failed to operate for numerous reasons.
For several weeks, temporary stop signs have been in place (when drivers have not knocked them down) at the traffic light at North State Street and Tougaloo Village Road to alert drivers that a flashing red light means stop. Repairs were made to the traffic light on July 13 and the temporary stop signs removed, but the light was flashing just a few days later.
The traffic light at Briarwood Drive and Keele Street/County Cork Road flashes red and has been for several weeks.
The traffic light at North State Street and Broadmoor Drive also flashes red.
That’s the story of three traffic lights in Jackson, as of July 14. And more lights are plagued by instability.
Aging equipment, auto wrecks and damage from two recent two storms that blew through the metro area are to blame.
“We do it as best as we can,” said Robert Lee, the city’s interim director of public works, who spoke about the city’s challenges with traffic signals and mentioned several in south Jackson that need repairs during the mayor’s press conference on July 10.
“It’s a tall order. I have confidence in our folks to get it done but we also work with contractors to help us when it’s a little bit more than we can do in house.”
Repairs can be delayed because of the lead time it takes to obtain replacement parts, he said. “It depends upon what has failed or been damaged with the signal,” he said.
A controller, which Lee called “the brains of the operations,” can take four to six weeks to obtain from the manufacturer.
Concrete poles that hold traffic signals are no longer made, he said, and must be replaced with wooden ones.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba mentioned Briarwood (Drive) and Beasley Road and State Street as locations that have had traffic light issues and said Lee during his comments highlighted some of the traffic signals needing repairs but not all of them.
“There’s a lot we need to do,” Lumumba said. “We want to acknowledge to you we have to do a lot. But due to the lead time on getting parts, due to the comprehensive nature of all that needs to be done, we ask for your patience and we ask for your care as you drive in order not to endanger yourself or the infrastructure we all depend upon.”
Storm damage, old equipment and auto wrecks are not the only reasons for damage to traffic signals.
Occasionally, the driver of a semi-truck will accidentally hit a traffic signal and cause damage, Lee said. When that happens, the city will contact the truck company, provided it knows which one to contact, and ask it to pay for repairs.
Not too long ago, the driver of a semi hit the metal pole that held the signal at Greymont and Fortification streets, Lee said. The trucking company sent the city a letter acknowledging the damage and paid for repairs.
“Sometimes, we’ve had folks run over a signal pole, call their friends and tow off the car before anybody knows about it in the middle of the night,” Lee said.
Cities with more than 20,000 in population must maintain traffic signals that are on state rights-of-way without any payment from the state, Lee said. That’s according to state law.
While Jackson has 320 traffic signals to maintain, the city of Ridgeland has just 45 that it needs to ensure operation.
The city of Ridgeland employs two full-time staff members to service its traffic signals, said Alan Hart, director of public works. “We regularly swap components to keep the signal working including load switches, batteries for the backup system, push buttons, bulbs and detection components,” he said.
Traffic signals at a four-way intersection cost between $250,000 and $300,000, Hart said. With maintenance, the typical lifespan of a signal is 10 to 12 years, he said.
Should you drive in Jackson and encounter a traffic light that is flashing, keep in mind you need to stop and should not just plow through the intersection.
Here is how the Mississippi Department of Public Safety driver’s manual puts it:
“A flashing red light means you must stop completely and proceed with caution following the rules of yielding right-of-way at intersections.”
The manual includes this about determining which vehicle has the right-of-way:
“At a four-way stop, right-of-way is determined by which vehicle arrives first, and by where the vehicle is located relative to others. The first vehicle to arrive has right-of-way. If multiple vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the right has right-of-way.”
