Highway 12 traffic lights fixed in Steinbach after 4 months of waiting

The poorly timed traffic lights along Hwy 12 N in the City of Steinbach were recently fixed during the last week of April.

City Manager Troy Warkentin says council administration received an update from Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure. 

“The review of all of the intersections along PTH 12 N in Steinbach has been completed, and what the department found was that there were several intersections that were found to have programming for the existing signals that for whatever reason had become locked into certain cycles inappropriately.” 

Manitoba Infrastructure conducted maintenance and those faults were corrected.  

Warkentin says they also looked at the equipment itself, and they confirmed that there is some older technology being used at a couple of intersections that they suggested is due for replacement. 

“They don't have specifics as to which ones and couldn't identify as to when it would be exactly. However, the recognition that this equipment is likely due for review and replacement is encouraging.” 

He says drivers should already be able to see improvements for many of the concerns that have been observed by the public. 

“I believe the changes had been completed as of the last week of April, so the new programming has been in place for over a week,” he says. “So if you have noticed improvements then I guess the work was successful.” 

Mayor Earl Funk attests to the fact that some intersections have been fixed. 

“The one that we tend to frequent, we were I think the 6th or 7th vehicle turning left and we got to go through, and Lori my wife, says, ‘I think something happened. It's changed!’ so it's good.” 

Funk hopes that traffic will be more synchronized and move better now that the lights have been fixed. 

“And if they're looking at changing the old technology, when it happens it happens, but if they fixed it so it's working better, they'll change it when they can either find it in the budget or find time,” he says. “But that's very positive that they're looking at that and that they will be upgrading the technology.” 

Councillor Jac Siemens also vouches for the flow of traffic being improved last week. 

“It has improved, the hours that I drive anyways. The traffic does move during the day when I am there.” 

Siemens says the only comment they’ve had lately is the left hand turn onto Penfeld Drive. 

“And I don't know if it's changed or not, but I think the ones that I have whined about since the first meeting in January, at this point they've been solved.”