While the change won’t be visible to passers-by, a traffic signal upgrade soon will be quietly saving lives throughout the city of Greenville.
By July of 2023, nearly all of the 203 traffic signals in the city will be upfitted to include uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units and battery backups. The UPS units will provide a constant stream of power to traffic signals, a critical safety issue for motorists during power outages.
Greenville City Council earmarked $1.6 million of the Neighborhood Infrastructure Bond for the project in the 2022-23 budget, and traffic engineer Valerie Holmes wasted no time ordering the equipment. Installation work begins in September. “It is a much more efficient way to keep the signals operational,” Holmes said, “not to mention the benefit for vehicular safety.”
Additionally, rather than choose a lead-acid battery, the city will purchase “green” batteries. Holmes said the nickel-zinc batteries are non-hazardous, rechargeable and have an estimated 10-year life span.
Greenville Police Sgt. Johnathan Bragg says the system will allow police to better assist residents during power outages. “We will not have to devote officers to directing traffic at intersections, freeing us up to respond to other calls for service,” Bragg said.
Visit greenvillesc.gov for more information.
Prepared by the City of Greenville.