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Mesa will buy solar-powered temporary traffic-signal trailers to address heavy quarry truck traffic
Summary
Transportation staff told council the city plans to buy solar-powered portable signal trailers to control heavy haul traffic at Higgley and Longbo; staff expect deployment for 12–18 months, and the quarry owner will contribute to costs.
Council discussed Item 4D: a purchase of solar-powered portable traffic-signal trailers for temporary traffic control where construction or truck-haul activity creates safety concerns.
Transportation staff said the trailers will be deployed initially at the Higgley and Longbo intersection to manage a quarry haul route that has grown quickly; staff reported current truck traffic of roughly 500 trucks per day with spikes to approximately 800–900 trucks. Because a permanent signal will take time to design and build, staff proposed temporary trailers in place for 12 to 18 months and said the quarry owner has agreed to contribute to the trailers’ cost.
Staff advised that purchasing the trailers—rather than leasing—will be more cost-effective over anticipated service durations; examples cited two temporary trailers in use for 15 months where leasing proved more expensive than ownership. The trailers have longer arms and signal head reach than the city’s emergency trailers and are intended to be reused at future sites.
Council members asked about reuse, leasing options and cost analyses. Staff said purchase and reuse will save money over repeated leases and that the trailers can be redeployed to other locations after initial use. No formal procurement decision was made during the study session; staff will include the item for council action as scheduled.
