Traffic lights will be put in dangerous intersections to prevent car crashes

Projects are underway in Yuma to bring safety to the community

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma Police Department (YPD) says the city needs more stop lights in order to prevent car crashes.

Johnny Vidrio, YPD's Traffic Motor Sergeant say locals bring up these concerns during community outreach events.

"So we bring that up to city engineering, engineering takes a look at it," Vidrio says. "They conduct their studies, and the city as a whole and as a team work together from the citizens concerns up to city engineering conducting their survey and finishing a project."

Then it goes into the hands of Yuma's Capital Improvement Program.

"They take this program and start making the changes that they need too," says Vidrio.

As of right now there are two intersections getting traffic lights.

The project design that is 90 percent complete is 18th street and Avenue C by Cibola High School.

"This intersection has been a big debate from the high school kids and the residents that live in Falls Ranch," Vidrio continues. "Not only that, there's several accidents and collisions that have occurred in that intersection."

Kourtney McClellan, Cibola High School teacher says she's happy traffic lights will be installed for less congestion.

"I personally have had to sit through that before and it's not fun," McClellan says. "So it'll finally be nice to have a light there so that I'm not sitting there 10, 15, 20 minutes, just waiting to actually turn."

McClellan says people have even slammed on their breaks because of students crossing the street.

Handicap ramps will be also be added on all four corners.

"That'll be kind of nice so it's easier for them to actually get on the sidewalk," McClellan mentions.

The median filled with palm trees on the east side of Avenue C will be removed to create a turn lane.

YPD says within the past two years, there has been nine car crashes in this location.

The design will be finished in June and construction is expected to start this fall.

Completion of the project is set for early 2024.

The second project in the works is the 33rd Drive to 45th Ave widening project.

This will include adding traffic signals on 28th Street and Avenue C that is scheduled for 2024.

In this location, there has been nine collisions with one fatality within the past two years, according to YPD.

You can find the latest city maintenance projects in Yuma, here.