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Virginia City council hears warnings that aging traffic signals may fall; directs staff to identify urgent fixes
Summary
Council heard SEH and Public Works warnings that several traffic-signal poles near 6th and 9th avenues are structurally degraded and could fail. Members debated funding, temporary 4-way stops, and directed staff to find the safest, quickest mitigation and report back for a vote.
Virginia City councilors spent a large portion of their Dec. 2 Committee of the Whole meeting weighing safety risks and costs after an SEH traffic analysis found several traffic signals in poor condition.
SEH engineer John Gray’s memo — summarized by Matt Reed of SEH — said the signals at 6th Avenue and 9th Street and near Alcott Park are “out of date” and suffering both electrical and structural problems. Reed told the council the worst intersections could require full replacement; “they’re about $400,000 a piece to do the whole intersection,” he said.
Jim Rosvitt, the city’s public works director, told the council crews have seen rot and failed bolts at several signal bases and warned of imminent danger: “It’s going to fail. It could come down this year.” Rosvitt asked councilors to treat the issue as a public-safety priority rather than a deferred maintenance question.
Councilors debated funding approaches — bonding, state aid, LRAP and grants — and whether the city should prepare plans now so it can apply for outside funding. Several members suggested lower-cost temporary measures while longer-term funding is sought; Reed proposed turning off two signals and installing temporary 4-way stop signs during summer months to test traffic impacts.
To move faster on mitigation, Councilor Johnson moved that staff identify the safest, quickest solution for the intersections at 6th & 9th and 9th & 9th and present options for a decision at the next Tuesday regular council meeting. The motion, seconded and supported, passed by voice vote. The council did not commit funding at the meeting; members asked staff to return with cost estimates, timing, and any required structural assessments.
Next steps: staff will evaluate temporary traffic controls and emergency removal options, gather cost estimates (including structural engineer findings), and return with recommended actions and any required motions to allocate funds.
