Salt Lake City

Transportation

801-535-6630 | transportation@slcgov.com

Traffic Signals

Traffic Signal

Traffic Signals

Salt Lake City operates and maintains many of the traffic signals in Salt Lake City. These signals are timed in conjunction with State operated traffic signals on State-owned roadways in the city.

Report a broken or malfunctioning signal

Traffic signals in Salt Lake City are operated and maintained by multiple agencies. Traffic Operations Centers will respond to any report of traffic signal problems, regardless of what government agency owns the signal.

Salt Lake City Streets Division Signals Team | 801-535-2345

Our Streets Division signal technicians respond to malfunctioning signals within Salt Lake City 24/7 to ensure the safety of all modes of transportation. You can also report a signal using the City’s mobile app. Learn more about the Streets Division Signals Team below.

UDOT Traffic Operations Center | 801-887-3700

UDOT is responsible for the operations and maintenance of traffic signals on State-owned UDOT roadways. To report an urgent traffic signal malfunction or emergency, call the 24/7 hotline at 801-887-3700. You can also report UDOT traffic signal issues with the Click ‘N Fix app. Visit the UDOT Traffic Signals webpage to learn more.

Salt Lake City Traffic Control Center | 801-535-6530

The Salt Lake City Transportation Division is responsible for traffic signal timing, technology upgrades, and more. Salt Lake City Transportation signal technicians are available between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. If we are not available, please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.


Streets Division Signals Team

The Streets Division Traffic Signals Program provides routine and responsive maintenance and programming of approximately 250 signalized intersections and crossings within Salt Lake City. The program maintains 180 additional signal devices, such as 80 school flashers, 50 pedestrian actuated flashers, 50 driver feedback radar speed signs, as well as other illuminated signs. Additionally, they provide bluestakes utility marking to over 2,200 locations annually.

Signal technicians respond 24/7 to malfunctioning and dark signals to ensure the safety of all modes of transportation. The Traffic Signals Program also performs routine Preventative Maintenance Inspections (PMIs) to all traffic and pedestrian signals including malfunction monitor testing, LED replacements, aerial signal inspection, control cabinet inspection, traffic detection devices, intersection and operational inspection, and pedestrian signal inspection. These inspections ensure the longevity and functionality of the City’s signal assets. Every signal in the city is visited a minimum of 5 times each year.

In addition to annual maintenance, the Traffic Signals Program responds to signal trouble calls during the workday, and one person is on 24-hour standby to respond to after-hours signal trouble calls on a rotating schedule. The signal technicians work efficiently to maintain a 30 minute or less response time to signal trouble calls during normal work hours. Since 2018, the average response time was 19.95 minutes.  


Signal Timing Efforts in Salt Lake City

Several years ago, a consultant was hired to evaluate the City’s traffic signal timing software and philosophy, and make improvements to the timing of the City’s traffic signals. The project goals were to determine how to immediately reduce traffic delays, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions and, over the long term, determine how to improve the capability and efficiency of the signal control system.

Key Findings

The updated traffic signal timing plan:

  • Saves users 337,000 gallons of fuel a year

  • Reduces traffic delays by 14% during the morning peak, 10% during midday, and 8% during the evening peak

The signal re-timing reduces:

  • CO emissions by 50,700 pounds a year

  • NOx emissions by 10,000 pounds a year

  • VOC emissions by 13,200 pounds a year

While these efforts have had a positive impact on travel times and pollutant emissions, Salt Lake City’s traffic signal control staff strives to update the timing on a three-year basis. This is necessary because the efficiency of traffic signal timing plans degrade over time as traffic patterns evolve.

View the full signal timing report.