Think a Knoxville traffic light takes too long to change or creates unnecessary backups? Residents can request a review through the city's 311 service, sending concerns directly to traffic engineers responsible for signal timing.
At each signalized Knoxville intersection, a control box governs traffic-light timing, requiring a city engineer to make on-site adjustments whenever traffic patterns change. Unless a problem is reported, signals typically are evaluated annually.
Requests made through the city's 311 service are routed to the Transportation Engineering Division and reviewed by its staff.
The issue moves to the top of the priority list if it compromises public safety, Karen McKeehan, the city's transportation engineering chief, told Knox
News. If the request is about signal timing, engineers need to conduct field observations and analyze traffic data before deciding if the change is necessary.
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Improvements to the city's traffic signal system are coming. Traffic lights at 134 Knoxville intersections will soon be able to communicate with each other for the first time, part of a city upgrade aimed at reducing congestion and improving traffic flow during peak hours.
In the meantime, Knoxville residents can call 311 or 865-215-4311 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to request a change. Requests also can be made at knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/311.
The city's customer service department can be reached at 311Office@KnoxvilleTN.Gov. To check the status of a request, visit knoxvilleworksearch.knoxvilletn.gov/.
Before submitting a request, make sure the light is within city limits and not in the county. Knox County requests can be made through the SeeClickFix portal at knoxcounty.org/epw/seeclickfix.php
Sophia Tiedge is the growth and transformation reporter for Knox News. Email: sophia.tiedge@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Stuck on red? How to request changes to Knoxville traffic signals
