A total of 13 intersections in Texarkana will have improvements made to their traffic control systems during the coming year, according to plans approved in November by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

“All the signal lights will be upgraded to add a new feature that local motorists may have not seen before—a flashing yellow arrow light,” said Rebecca Wells, district traffic engineer for TxDOT in Atlanta. “The protected left-turn signals will have a green arrow, a flashing yellow arrow, a steady yellow arrow and a red arrow.

“A steady green arrow means motorists can safely make a left turn as oncoming traffic has a red light. A flashing yellow arrow means left turns are allowed, but turning motorists must yield to oncoming traffic which now has a green light. A steady yellow arrow means prepare to stop, and a steady red arrow, of course, means stop,” Wells said.

The flashing yellow arrow replaces the solid green ball light which meant the same thing, but sometimes confused drivers who thought they still had a protected left turn.

The flashing yellow arrow signals are the result of a nationwide study by the Federal Highway Administration that amended the federal standards for left-turn signals.
Locations scheduled for improved traffic control systems include:

On State Loop 14 (Texas Boulevard) at –
• US 71 (State Line Avenue)
• Elizabeth Street
• 40th Street
• College Drive
• 24th Street

On Farm-to-Market Road 559 (Richmond Road) at –
• FM 2878 (University Avenue)
• Airline Drive
• FM 2243 (Moores Lane)
• FM 1297 (McKnight Road)
• Robin Lane
• Gibson Lane
• Belt Road
• Kennedy Lane

Texas Traffic Control Systems of Dike, TX, was awarded the contract for these traffic control projects with a bid of $593,370.

Work on the projects should begin in February of next year and take about six months to complete, Wells said.

 

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