Happy holidays to Utica drivers who get the next best gift of a permanent solution to potholes on city streets.
The federal government is giving the city $1.8 million to fix the poorly timed traffic lights on Genesee Street, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, announced Tuesday.
The lights have been a source of annoyance for years and provide alternative routes on side streets for many frustrated motorists.
The money comes from the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation grant program in the bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act. This was the third year the city applied for this grant.
“I am proud to announce that the FBI has officially given the go-ahead for traffic signal repairs on Genesee Street in Utica,” Schumer said in a statement. “Every Utican knows that these traffic lights can be frustrating and downright dangerous, and the City of Utica has been developing a plan to fix them for years.
“That’s why I’ve urged U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to provide funding to increase safety in Utica and renew this corridor with a new network of advanced, smart traffic signals.”
About the project
A large percentage of motor vehicle crashes in Utica happen on Genesee Street in the corridor where the lights will be replaced: 38% of crashes involving pedestrians and nearly 20% of all crashes, according to New York State statistics cited by Schumer Sheriffs’ Association.
According to information provided by Schumer, the project includes the installation of nearly a dozen smart traffic lights along two miles of Genesee Street and a five-block extension of Bleecker and Elizabeth streets.
Utica predicts it could have the following impacts within that pilot zone, as quoted by Schumer in a Nov. 15 letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg:
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Reducing response times in emergency situations by up to 25%.
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Reducing overall traffic and vehicle travel time by up to 25%.
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The time vehicles spend waiting at traffic lights is reduced by up to 35%.
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Reducing traffic injuries among pedestrians by as much as 25%.
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Reduce the number of traffic incidents by up to 20%.
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Reduction of emissions by as much as 21%.
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Reduction of fuel consumption by as much as 10%.
In addition to synchronicity and connectivity, the new lights will include a number of other smart features: emergency prevention with multi-level priority for emergency vehicles; 360 degree vehicle detection; accessibility features for pedestrian crossings; and data collection and analysis tools.
Local officials predicted numerous benefits for new, better-timed and more advanced traffic signals: improved safety for people with disabilities and non-English speakers; better bus service; a more modern downtown – in a press release from Schumer’s office.
Utica Mayor Mike Galime called the installation of “state-of-the-art smart grid technology” on Genesee Street a “transformative moment in Utica history.”
“This milestone heralds a brighter future for our city, enhancing public safety, improving community well-being and laying the foundation for a fully connected smart grid system,” he said in a statement. “As Utica experiences a redevelopment renaissance, these developments are a critical step toward a more efficient, sustainable and thriving urban center.”
Problems with “outdated, asynchronous” street lighting date back to the 1950s, Schumer wrote in his letter to Buttigieg. New lights were installed in 2012, but the city did not have enough money to synchronize the lights or control the timing.
The city investigated in 2016 whether the state would help improve the timing of the signals. At the time, former OD reporter S. Alexander Gerould planned a trip of about four miles along Genesee Street from Oriskany Street to the New Hartford village line through 31 traffic lights. It took 12 minutes.
Schumer estimated the drive could take as long as 15 minutes, tempting many drivers to turn onto side streets.
Busy Genesee Street
Genesee Street is the busiest corridor for CENTRO bus service, Board of Directors Chairman Nicholas Laino said in the statement.
“Smart, synchronized traffic signaling along the Genesee Street corridor will improve the reliability and on-time performance of CENTRO’s bus service,” he said, “which in turn will improve the usability of our system, increase our ridership and improve transportation access across the world will strengthen. Mohawk Valley.
“It will also reduce idling time for all CENTRO vehicles, including our buses, which will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in our community.”
The current lights pose a particular danger to people with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, said Edward Welsh, CEO of the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which has facilities in downtown Utica at Elizabeth and Kent streets.
“This is one of those rare projects,” he said in the news release, “that simultaneously improves traffic and pedestrian safety while reducing response time for first responders using one of Utica’s busiest streets.”
More: NYSDOT is giving Utica $2.3 million for safety improvements on North Genesee Street
More: $8 million roadwork project in New Hartford, started in 2023, completed
And Utica Police Chief Mark Williams and Utica Fire Chief Scott Ingersoll called the project a “game-changer for public safety in Utica” in a jointly released statement.
“These upgrades will improve response times for police, fire and ambulance services,” Williams and Ingersoll said, “while providing safer streets for both pedestrians and motorists. Additionally, as we modernize our infrastructure, this system will provide invaluable support for essential public works operations such as snow plowing and street maintenance.
“This marks a critical step in building a safer, more resilient Utica as we embrace the future of urban redevelopment.”
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Schumer gets funding for smart traffic lights on Genesee St. in Utica
