YUCCA VALLEY’S NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS EXPLAINED

The new traffic signals in Yucca Valley are the talk of the town, and not necessarily in a good way. Six years ago, the environmental impact report for the new Super Walmart required Walmart to install stop lights at the intersection of Inca and Highway 62, and at Yucca Trail and Palomar and Yucca Trail and Joshua Lane as a way to mitigate increased traffic at these intersections. One thing many people are talking about are the cameras on top of the new signals. These are NOT red light cameras. The cameras are replacing the sensors in the pavement that detect the presence of vehicles at the signal. When a vehicle moves into the camera’s field of view, it triggers a sensor that changes the light. Since two of the Town’s newest signals are not on state highway 62, they will not be maintained by CalTrans. The Town will be contracting with a company for routine signal maintenance at an estimated cost of $3000 per year. Town street maintenance workers will also receive training so that they can respond on short notice to address minor operating issues. The costs for the training and emergency repairs are funded by community facilities district maintenance fees on new developments and projects in the town.