The traffic signals at one of Clinton’s busiest intersections are no longer flying blind. The City has replaced a radar detection sensor at Northside Drive and Clinton Parkway/Pinehaven Drive, to help move vehicles through the intersection more efficiently.
The sensor failed about four months ago, and the signals were switched to timed intervals, which often meant motorists had long, unnecessary waits for the lights to change. The sensor reads the number of cars in each lane and tells the control cabinet to adjust the timing of the signals based on real-time traffic conditions. The sensor can also detect a pedestrian trying to cross the street and give the person sufficient time to get to the other side before the lights change. The replacement sensor was installed September 16.
Public Works Director Phillip Lilley says it seems to be working as well as the original sensor before it went on the blink…