Nashville Re-Times Stop Lights in Traffic-Easing Effort

NASHVILLE, TN — A year-long effort to update traffic lights across Davidson County is complete, in what the mayor's office says is a low-cost way to increase Metro's road capacity. Ideally, the re-timings will provide smoother commutes as Metro's infrastructure takes on more and more cars.

More than 550 signals on 18 major thoroughfares were optimized and streamlined during Metro Public Works' traffic-signal synchronization project.

“While we explore options to provide more choices to get around congestion, such as transit, bicycle and pedestrian trips, we still must continue improving the flow of roadway traffic as it stands today,” said Mayor Barry. “Re-timing our signals is a prime example of available short-term solutions for addressing the many stresses put on our transportation system by Nashville’s rapid growth.”

The project is intended to reduce travel-time delays attributed to outdated infrastructure and signal-timing that did not reflect current, on-the-ground conditions. In the spring, new traffic counts were made at major intersections.

“Metro Public Works is to be commended for stepping up to the plate and completing this critical countywide mobility project in just under a year,” Barry said.

“While we anticipate that, on the whole, most Nashville-area motorists will notice only subtle changes in their daily commutes, Public Works will have cumulative data to show reduced delays – particularly along major arterials, where signals were re-timed to be coordinated along the length of those routes,” said Chip Knauf, chief traffic engineer with Metro Public Works. “We’ll continue to monitor and adjust signal timings throughout the coming years to ensure our traffic operations strategy and technologies are meeting the changing needs of a dynamic and growing city.”

As part of this project, Metro Public Works’ traffic division collected before-and-after travel times, the results of which are currently being reviewed and will be published in a detailed report early next year.

In addition to re-timing signals, Public Works installed new controllers at 600 locations to improve system reliability, enable computerized interaction with full Bus Rapid Transit service planned for the future, decrease maintenance costs, and adjust signals in real-time as needed.

Re-timings are also underway on Old Hickory Boulevard,

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