Several people trying to get through the traffic mess on alternate routes that was caused by the closure of I-10 the other day have commented to me about the lack of assistance from our local traffic people.
They commented about stop lights that held traffic back when there were few if any cars coming from the perpendicular side of the intersection.
In this day of electronic communication couldn’t we have a system where someone or some computer changed the traffic signal controller to compensate for the massive change in traffic conditions?
Or maybe people could be dispatched to the intersections to manually control the signals to maximize traffic flow.
These situations are bad but measures could be taken to lessen the problems.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
When I asked my little police mouse about the problem, the response was- this illustrates the need for an increased police budget to support an increase in the number of patrol and traffic officers as well as the need for programming and technical assistance to control the lights, all of which spells increased manpower.
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The city spent millions on the traffic light cameras (not the stop light ticket ones) that are mounted above all lights at major intersections They were installed, we were told, so that a computer somewhere could speed up traffic for exactly the type of situation you describe. If there is no cross traffic, the main light remains green because the cameras detect the flow of traffic.
Makes one wonder if they are still functioning properly, or at all.
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My understanding is that the system works as designed, but is driven by humans and not by computer algorithms. If the events happen after that office’s hours there are no humans to man the system and make the changes.
Perhaps an emergency on-call person there could carry a laptop and tweak the timing from offsite in such cases.
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It is a sad fact that we have very few assigned traffic cops these days. As for traffic light cameras, their sole purpose was to catch y’all when you enter the intersection after a light change. They have nothing to do with traffic monitoring other than that. I don’t know where 2 hours got that idea. There are some intersections that have sensors that can detect when there are cars waiting for a light, but cameras are not part of that.
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I believe these cameras can no longer be used to send tickets, but they are still there in most places because it’s too much trouble to take them down.
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The politicians, Public Officials in El Taxo are NOT in “Bizness” to HELP the people, US. Their “Policy” is to wait until accidents happen and then send out a Police “RE-ACTION” Patrol. All of the EMPTY Patrol cars in construction areas, are there to simply give the impression that speeding, wreckless drivers, should SLOW down so they don’t kill or injure workers or other drivers. Maybe if THEY cancelled their drinking-drunk PARTY to Austin, cut a couple of water wadding pools, cut Police at the Mountain Star ball field, THEY could afford to PAY Police, put them on the streets of El Taxo. “Safest City”?? That was a magazine Ad that John Cook, City Council BOUGHT years ago as a tourist “Attraction”. Check the annual FBI Uniform Crimes Reports. That is where the SAFEST cities are designated. If there are no Police on the streets to REPORT CRIME, then “Crime didn’t happen”.
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My understanding is the city monitors major intersections and can have some remote influence on timing. I have no direct experience, though.
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EPPD has used units at some intersections like Sunland/Mesa and Executive/Mesa during I-10 closures. They parked next to the box and took control of the lights.
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Did you hear that everyone? Brut has this misconception that just because we can send expensive electronic crap to other planets, that we should be able to improve traffic sensors. You must not be from around here, boy.
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