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Rural southwest Alabama counties receive improved, synchronized traffic signals

ALDOT engineer working on computer to synchronize traffic signals
Synchronized traffic signals come to rural areas in southwest Alabama
Jan 30

In January, Alabama Department of Transportation traffic engineers completed the expansion of a successful traffic signal program into the rural counties of Choctaw, Marengo, Wilcox, Clarke, Washington, and Monroe. The new signals will reduce delay and congestion, improve safety and reliability along heavily traveled roadways, and allow for one seamless and efficient traffic grid in the larger metropolitan area.

ALDOT’s Regional Traffic Operations (RTOP) started as a five-year program in 2021 to modernize all 492 signals on state routes in ALDOT’s Southwest Region. All 70 traffic signals on state routes in the region received the upgrades.

ALDOT has been partnering with a dedicated team of consultants from AECOM, Arcadis, and Kimley Horn to implement the program. This includes outfitting all traffic cabinets on state routes with updated timing plans and hardware that allows for remote signal monitoring and control. The most recently installed signals are in Thomasville, Monroeville, Butler, Jackson, Demopolis, and Camden, along with some smaller communities.

“Traffic crashes don’t discriminate, and every community deserves equal access and mobility,” said Jeremy Borden, ALDOT Signal Systems Engineer.

Traffic crashes don’t discriminate, and every community deserves equal access and mobility.

Jeremy Borden, ALDOT Signal Systems Engineer

The completion of this recent expansion effort in these rural communities signals the completion of the RTOP upgrades in ALDOT’s Southwest Region. It also represents a huge milestone for the state of Alabama. It is the first ALDOT region in the state to successfully connect, retime, monitor, and operate every signal on state routes. Engineers will now spend the next few years building on that success to continue refining and improving signal performance in its pursuit of excellence.

“The impact of these signal improvements is a welcome change for motorists in these smaller communities. ALDOT continues to assess signal performance and has set up a dedicated email and phone number for reporting complaints and encourages the communities to start using them,” said Borden.

For complaints in the Grovehill Area:

To call a complaint in, please dial 251-470-5136. It will immediately go to voicemail where users can leave their complaint. An audio copy of your voicemail will immediately be emailed to a service group for immediate follow-up and action. Due to volume, ALDOT will only call back if they need further information or have questions.

To email a complaint, please send emails to ghareatraffic@dot.state.al.us  Your email will go to a service group for immediate follow-up and action. Due to volume, ALDOT will only respond if they need further information or have questions.

For complaints in the Mobile Area:

To call a complaint in, please dial 251-470-8207.

To email a complaint, please send emails to mobareatraffic@dot.state.al.us