Politics & Government

St. Charles County to Receive $4 Million to Synchronize Traffic Signals Countywide

Gateway Greenlight program would help traffic flow on arterial roads, even between cities.

Drivers on Mexico Road might coast through a series of green lights. Digital signs on arterial routes soon might direct motorists throughout St. Charles County to detours around accidents--or they might be able to check on delays on smartphone applications.

“The goal of the program is to help motorists reduce their travel time and their commute time in St. Charles County,” Greifzu said.

The St. Charles County Council unanimously approved a $4-million Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Gateway Greenlight program. The council met Monday.

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Greifzu said the Gateway would synchronize a system of 334 traffic signals throughout the county, regardless of jurisdiction. He said the program likely would be operational in late 2013 or early 2014.

The computerized system would allow county officials to analyze traffic signals and patterns remotely, Greifzu said.

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The cities synchronize the traffic lights in their municipality, but they aren’t synchronized city to city, County Executive Steve Ehlmann said. That makes for some inefficiencies from city to city. The Greenlight program would synchronize traffic lights countywide

Traffic light synchronization not only helps traffic flow, it also reduces vehicle emissions and saves gas for motorists, Ehlmann said.

The system would even adjust traffic signals to compensate for unusual traffic conditions.

“If there’s an accident on I-70, the digital signs could direct you to use the North Service Road as a detour,” Ehlmann said. “Then, the traffic light could stay green for a minute and 30 seconds instead of just 30 seconds.”

Greifzu said it’s not been determined if digital signs would be used on arterial roads. MoDOT uses them on interstates now, and that might be a better application, he said. Officials are considering other options, including a smart phone app, to communicate traffic conditions to residents and motorists.

“That may be more fitting for local arterial systems,” Greifzu said.

Ehlmann told county council members that the $4-million grant came from the federal Highway Trust Fund. He stressed the federal government did not borrow funding for the program.

“Everybody pays money into this, and they send 95 cents back and keep 5 cents,” Ehlmann said. “This is just getting our 95 cents back.”

Councilman Paul Wynn, a Republican in District 4, of O’Fallon, lamented how the federal government operates. Wynn often objects to accepting federal funds because the U.S. government operates at a deficit.

“To take $1 and give us 95 cents back and then tell us how to use it, that never makes sense to me,” Wynn said. “Why don’t they let us keep the money and we decide how to spend it?

“We’re just one county--multiply that by every county in the state and every state in the country,” he said.

During the county council's meeting, council members honored the St. Dominic girls basketball team with a resolution. The team finished its season with a state championship and a perfect record.

Councilman Joe Cronin, Republican District 1, of St. Paul, presented the team with the resolution.

"You done my alma mater proud," Cronin told team members.

"I don't think many people realize how difficult it is to do what you've done," said Councilman Terry Hollander, Republican of District 5, of St. Charles. Hollander is an assistant basketball coach for Lindenwood University and former head coach for St. Charles West High School.


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