ORLANDO, Fla. – Marcus asked why do some traffic lights take so long?
News 6 traffic safety expert Steve Montiero’s answer:
This is a question that ultimately I’m sure all of us have asked ourselves while sitting at a red light that just seems to be taking too long. Just like us as human beings every traffic light is pretty unique when it comes to its timing and it’s computer build up.
There are so many things that come into play when it comes to determining the timing of a traffic signal. A lot of people think that local law-enforcement are in charge of traffic light signals but that is definitely not the case.
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Local city or county transportation divisions control traffic lights. Everything from commercial to residential traffic to local speed limits to even what roads are feeding to the area go into determining the time of a light.
Another thing to remember is the time of the day that you’re traveling will also affect how long the traffic light stays green or stays red.
During daylight hours some lights will stay green just a little longer than during the nighttime hours to ensure traffic is constantly moving.
Do you have a traffic question you want answered? Submit your question here and Trooper Steve may answer your question on-air.