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San Jose TLSP Project Background
In November 2006, California voters approved Proposition 1B providing $19.9 billion in bond funding for various transportation improvements. $250 million in Proposition 1B funds were allocated for local traffic light synchronization improvements. In March, 2008 the Department of Transportation (DOT) submitted an application to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) for a $20 million Traffic Light Synchronization Program (TLSP) project to address a significant portion of the City’s transportation maintenance backlog related to the traffic signal system. The proposed project requested $15 million in TLSP grant funds, with a $5 million local match.
The grant was also pursued to address growing traffic congestion concerns throughout San Jose. In the 2007 Community Survey, San Jose residents rated “traffic congestion” as the most serious issue they would like the City to address. In the 2008 Community Budget Survey, traffic signal synchronization received the highest percentage of votes (71%) for priority in program investment.
On May 28, 2008 the CTC approved San Jose’s grant application for the full $15 million in TLSP funds, the third highest TLSP grant allocation in California. This grant award is significant and represents the largest grant the City has received for signal system upgrades and synchronization. This grant will enable the City to utilize the latest signal timing, coordination, and communication technology available for optimizing and monitoring traffic.
Project scope
This project will upgrade San José’s near 20-year old traffic management system to an advanced state-of-the-art system that includes:
Installation of 36 miles of fiber optic communication infrastructure to support realtime traffic management capabilities;
Replacement of 785 twenty-year-old traffic signal controllers with new advanced federal standard controllers and necessary communication devices;
Addition of 141 traffic surveillance cameras city wide
Implementation of traffic responsive corridors along seven key business and commercial districts; and
Synchronization of all citywide traffic signal systems.
Project Benefits
San Jose’s TLSP project is anticipated to reduce vehicle operating and signal system O&M costs. It is also expected to provide the following annual fuel and delay saving benefits:
Reduce vehicle travel time on local streets by 15%, eliminating 840,000 hours of vehicle delay, and providing an annual delay savings of $50 million to the local traveling public
Reduce fuel consumption by 625,000 gallons, saving $1.5 million in fuel costs
Reduce vehicle emissions harmful to air quality by 36 tons and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) by 21,000 tons
Eliminate approximately 180 accidents annually, resulting in an annual savings of $3.9M in accident related costs;
Improve Level Of Service at signalized intersections.
Project Costs and Funding:
The project will cost approximately $20 million and is largely funded by $15M in State Proposition 1B funds that were approved by California voters in November 2006. The remaining project costs will be funded by the City of San Jose Capital Improvement Program and by any additional grants that the City may secure.
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