TDOT Commissioner John Schroer presents a signal optimization grant check to Oak Ridge Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)
Grant for signal optimization
The City of Oak Ridge has been awarded a Tennessee Department of Transportation grant for $237,500 for a signal timing optimization project, and TDOT Commissioner John Schroer recently presented the award to Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller in Nashville.
The signal timing optimization grant is funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, or CMAQ, which supports transportation projects that reduce air emissions from on-road sources and non-road sources, as well as projects that reduce traffic congestion, a press release said.
“The city is pleased to receive this grant which will significantly enhance air quality and reduce congested roadways,” Oak Ridge City Engineer Steve Byrd said in the press release.
The signal timing optimization project will target 26 traffic signals on Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge Turnpike, and Lafayette Drive. The program will synchronize these lights in order to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and vehicle idling, and decrease commuter travel time.
This project will also support the city’s Climate Action Plan, which was developed by the Environmental Quality Advisory Board and adopted by City Council. This plan is part of an initiative to make Oak Ridge more sustainable, attract and retain new residents and businesses, and reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The grant will allow the City to collect informative data about traffic patterns. These data include turning movements at each intersection, existing signal timing data, infrastructure deficiencies, and travel time runs. Once data is gathered, timing plans will be implemented and adjusted if necessary.
The project will take nine months to execute. For more information, visit www.oakridgetn.gov.
