YORK COUNTY, Pa. -- There is a new traffic monitoring system being used in part of York county. The adaptive traffic light system was activated just yesterday and is meant to help traffic on Route 30 from North Hills Road to Kenneth Road. The only problem is it could cause a holdup for other drivers trying to get onto the busy roadway.
The new system records the traffic flow and adjusts traffic lights on Route 30 accordingly. PennDOT spokesperson, Greg Penny, says the only holdup could be for folks trying to turn off side roads onto Route 30.
"It is an improvement, but there will be some adjustments for people that use the side roads," said Penny. "You may not get on as quickly. I think what I want to get out to people is that they may need to be a little more patient and adjust to a change in the system out there."
The new adaptive system is a positive change for people already driving on Route 30, says Penny, but for drivers like Maritza Febus, who turn onto Route 30 from side roads, you should be prepared for a longer wait.
"I think the traffic on 30 is fine because you get where you got to get to, but if they're trying to make it faster by changing the lights, it's going to be horrible trying to get on 30," said Maritza Febus. She makes the drive every day.
There are 12 intersections on a 4.5 mile stretch, between North Hills Road and Kenneth Road with the new traffic signal systems. One man hopes to see a difference in his drive soon when he goes to visit family.
"I think its a great idea," said Sansom Snelbaker, who lives in York. "I think that's a lot better, and maybe traffic will flow more easy."
Drivers we spoke with say traffic is the worst during evening rush hour, a time PennDOT says will not change too much. The most noticeable difference will be during the day. So far, drivers we spoke to say they have not noticed a change since the new system turned on.
You may see even more of these adaptive traffic signal systems pop up in York county. PennDOT is looking at another stretch of roads on Route 74 between Dover and York. It's a 2.3 million dollar project coming from federal and state funds, according to Penny.