According to the Gonzales Cannon, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials recently announced the installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Route 90 and Church Street in Gonzales, Texas, where safety concerns have necessitated a change in how traffic is controlled.

When increased traffic volumes force the installation of new traffic signals, many municipalities include technology like adaptive signal control in the budget. When installing a new signal, officials often take advantage of federal and state grants designed to make infrastructure more eco-friendly. Intelligent traffic solutions like adaptive signal control reduce vehicle emissions by cutting down on the amount of time motorists idle at stoplights. Many new traffic signals also use LED lamps, which require little maintenance and use much less energy than their incandescent counterparts.

Marla Jasek, the director of traffic operations in the Yoakum District, told the source that barring any unforeseen setbacks, the signal should be installed and operational by March of 2012.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the state of Texas received nearly $2.8 billion in overall stimulus funds for transportation improvement projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. TxDOT allocated about 80 percent of the total transportation funding to highway improvement projects.