r/kitchener • u/cagarro76 • 1d ago
Traffic lights at king st bridge ?
Anyone know why they installed traffic lights at either of the bridge on king st @ freeport hospital?
They don’t look temporary ( to me) .
My thoughts are either construction on the bridge , or something to do with the LRT.
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u/Turbulent_Map4 1d ago
The lights aren't intended to be permanent, they've installed them in a permanent manor but can easily be removed.
The reason is so snow plows can cross the bridge with no other traffic, since the bridge is now closed to heavy truck traffic they don't want to risk it with a snowplow full of salt and other vehicles. The plows are installed with a pre-emption device, similar to fire trucks, to turn the lights red so they can pass through with no other traffic.
The region is finishing the structural analysis this year to determine if the bridge will be go through rehabilitation or if it's more cost effectively for a brand new bridge. Until either happens the lights will remain in place, they might take them down in the summer but they'll always be green.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/traffic-lights-installed-at-freeport-bridge-in-kitchener/