Traffic Signal Operations

Infrastructure upgrades and maintenance of traffic lights and signals across the town.

Traffic signal coordination

Traffic signals are timed to minimize stops and delay for all traffic using the intersection. Many factors contribute to the disruption of ideal progression, including varying speeds, the presence of left-turning signals, the distance between signals, varying amounts of green time required by traffic on cross streets, congestion from very high traffic volumes, pedestrian demand, etc.

Perfect synchronization for one direction of traffic on a street results in frequent stops and delays to the other direction. Optimization of delay and travel time for all traffic directions usually favours the heavier direction of flow.

Oakville has employed central traffic-control systems and state-of-the-art traffic-control equipment to monitor traffic signals and to control their coordination.

LED traffic signal light installation

The installation of new lights at Oakville owned traffic signals has resulted in significant energy savings and a reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

All Oakville owned traffic signals were converted to LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights by the end of 2008. All new traffic signals built since 2004 have been equipped with LED signals. On average, each traffic signal has an annual saving of $1,425 in electricity consumption using the LED lights. In 2011, Oakville owns 120 traffic signals and the annual energy saving is estimated at $171,000.

The conversion of traffic signals contributed to Oakville’s corporate GHG emission reduction target in an estimated amount of 68 tonnes GHG emission is reduced annually. Continuation of the use of LED technology will contribute to GHG reductions and mitigate further increases in energy use.

Transportation & Roads

Traffic Signal Operations

Traffic signal coordination

LED traffic signal light installation

Traffic signs