Alabama Department of Transportation, City of Mobile, and Mobile County are launching a major upgrade to traffic signal infrastructure across the Mobile area starting Aug. 14, as part of the Regional Traffic Operations Program (RTOP). The project will bring new controllers and hardware to 174 traffic signals throughout the city and county.
Why the Upgrade Is Needed
Under the current system, signal engineers often have no way of knowing when a signal malfunctions, which can create delays for drivers and, in some cases, safety hazards at intersections. Once the new hardware is in place, engineers will be able to monitor and operate signals in coordination with one another from a joint operations center in real time, giving them the ability to spot and respond to problems as soon as they occur.
The upgrade will also make it easier to manage traffic during major events that draw heavy crowds to the region, including University of South Alabama football games, Mardi Gras parades, concerts and conferences. Coordinated, real-time signal timing can help move traffic more efficiently through the city during these high-demand periods.
What Drivers Can Expect
Motorists in the Mobile area should be prepared for some temporary disruptions as crews install the new equipment. Signals undergoing installation may flash for one to two minutes at a time, and work on major corridors and other critical intersections will generally be scheduled during off-peak hours to minimize disruption. Officials are asking drivers to use caution and obey all traffic laws at any intersection where a signal is flashing or dark, and to expect installation work to continue through September and October. Residents who notice problems with a signal are encouraged to call 311 to report it.
Four Waves of Signal Retiming
Beyond the hardware installation, the project includes new timing plans that will roll out in four waves between late August and late October, covering the vast majority of the area’s major traffic corridors.
The first wave, set to begin the week of Aug. 26, will retime 66 signals, touching corridors such as Dauphin Street, Old Shell Road, Broad Street, the Water Street corridor, Michigan Avenue, Virginia Street, the Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue corridor, the Houston Street corridor, Halls Mill/Holcombe Avenue, Cottage Hill Road, the Snow Road corridor, the Airport Boulevard corridor, Three Notch Road, the McDonald Road corridor and several rural intersections in west Mobile County.
The second wave, scheduled for the week of Sept. 9, will retime 39 signals along corridors including Airport Boulevard, Claiborne Street, Washington Street, Broad Street, Emogene Street, Stanton Road, Fillingim Street, Congress Street, University Boulevard, Grelot Road, Hillcrest Road, Cottage Hill and Dawes Road.
The third wave, the week of Sept. 30, covers 40 signals on corridors such as Airport Boulevard, Cody Road, Cottage Hill Road, Old Shell Road, Old Dawes Road, Zeigler Boulevard, University Boulevard, Springhill Avenue and Tanner Williams Road.
The fourth and final wave, the week of Oct. 21, will retime 29 signals along Dauphin Street, Old Shell Road, Azalea Road, Downtowner Boulevard, Montlimar Drive, Three Notch Road, Carol Plantation Road and Rangeline Road.
Drivers who regularly travel these corridors should expect noticeable changes to signal timing as each wave rolls out and are urged to drive with patience while the new plans are fine-tuned.
Funding and Collaboration
ALDOT, the City of Mobile and Mobile County are working alongside RTOP consultant groups AECOM and Kimley Horn to carry out the modernization effort. ALDOT has already invested more than $6 million to date on signals along state routes, including $1.5 million in contributions from the City of Mobile. This latest phase adds another $2.5 million in combined state, city and county funding, aimed at ensuring that all of the region’s traffic signals, regardless of which agency owns them, are modernized, safe and operating efficiently.
What’s Still Needed
Even after this project wraps up, engineers say there is more work ahead. Many of the area’s vehicle and pedestrian detection systems, which help signals respond to actual traffic conditions, are outdated, and drivers may continue to notice problems, particularly at night or in the early morning when traffic volumes are low. Officials estimate it will take roughly $8 million in future investment to address those remaining detection issues.
Additional updates on the RTOP signal project are expected as the retiming waves move forward through the fall.