Have you noticed anything new when walking or driving downtown? The City’s traffic engineers and technicians recently completed signal equipment and signal timing improvements in downtown Roanoke. These changes are intended to improve traffic flow, minimize traffic delays, and make crossing the street easier by providing a leading green pedestrian signal.
The City recognizes that traffic volumes were lower during the recent Stay At Home Order, and Transportation Division staff will continue to refine the timings as traffic volumes increase.
The Transportation Division has some other initiatives that will roll out over the summer. One will replace the existing pedestrian signal heads with countdown displays and, at some intersections, add audible beacons to assist persons with vision impairments.
The Division will also launch a Pedestrian Safety Campaign, which is an educational media campaign tailored for our community. This campaign is aimed at both drivers and pedestrians, reminding everyone that in Virginia, every corner is a crosswalk, whether it is painted or not.
City Staff would like to hear from the public about the downtown signal re-timing project. To contact them, send an email or call 540-853-2676. More information is available at www.roanokeva.gov/transportation.
