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Lawton council votes to keep existing signal timing at 50th intersection
Summary
After public-safety concerns about driver confusion, the City of Lawton council voted unanimously to leave the traffic signal at 50th and the road identified in the transcript as "Cash" operating as it currently does rather than changing north/south to flashing red and east/west to flashing yellow.
The City of Lawton council voted unanimously to keep the traffic signal at the 50th intersection operating in its current mode after debate over a proposal to switch north-south approaches to flashing red and east-west approaches to flashing yellow.
Staff member Michael introduced the item as a proposal "to change it to flashing" and explained the intended pattern: flashing red for north and south traffic and flashing yellow for east and west. Councilwoman Chapman asked why drivers would understand the configuration and warned it could create confusion: "How do drivers know that that's not gonna be a 4 way red stop light like most flashing lights. I'm really concerned about that." Other councilmembers agreed that repeatedly changing a signal's behavior trains drivers to expect one pattern and that changing it again would cause confusion and risk. One councilmember said people had already adjusted when the light was turned on, and turning it off or changing it again would prompt further problems.
A motion "to leave it as is" was made, seconded and the clerk recorded the motion carrying unanimously; the mayor announced the motion carried 7 to 0.
The discussion and vote were limited to the operation of the signal; no changes to street geometry, funding or construction were approved at this meeting.
