- Home
- Departments
- Public Works
- Traffic Services
Traffic Services
The Traffic Services division works to provide safe and efficient movement of people and goods on public streets.
Traffic Services collects and analyzes data for the proper selection and application of traffic control devices like street signs, pavement markings, and signals.
Development Assistance
Traffic Services works with developers as they plan for traffic needs of new projects with in the city. Services include review of plats for compliance with street layout requirements, and review of site plans for compliance with parking and access requirements.
Transportation Planning
Traffic is an integral part of the City's transportation planning efforts, and provides traffic engineering expertise to the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board.
Signals: Maintenance
Signal Maintenance operates and maintains the City's traffic control devices. These include 165 intersection control signals, 6 mid-block pedestrian signals, 26 school speed flashers, and 3 warning flashers.
Signs: Installation & Maintenance
Signs and Markings installs, maintains, and in some cases, makes the traffic control signs and street name signs on Abilene streets and on City facilities. There are as many as 15,000 traffic control signs and 9,000 street name signs throughout Abilene.
Pavement Markings: Installation & Maintenance
Signs and Markings installs and maintains pavement markings on City streets and at City facilities. These include centerlines, lane lines, crosswalks, parking stalls, curb markings, and more.
Hazard Abatement
Signs and Markings investigates and abates traffic hazards created by vegetation (tree limbs, bushes, weeds, etc.) blocking traffic control signs and signals, or creating blind corners for drivers.
Parking Enforcement
Traffic Services enforces time and other parking regulations in Downtown Abilene's Central Business District, which includes approximately 660 on-street parking spaces with time limits.
Street Lights
Traffic Services installs and maintains the 61 City owned street lights located on traffic signal poles. Most of Abilene's street lights (8,700+) are installed and maintained by the electric utility companies. For information on reporting a street light outage, see Street Light Repair.
School Crossing Guards
School crossing guards assist elementary and middle school children in crossing busy streets in 15 to 17 locations. The hours may be varied slightly to accommodate specific location needs, but occur between 7 am to 8:30 am and 3 pm to 4:30 pm.
What Can I Do To Help?
Motorists can assist in keeping our kids safe each day by obeying the laws concerning the school zones. In our busy lives sometimes we all forget how hazardous our vehicles can be to these youngsters. You can help by remembering these simple guidelines:
- Cell phone use in a school zone is prohibited: This includes texting!
- Stay Alert: Watch for small children. Children often dart out from behind a parked car.
- Slow Down: Obey the maximum speed limit in school zones and the 30 mile per hour maximum speed limit on residential streets.
- Do Not Stop or Park on a Crosswalk: This is against the law. All vehicles must stop 20 feet in advance of the crosswalk.
- Be Patient: Proceed into the crosswalk or intersection only after all pedestrians are all clear of the crosswalk.
- Obey the Crossing Guards and School Officials: They are there to protect the children but can only do so with your cooperation. It is a violation of State Law to
willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction to stop and yield to pedestrians given by any School Crossing Guard while in performance of his duties in a designated school-crossing zone.
- Don't stop in the travel lane: Even if you are just dropping off or picking up students, you can slow down traffic and delay everyone.
For more information on school zone safety, you can contact the Traffic and Transportation Division at 325-676-6281.