UTICA (WKTV) - A plan to rid several traffic lights throughout the City of Utica, has been in the works for five years. A study on the topic started when Utica Fire Chief Russ Brooks asked if there could a way to make response time quicker.  There are 56 intersections in the city, under consideration for traffic light upgrades,  25 of which are considered a priority.
    
The bulk of the changes could occur on Genesee Street, from Hobart to St. Elizabeth's. The issue is not with the lights themselves, they are fairly bright thanks to the L.C.D. bulbs inside them. Instead the problem is on the ground, with the electrical switchers.
    
"That's the little gismo that makes the light turn red and green we will be upgrading those controllers", said Frank Gerace the Senior Engineer of C.D.M., the firm hired to study the traffic light situation."The controllers are very old, they were put in in1950 and 1972".
    
The cost of the project is estimated to be between $2 - 3 million. However, Gerace says 80% of that money will be federally funded, 15% will be reimbursed by the state, leaving 5% of the cost to taxpayers.

Priority Traffic Signal Locations Being Considered For Removal:

Genesee St. At Sunnyside Dr.
Genesee St. At Seward Ave.
Genesee St. At Grant Street & Avery Place
Oneida St. At Hillcrest Manor Court
Prospect St. At Cranston Terr.
Ballantyne Brae At Douglas Crescent
Higby Rd at Dunham Rd
Noyes Street At Churchill Ave
Lenox Ave At Noyes St
Whitesboro St At Court St
Whitesboro St At Lenox Ave (Columbia Square)
Whitesboro St At Schuyler St
Cornelia St At Lafayette St
Cornelia St At Columbia St
Sunset Ave At Noyes St
Broad St At First St
Steuben St At Eagle St
Brinkerhoff Ave At James St
McQuade Ave At South St
Rutger St At Nichols St
Kossuth Ave At Blandina St
Bleecker St At Jefferson Ave
Mohawk St At Mary St
South St At Park Ave
Kemble St At Hobart St