The Town Council budgets annually for new or upgraded traffic signals in response to numerous requests from developers, governmental officials and other citizens.
Red Light Cameras
Advanced Traffic Management System
Green Light Technology for Emergency Vehicles
Response to 911 calls should become faster and safer through a pilot program to put traffic light control in the hands of emergency responders. Traffic signals at a total of 11 intersections along Kildaire Farm Road, Maynard Road and Walnut Street will have signal preemption devices.
Requirements for a New Signal
To justify installing or upgrading a traffic signal, a location must meet certain criteria, or "warrants." The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is a traffic control guide by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration that provides standards for signs, signals, markings and other traffic control devices. The manual lists eight criteria for a traffic signal installation, at least one of which must be met to justify installation. Even if an intersection meets one or more criteria, an engineering study is needed to determine whether a traffic signal is justified.
Criteria
- 8-hour vehicular volume
- 4-hour vehicular volume
- Peak hour
- Pedestrian volume
- School crossing
- Coordinated signal system
- Crash experience
- Roadway network
Traffic signals do not always prevent collisions. In many instances, the frequency of rear-end and side-swipe collisions will increase when signals are installed. Right-angle and left-turn collisions usually decrease.
The Town sometimes requires developers to pay for and install traffic signals that their projects make necessary. Examples include the intersection of Northwest Maynard Road and James Jackson Avenue/Carrousel Lane and Kildaire Farm Road at its intersections with 1010 Road and Penny Road.
New traffic signals are also occasionally installed and existing signals modified as parts of highway construction projects. An example is the Davis Drive widening project, which will prompt signal changes at Waldo Rood Boulevard, High House Road and Morrisville-Carpenter Road with new signals being installed at Morrisville Parkway, Park Village Lane, and Hogans Valley Way / Preston Village Way.
Requesting a Traffic Signal
Direct requests to:
Traffic Systems Manager
Town of Cary
P.O. Box 8005
Cary, NC 27512
The traffic systems manager will study the request and make a recommendation. The N.C. Department of Transportation has approval authority for requests involving a street on the state highway system.
Town traffic systems manager - Contact laura.cove@townofcary.org or call (919) 462-3937.
The state division traffic engineer may be contacted at:
Division Traffic Engineer
NCDOT
2612 N. Duke St.
Durham, NC 27704
Maintenance of Traffic Signals
The Town of Cary maintains all traffic signals in Cary. To report problems, call (919) 469-4090.
Contact
For more information on traffic signals in Cary, contact:
Laura Cove, P.E.
Traffic Engineering Manager
Town of Cary
(919) 462-3937
laura.cove@townofcary.org