Equipment failure plagues busy Clinton intersection

By Randy Bell    

Motorists traveling through the Northside Drive-Clinton Parkway/Pinehaven Drive intersection may have noticed that the flow of traffic isn’t as smooth as it used to be.  The City installed a radar detection traffic sensor at that busy location in 2024 to move vehicles through the intersection more efficiently.

“It worked great,” says Public Works Director Phillip Lilley.  “Once you pull within the visual zone of the radar, it lets the [traffic control] cabinet know that somebody’s in this lane or that pedestrians are crossing the street, so the signals know to let these people through.”    

But, about two months ago, things changed.

“What we found out is that [the sensor] wasn’t detecting at all,” Lilley says.  “You could be sitting there and, for whatever reason, it would say everything is all clear.  So, it wouldn’t give anybody the [green] light.”

For the time being, the intersection has been switched back to timed intervals, which don’t take into account how many vehicles are in each lane.  Lilley is hoping to get the faulty sensor replaced.

“It should be under warranty,” he says.  “We’re waiting to hear back from the distributor.”

But even if the company agrees to send a new sensor, Lilley says there could be a lengthy wait.

“If they [cover it] under warranty, it’s probably going to take a couple more months before we get it in-house.  That’s just how things go.”

Lilley is asking the motoring public for patience.

“Or, I advise people just to try to avoid the [intersection] altogether, if they can.”

Another traffic bottleneck along the Clinton Parkway is the intersection at Fairmont Street.  That one is controlled by old-fashioned loop wires cut into the pavement, and it’s not uncommon to see traffic backed up at the intersection.

“One issue that we’ve learned is that some of the loops are probably damaged, especially coming out of the [Baptist] Healthplex going to the north and south [on the Parkway],” Lilley says.  “We’ve actually gone in and tried to adjust the timing, to make sure we’re keeping the main thoroughfare, the Parkway, flowing.”

He says, when the budget allows, he’d like to add a radar detection traffic sensor at that location, as well.