State Funding Will Modernize Broadway Traffic Signals
October 1, 2019
Mayor Brian M. Arrigo announced this week that the City is the recipient of $1.7 million in state funding that will fund the upgrade of all signalized intersections along Broadway. The Mayor praised Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo for leading the legislative effort that will result in dramatic and long-overdue advances in traffic control along the City’s central roadway.
“The current traffic signalization along Broadway is pretty much the same as it was when the lights were installed nearly 40 years ago. The signal equipment itself is close to 20 years old,” said Mayor Arrigo. “Traffic control improvements have lagged way behind surface roadway improvements over the years. Now, thanks to the Speaker’s concern and leadership, we will finally be able to install a fully-synchronized, state-of-the-art Adaptive Signal Control system that can be monitored and controlled from City Hall or police headquarters.”
Speaker DeLeo cited the important public benefit of funding such projects. In announcing the Revere funding and separate similar funding earmarked for his hometown of Winthrop, Speaker DeLeo said: “Investments like these make our communities safer and more accessible while improving the delivery of municipal services to our residents. I applaud hard-working municipal workers of Winthrop and Revere who help to keep our open spaces and roads safe, and provide critical services to families, businesses, students and individuals, and know these funds will help to support their efforts.”
Engineering analysis already has been completed for the scope of the Broadway project. “The new traffic light system will react to traffic demands,” said Mayor Arrigo. “Not only will it result in more efficient and effective flow of normal traffic, it can adapt itself for preferences such as bus lanes and emergency requirements at the Central Avenue-Broadway intersection in front of the Central Fire House.”
Beta Engineering prepared the scope of work. “The engineers who studied the traffic flow on Broadway and devised the system say this project will represent a quantum leap from the existing and outdated traffic control conditions,” said Mayor Arrigo. “Their continued analysis of the project will include pedestrian counts and behavior as well as bicycle traffic. In the years to come, the system will allow for more flexible and effective traffic management.”
The seven signalized intersections that will undergo the modernization are along Broadway at Fenno and Beach Streets; Yeamans Street; Park Avenue; Central Avenue; Cushman Avenue/School Street; Malden and Ambrose Streets; and Revere Street.
“Technology is a key in addressing traffic concerns within existing infrastructure,” noted Mayor Arrigo. “These types of projects are costly but critical to the City’s quality of life. Our productive working relationship with Speaker DeLeo, along with help from Senator Boncore who is chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation and Representative Roselee Vincent is a vital to assist Revere as we study modern methods to address long-standing problems”