One of the Village of Oxford’s busiest and most congested intersections will soon be controlled by traffic signals as opposed to stop signs.
Workers from the Imlay City-based Metro Electrical last week began installing eight traffic signals at the intersection of E. Burdick St./Lakeville Rd. and Glaspie St.
Each side of the four-way intersection now has two standard signals, forming a box around it.
Once operational, village Manager Joe Young said the lights will flash red on all sides until construction at the intersection is completed sometime before Thanksgiving.
‘That’s the plan,? he said.
A $47,000 right-turn lane on the east side of the intersection ? for westbound Lakeville Road traffic turning onto northbound Glaspie St. ? is currently being installed.
Young said the intersection itself and portions of the roads leading up to it will also be re-surfaced with a ‘high strength, super-pave? asphalt ? ‘the same thing that’s used on M-24? ? in order to better withstand all the traffic, especially stopping and turning large trucks, which put more wear and tear on the road.
Once construction at the intersection is complete, Young said the traffic signals will run the normal red-yellow-green cycle between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The rest of the time they will blink red, making a four-way stop.
It cost the village approximately $100,000 to install signals at the intersection, according to the manager.
Young said the lights were paid for using a mix of funds from the village’s $2.5 million bond for street improvements and $30,000 in donations from developers REI, Greg Christopher and Mark Hubbard, secured by Oxford Township Supervisor Bill Dunn.