Lawton, OK – The City of Lawton is nearing completion of a traffic signal improvement project along Gore Boulevard, with 10 of the 11 planned intersections already upgraded and the final installation scheduled for November 12.
The city’s Public Works team is working to improve traffic flow and address residents’ concerns about signal timing through upgrades to traffic signal equipment at intersections along the busy roadway.
According to the city, the improvements include new signal controllers, malfunction management units and GPS receivers, along with programming and testing to improve coordination between intersections.
The final upgrade, located at 38th Street, is expected to complete the current phase of the project.
City officials also said additional signal timing adjustments are planned after the installations are finished, allowing staff to evaluate how the upgraded signals operate together and make further changes where needed.
However, the city is also looking beyond traditional traffic signal timing.
A proposed next phase would introduce traffic activation technology that allows signals to respond to actual traffic conditions rather than relying entirely on preset timing schedules.
The system would use vehicle detection equipment to identify traffic demand and adjust signal operations accordingly, potentially helping reduce unnecessary waiting times and improve traffic movement.
Staff reported that grant funding through the Lawton Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program is available to support the proposed improvements at at least nine of the 11 intersections.
The next phase is estimated to cost approximately $34,000 to $35,000 per intersection, with about $394,000 in grant funding available.
The city thanked residents for their patience while the work continues and said the upgrades are part of ongoing efforts to improve traffic conditions along Gore Boulevard.
