Edmond Making Traffic Changes, Gearing Up For Driverless Cars

The City of Edmond is hoping to cut down on your commute through major traffic changes.

Edmond just got done linking all the intersections on 2nd Street to a fiber optic network.

In the event of a traffic accident or a major event, traffic lights can be adjusted from one place. The other intersections in town must be manually changed on location.

The City claims commute times on 2nd Street have already been cut with the technology.

Phase two of the project includes 23 intersections in Northwest Edmond along Covell and Danforth, and south of 2nd Street on Broadway.

Phase two will cost Edmond more than $4 million. It goes out for bid in the fall.

There’s a secondary benefit to the technology.

Edmond wants to be ready for driverless cars.

“You’re going to have a change in traffic patterns, whatever that is. Whether it’s more traffic, less traffic, there’s going to be some sort of change and we’ll have the flexibility to adjust to that almost immediately,” said Edmond Public Information Officer Casey Moore.