²Ï³Ü±ð²õ³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:ÌýWhen will the traffic light be replaced at 40th and South streets?
A "duct tape fix" to provide a traffic light at the intersection of 40th and South streets will soon become more permanent.
A temporary, portable traffic signal has been used at the busy intersection since a single-car accident May 11 damaged the traffic signal cabinet and pole.
Fixing the traffic signal has not stretched out longer than expected, said Lonnie Burklund, assistant director of the city's Transportation and Utilities Department.
Burklund said initially he thought two-way stop sign control would be needed for a couple of weeks, but city traffic engineering staff installed a portable traffic signal trailer within a few days.
"In terms of a permanent fix, we knew it would be several months," he said.
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To position the temporary signal trailer, the outside westbound lane on South Street has been closed, as has a stretch of sidewalk, but the intersection has remained open.Â
A contractor has been hired to repair the signal and, if all goes as planned, the repairs are scheduled to be done in the next couple of weeks, he said last week.
The work required to replace or repair a damaged traffic signal is far more complicated than one might imagine, Burklund said. And, unfortunately, these types of accidents are not that uncommon — occurring every couple of weeks.
"Signal intersections are kind of a pain when damage happens," he said.
The damage can require rewiring, repairing fiber-optic lines, replacing outdated conduit, pouring concrete and ordering new equipment.
If crews don't have a pole on hand, a new pole ordered from the manufacturer can take up to 6 months to arrive, he said.
"It's another reason I tell people I love roundabouts," Burklund said.