Millersburg approves $85K smart light system to ease downtown traffic backups

Traffic jams are a common problem in cities and busy towns, causing frustration and wasted time for drivers and passengers alike.

Millersburg is no different, with a trio of state routes coming together at one spot in the heart of downtown.

When too many vehicles crowd the roads, traffic slows to a crawl, making it difficult for people to get to work, school or appointments on time. These traffic jams can cause plenty of headaches, create anxiety and frustration, and waste time.

Over the past many months, heavy traffic has led to vehicles being backed up well beyond the town’s limits, but that soon may change for the better.

Millersburg Council has been in discussion about improving the traffic situation in the downtown area for some time.

The hang-up has always been the investment of $85,000 to implement smart lights, a system that reads traffic situations and responds accordingly with the lights, meaning it can help keep traffic flowing at the best possible rate.

However, on Monday, Nov. 10 at the weekly council meeting, all members concluded the investment would be worth it to try to help traffic flow.

“After weeks of talking about it, I finally asked for a motion, and everyone was in,” Mayor Kelly Hoffee said. “We’re very excited about the possibilities that the smart light system brings to the downtown area because we have experienced plenty of backed up traffic that we hope will now be eliminated with the new system.”

She said she understands council doing all of its homework to do what is best with the tax dollars available to them, but it was such a need that it was time to act.

The smart lights will be installed by Path Master.

According to Hoffee, several traffic flow studies have been done, and Path Master said with the current light system, the situation wouldn’t get any better as it stands now.

“If we stay as is, traffic would be as good as it’s ever going to get, which isn’t good,” Hoffee said. “This is a great thing for downtown Millersburg.”

Smart lights control intersections by using technology and sensors to adjust traffic signals in real time, improving traffic flow and safety by utilizing sensors and cameras and collecting data that allows the system to keep traffic flowing.

The system can detect the number of cars waiting, their speed and direction and can even detect pedestrians and cyclists.

The sensors send data to a central controller — a small computer at the intersection — that constantly analyzes traffic conditions.

Thus, instead of using a fixed schedule like the current system, the smart system changes the length of green, yellow and red lights depending on how busy each direction is. If one direction has heavy traffic, it may stay green longer. If it's 11 p.m. and no cars are waiting, it might skip that green light cycle altogether, making intersections more efficient, safer and responsive to real-world conditions.

“One of the greatest features is that if someone is in the crosswalk, it will keep the light red, which is very important,” Hoffee said, noting there have been far too many accidents and near misses at the crosswalks.

Hoffee said Millersburg administrator Nate Troyer has already contacted Path Master to begin the installation process.

In meeting with the Holmes County Commissioners prior to receiving council’s blessing, Hoffee told them it was time to act, and the council agreed.

She told the commissioners both Holmes County engineer Chris Young and members at Ohio Department of Transportation already had agreed the smart light system was the way to move forward.

The $85,000 investment would cover the cost of installation and software needs for all three traffic lights in the downtown area in Millersburg for the next decade, and the council would use its permissive funds to pay for $40,000 of the project.

The commissioners said they would be willing to partner with the village to make the system a reality, committing $20,000 to the project.

Hoffee said she isn’t certain when the system will be put in place, but she is hopeful it will be soon.