EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — If you’ve ever felt like a yellow light in El Paso changes too fast or a red light lasts forever, city officials say there’s a reason — and it’s tied to how traffic is managed across the entire road network.
Randy Garcia, the city’s director of streets and maintenance, said traffic lights are timed using a citywide synchronization system that prioritizes major roads that carry the most vehicles. As a result, busier streets — including routes leading to I-10 — are typically given more green time, while drivers on side streets may wait longer.
Garcia said the system is designed to move traffic efficiently when drivers follow posted speeds.
“As long as you’re driving the speed limit, generally during normal traffic hours that should get you through the corridor as fast as possible,” he said.
The city also emphasized that yellow lights are not intended to help drivers “beat the red.”
The city also pointed to the white stop lines at intersections as part of how signals operate. Garcia said drivers may notice equipment mounted above intersections that helps detect vehicles. “So if you ever look up, you’ll see a little camera that’s not a camera recording you,” he said. “It’s actually detecting your car coming up, and those cameras create little boxes within the white lines as you pull to the intersection to stop.”
Officials said signal timing is reviewed every few years and can be adjusted for construction or major events.
If a traffic signal appears to not be working properly, residents can report it through 3-1-1. City officials urge drivers to be patient and drive safely.
If you have a topic you would like to see featured in the “What’s Driving You Crazy?” segment, send an email to mamhernandez@sbgtv.com.
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