Traffic signals to see improvements in 2025

By Leah Rainwater

Upgrades are coming to traffic lights at several intersections around the city.

St. Joseph City Council received bids to improve signals at 22nd Street and Frederick Avenue, Noyes Boulevard and Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph and Grand avenues and St. Joseph Avenue and Middleton Street.

All four intersections are currently being supported by span wire, which is intended only for temporary use.

“It’s basically wood poles and cabling that holds the signals up,” said Keven Schneider, the deputy director of operations for the city’s Public Works and Transportation department. “They were put in years and years ago, as a rather little less expensive alternative to mast arms.”

Schneider said times and regulations have changed, so the city is planning to use money from the American Rescue Plan Act for the upgrade.

City leaders have approved a bid from RS Electric Utility Services for just over $1 million to make the improvements. The bid also includes funding to upgrade the intersection of Cook Road and Walmart Avenue where the pole and the mast arm on the northeast corner have been hit multiple times.

“We think it’s going to help safety,” Schneider said. “It’s going to help just the aesthetics of the intersections.”

Schneider said the overall project is going to be worthwhile for the city.

“That type of system (span wire) isn’t even allowed now,” Schneider said. “If you are designing a new intersection, they would be able to use the wooden poles and the cable as a temporary structure. You’re able to use them just for that short period of time while you’re constructing the mass arms.”

It will be several months before the work starts, however. Schneider said that due to hurricane devastation in the southeastern parts of the country, the mast arm infrastructures will not be available until the end of 2025.

After the materials are delivered, each intersection is expected to take two to three weeks for construction.

City Council also approved just under $300,000 to restore any damaged areas after the mast arm infrastructure upgrades are complete. That work would include any repairs or replacements of the curbs and gutter, sidewalk, ADA corners, parkway areas and any other street damage.

The city chose JD Bishop Construction, LLC to handle that restoration work.