Nearly a dozen cities awarded Traffic Signal Modernization Program grants

Nearly a dozen cities and one county have been awarded funds from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Traffic Signal Modernization program.

The Traffic Signal Modernization Program (TSMP) is a TDOT pilot program designed to help communities and their local traffic signal maintaining agencies modernize existing traffic signal equipment and operations. Total grant funds for the project are capped at $250,000 and are state contracted with the goal of upgrading signals within a year of project selection.

TDOT announced the municipalities of Camden, Dayton, Decherd, Dunlap, Eastview, Elizabethton, Greeneville, Jacksboro, Kingston Springs, and New Tazewell along with Sullivan County were the recipients of this pilot program grant funds.

Through new equipment, advance detection, timing optimization plans, pedestrian signals, push button devices, and other methods funds will be used for upgrades that are predicted to improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians. Modernization of traffic signals can led to crash reduction, reduction in congestion, energy efficiency savings, reductions in maintenance costs, improved signal visibility, and automated collection of traffic data, which can be valuable for data-driven government decisions.

For more info on the program, visit https://www.tn.gov/tdot/traffic-operations-division/traffic-engineering-office/signal-and-lighting-design/traffic-signal-modernization-program.html.