Bloomington examining traffic light preemption system

Posted on May 23, 2016
traffic light
Bloomington emergency vehicles haven’t had an update to their traffic light preemption system on over two decades. (Photo courtesy Flickr/DavidLofink)

By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s fire chief will speak to the City Council Monday about the possibility of updating the fire department’s traffic light preemption system.

The system allows emergency vehicles to signal traffic lights to cycle to green, making it easier for them to move through traffic. Chief Brian Mohr said their system is over 25 years old.

“The cost of maintenance of that system, because the age of the components, is getting high,” said Mohr. “We need to look at, is this a system that’s worth continuing to support? Or should we be looking at a more modern system moving forward?”

Mohr explained some new systems can be a benefit to more than just emergency vehicles.

“There’s also a second level of priority with these newer systems where snow plows, Connect Transit buses, can actually delay a signal from going red just a little bit if it knows that they’re within a certain distance,” he said.

Mohr on Monday will also present the fire statistics from 2015, including the number of calls his department responded to during the year.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…