Traffic Signals
Citizen reports of malfunctioning Traffic Signals, Flashers, and School Zone Flashers should be made to the Lucas County Engineer’s Road Maintenance Department at 419-213-2860.
A warranted traffic signal which is properly located and operated may provide for more orderly movement of traffic and may reduce the occurrence of certain types of accidents. On the other hand, an unwarranted traffic signal can result in increased delay, congestion and crashes.
Traffic signals should be installed only when they will alleviate more problems than they will create. This must be determined on the basis of an engineering study.
The first step in getting a traffic signal installed is to determine the governmental agency that has jurisdiction for the intersection and contact that agency.
If the County has jurisdiction, then contact the Engineer’s Office @ 419-213-2860 or e-mail with your request.
The County Engineer will add your request to a list for studies and evaluation and will then perform a warrant analysis if deemed reasonable. The warrants for a traffic control signal are listed in the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (OMUTCD). If the intersection meets any one of these warrants, then the next step is to use sound engineering judgment to determine if the signal should be installed. There are cases where, although a location meets the warrants, because of poor geometry (lack of separate turn lanes), proximity to existing signals, etc., it is not signalized.
If a traffic signal can be installed without negatively impacting other intersections or the traveling public, and adequate funding is available, the traffic signal should be designed and constructed.
The Lucas County Engineer only installs and operates traffic signals at public streets. If a private development warrants a traffic signal, the development must enter into an agreement with Lucas County, pay for the installation of the traffic signal and pay a yearly maintenance/operating fee to the County Engineer.
How do I request a traffic signal?
Many people believe that traffic signals are the answer to all traffic problems at intersections. If this were true, no traffic engineer in his right mind would deny a request for a traffic signal. The need for traffic signals should be based on a competent engineering study.A warranted traffic signal which is properly located and operated may provide for more orderly movement of traffic and may reduce the occurrence of certain types of accidents. On the other hand, an unwarranted traffic signal can result in increased delay, congestion and crashes.
Traffic signals should be installed only when they will alleviate more problems than they will create. This must be determined on the basis of an engineering study.
The first step in getting a traffic signal installed is to determine the governmental agency that has jurisdiction for the intersection and contact that agency.
If the County has jurisdiction, then contact the Engineer’s Office @ 419-213-2860 or e-mail with your request.
The County Engineer will add your request to a list for studies and evaluation and will then perform a warrant analysis if deemed reasonable. The warrants for a traffic control signal are listed in the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (OMUTCD). If the intersection meets any one of these warrants, then the next step is to use sound engineering judgment to determine if the signal should be installed. There are cases where, although a location meets the warrants, because of poor geometry (lack of separate turn lanes), proximity to existing signals, etc., it is not signalized.
If a traffic signal can be installed without negatively impacting other intersections or the traveling public, and adequate funding is available, the traffic signal should be designed and constructed.
The Lucas County Engineer only installs and operates traffic signals at public streets. If a private development warrants a traffic signal, the development must enter into an agreement with Lucas County, pay for the installation of the traffic signal and pay a yearly maintenance/operating fee to the County Engineer.