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Georgetown plans signal upgrades and battery backups as traffic rises
Summary
City staff outlined a package of signal upgrades, new controllers and battery backups covering about 20 intersections and 18 new controllers, citing growth near schools, warehouses and recent crashes; Council asked for timeline and clarified cameras won’t be used for enforcement.
City staff told the Georgetown City Council workshop that the city is moving forward with a series of traffic‑signal upgrades and reliability improvements to address growing traffic and safety concerns.
Public Works Director Eric Johnson said the city now maintains 82 traffic signals — 47 of which were transferred to the city in 2023 — and that many need hardware and software upgrades to meet Georgetown standards. "City Council, we are very fortunate that City Council approved $2,500,000 to bring all the existing traffic signals up to city standards in this year's budget," Johnson said, noting hardware ordered in December is already being shipped.
The work will deliver 18 new signal controllers ("the brains of the intersection," Johnson said) and battery backups at 20 intersections to prevent dark signals and reduce safety risks. Staff described detection upgrades (camera‑style detectors that trigger the controller when they detect vehicles) and said those devices do not record images and are not used for enforcement. "We do not currently record anything nor is there any traffic enforcement," Johnson said in response to a council question.
Staff also reviewed several location‑specific projects driving the work. Lou (staff member leading the intersections briefing) flagged Southeast Center Loop at Snead Drive and Blue Springs Boulevard for a new signal after a charter school and new warehouse development increased volumes and produced recent serious crashes. To reduce turning conflicts, Lou said the plan could include a median running from Snead Drive to Austin Avenue and convert curb accesses to right‑in/right‑out.
Other projects discussed included schematic completion at Quail Valley (1460), a hooded‑left conversion at High‑Tech because of signal proximity, developer‑triggered signals at Parkside Parkway and River Terrace (required by TIAs), and permanent signal installation replacing temporary equipment at Williams Drive/County Road 245.
Council members asked technical questions about railroad proximity, driveway impacts near Costco and whether city control had changed on key corridors. Johnson confirmed the city now controls the Williams/Austin intersection, said staff are awaiting parts to improve timing, and encouraged residents to report signal problems with timing and exact incident times via the Ask GTX system so staff can diagnose and adjust programming.
Why it matters: The upgrades are intended to improve safety, reduce crashes at high‑growth corridors and make signal behavior more predictable for residents. The council directed staff to follow up with additional details on access implications, county project timelines and the sequencing of TxDOT‑led bundled signal contracts.
Next steps: Staff will verify railroad‑adjacent design details, coordinate schedules with Williamson County and TxDOT where projects overlap, and proceed with installation procurement for the controller and detection upgrades already funded in the current budget.
