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nowhereman1223 t1_ixhphdk wrote

Reply to comment by turtle_eating in Giving ambulances, fire trucks priority at traffic lights could cut their travel times, Winnipeg study says by Mutte_Haede

It's expensive to upgrade traffic light systems to flip to green in the direction emergency vehicles are traveling. Most upgrades come with annual costs like the one here that would be just shy of a million a year.

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Alarming_Orchid t1_ixhyoh3 wrote

uhhhh, I think it just means the ambulance gets to ignore red lights

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Mutte_Haede OP t1_ixhzha3 wrote

also, in winnipeg they already have quite a few intersections with special lights that give public transit priority, but not emergency vehicles.

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nowhereman1223 t1_ixi1wbo wrote

Try reading the article.

It involves updates to the light systems so emergency vehicles get green lights.

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Syrairc t1_ixjy897 wrote

Uhhh... Emergency vehicles can already do this.

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imafraidofmuricans t1_ixilac5 wrote

We just put a loud blinky thing on the emergency vehicles and let them ignore red lights when it's on, and made the law so everyone else have to give way.

But sure. Fancy traffic lights.

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F1shermanIvan t1_ixitdoj wrote

Having driven cars with loud sirens and blinky lights, you'd be amazed at how many people don't see them, don't move, and don't care that you're trying to get somewhere quickly.

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nowhereman1223 t1_iy7ypp7 wrote

And this is the problem.

Those people.

Not the full traffic light system.

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Randomperson1362 t1_ixisn26 wrote

The issue is, they get stuck in traffic, that is slow to move out of the way.

Sometimes it can go into opposing traffic, sometimes it can't. But having a green light for the direction it's going would often speed it up.

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Cash907 t1_iximjaa wrote

Lol what? An override device is directional by design and is essentially an add on peripheral that tells the switching computer “hey: give traffic going in this direction immediate priority and close all other lanes.” It’s literally no more expensive than replacing a single light fixture.

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8-36 t1_ixinayw wrote

If its a specialized job it will be expensive.

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TheGunshipLollipop t1_ixje496 wrote

>It’s literally no more expensive than replacing a single light fixture.

And if they're replacing a single traffic light (which costs $300K to $500K), and the town has more than one traffic light, how much do you suppose that totals?

"add-on peripheral". Jesus wept.

https://www.howmuchisit.org/traffic-light-cost/

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pspahn t1_ixjntny wrote

What is so expensive? The device used where I live simply has a sensor that will change the lights based on an infrared code signaled to it by an emergency vehicle. Like a fancy remote control.

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nowhereman1223 t1_iy7ywf3 wrote

That means the light system where you live has that built in from the beginning.

If it wasn't built in or the town has a fully networked Traffic Management System (which most cities do) you have to get the integration from the company that provides your traffic lights or something compatible with them OR get a whole new system.

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