NYSDOT Confirms Plans to Upgrade Several Traffic Signals in Cortland County – Includes Port Watson/Church Street Signals

After a resident of the City of Cortland brought up concerns regarding the traffic light at the intersection of Church and Port Watson Street in the city, X101 News reached out to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) for further information.

NYSDOT Region 3 Public Information Officer, TeNesha Murphy, told X101 News, the traffic light is on the list of about a dozen signals planned to receive detection upgrades. She added the upgrades will be done over the next two years for the signals. Those upgrades will be a variety of intelligent transportation solutions, Murphy added, this includes signal upgrades, and non-intrusive video detection devices.

The traffic light at Church Street and Port Watson is one of the busier signaled intersections in the city. The intersection is also the cross for State Routes 13, and 41 and U.S. Route 11.

Concerns brought up about the intersection were that of waiting times for motorists who are on Church Street. Cortland resident Mike Dexter spoke to the City of Cortland Common Council saying that if you catch the light at the wrong time, you could be waiting for minutes. He added he has seen this light provide a green arrow for traffic that is not there on Port Watson while vehicles are still waiting to turn on Church Street.