Tyler officials continue to work to improve traffic flow and safety in Tyler. The Tyler City Council on Wednesday approved two projects, one aimed at improving safety on the busy Grande Boulevard and another to upgrade traffic signals.
The council voted to enter into an advanced funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for two Highway Safety Improvement Program projects.
The first project is an LED curve warning system and profile pavement markings, which will be installed through the reverse curve on West Grande Boulevard.
The LED curve warning system and profile pavement markings were safety improvements recommended in the West Grande Boulevard Reverse Curve study.
The construction cost of the project is currently estimated at $134,704.
The Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program will fund 90 percent of the cost, and the city will cover the remaining 10 percent through the Half-Cent Sales Tax Program.
The project is scheduled to be sent out for bids in August.
The second project will upgrade 106 of the 149 intersections in Tyler.
The upgrades will include replacing the current lights with 3,700 LED signal indications, and installing retroreflective backplates on the signals.
“Traffic signal backplates are thin plates that surround the traffic signal heads. They improve the visibility of the signal with a contrasted background,” said Traffic Engineer Cameron Williams. “Adding the retroreflective border of the backplates enhances the visibility of the traffic signal even more.
“The yellow retroreflective strip can alert drivers to the intersection locations during power outages when the signals are dark, which is when the non-reflective signal heads and backplates are not visible.”
These upgrades are projected to reduce crashes and collisions by about 15 percent.
The total construction cost for the project is estimated at over $1.47 million.
The Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program will fund 90 percent of the cost, with TxDOT funding the remaining 10 percent, leaving a zero cost for the City.
