Borough gets $688,000 to improve traffic signals

Funds awarded through PennDOT’s Green Light-Go program

WEST CHESTER » West Chester Borough was awarded a $688,000 grant from the state Thursday for comprehensive traffic signal upgrades.

“This funding is great news for West Chester and will help improve systems to keep traffic running smoothly and safely in the borough,” said state Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-156.

The borough was among 70 municipalities around the state that will receive more than $31 million through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Green Light-Go program. The grants are provided as reimbursement to municipalities for updates to improve the efficiency and operation of existing traffic signals. Grants can be used for projects such as installing LED technology, traffic signal retiming, and upgrading to the latest technology.

West Chester’s grant will be for the installation of radio communications and modernization of traffic signal controllers to 23 traffic signals in the borough with a connection to the PennDOT District 6 Regional Traffic Management Center via trunk fiber connection along Route 202.

In total, Chester County will receive more than $1.1 million in total funding for traffic control system safety upgrades.

Willistown Township will receive $246,320 to install fiber optic communications between six signals along Lancaster Avenue (U.S. Route 30), and Schuylkill Township will get $237,336 for interconnection of traffic signals along Pothouse Road and Whitehorse Road.

The grants come through PennDOT’s Green Light-Go Program, which reimburses municipalities for updates to improve the efficiency and operation of existing traffic signals.

“Ensuring that our traffic lights are operating properly and effectively is not only a matter of safety, it also greatly impacts the congestion and flow of vehicles on our roadways,” said state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19, who serves on the Senate Transpor-

tation Committee. “These funds will go a long way in helping local municipalities upgrade traffic signals with the latest technology and keep traffic control systems functioning at peak efficiency.”

Made possible by Act 89, the state’s comprehensive transportation funding plan. Green Light-Go Program funds may be utilized for a range of operational

improvements including, but not limited to: light-emitting diode (LED) technology installation, traffic signal retiming, developing special event plans and monitoring traffic signals, as well as upgrading traffic signals to the latest technologies.

Funding for the Chester County projects comes as part of $31 million in total Green Light-Go funding for traffic signal upgrades in 70 municipalities statewide through the program’s fourth round of funding.