TEMPLE, Texas — The new traffic lights in Temple going across I-35 at Central Ave. and W. Adams Ave. are still not synced with lights on 31st St., leaving drivers sitting and waiting.
"Synchronization needs to take place," said Ken Roberts with the Texas Department of Transportation. "It's not necessarily with the signals there at Adams and Central, but between the signals at Adams and Central and 31st St."
During peak travel times, drivers have been seen backed all the way up into the 31st and W. Adams intersection just waiting for traffic lights to turn green.
Roberts said traffic lights throughout the city are controlled by automated cameras that look at a specific signal and allow a certain amount of traffic to pass through.
Roberts said those cameras are set for a predetermined amount of time based on human observations and then programmed by engineers.
Cody Weems with the Temple Police Department said he knows drivers are frustrated but warned that traffic laws still apply and confusion on roadway doesn't make a driver any less responsible.
"Some of these traffic patterns might change over the next few days and weeks," Weems said. "Just because you have a green light, if the intersection ahead of you is full, if there's no place ahead for you to go, don't pull out into the intersection and block the lane."
According to the City of Temple, traffic fines like blocking the intersection, illegal lane changes and running red lights could cost a driver upwards of $200.
The actual cost is determined by the facts and circumstances of the case.
Roberts said he knows the last five years of the I-35 project have been frustrating for drivers, but it's almost over. He said the lane closures and striping should be done within the week.
"There are still some tweaks that need to be made, signals at this particular location are one of those tweaks," Roberts said. "Be patient. We will get it worked out."
Roberts said TxDOT hopes to have the timing of the lights between all intersections completed in about three weeks.
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