NEW ORLEANS — The Moreno Administration is launching a citywide plan to assess, repair, and modernize New Orleans’ aging traffic signal infrastructure, with a focus on improving public safety, reducing outages, and improving traffic flow.
The City of New Orleans Department of Public Works maintains and manages more than 400 traffic signals citywide. More than 190 of those are located on state routes, but DPW has the responsibility to conduct annual inspections and perform maintenance. Unfortunately, many of the city’s traffic signals and related components are at or beyond their useful life. As a result, some signals short out and revert to “flash” mode during or after rain events due to water intrusion.
Phase 1 of the plan begins immediately and will focus on identifying the most urgent traffic signal issues, developing a repair strategy, and advancing safety-driven improvements.
DPW will conduct a focused five-to-seven-week assessment of intersections most susceptible to water intrusion and recurring “flash” operations, when signals revert to flashing red or stop-control conditions. The initial review is expected to identify an estimated 25 to 40 intersections requiring further repair or replacement work.
Following that assessment, DPW will develop a repair and replacement plan within two to four weeks, including cost estimates and recommended scopes of work. Repairs and upgrades are expected to begin in 2026 and may include replacing damaged wiring, repairing or replacing collapsed conduit lines, and upgrading signal cabling and related infrastructure.
As part of Phase 1, DPW will also continue implementing asset management tools to track signal assessments, repairs, upgrades, and replacements. This work will support a more proactive, data-driven maintenance program using asset history, service records, and 311 data to identify and address malfunctioning signals before they create larger safety or mobility issues.
Phase 1 will also prioritize safety-driven deployment of new traffic signals, flashing beacons, and pedestrian signals, particularly in corridors identified by the City’s Safety Action Plan. DPW will improve signal timing and hardware to better support Complete Streets, including pedestrian access, dedicated bike lanes, and transit priority treatments. The department will also coordinate with NOPD, the Orleans Parish Communication District, and other emergency response partners to address traffic signal issues in high-crash locations and emergency scenarios.
Phase 2 of the plan focuses on securing funding for a fully upgraded system.
In 2027, the Administration will prioritize funding requests for remote-accessible controllers and upgraded signal hardware.
The City will also review whether all currently signalized intersections still require active traffic signals or whether some can be converted to signage where appropriate, reducing energy use and maintenance costs.
“We are continuing to work with urgency to make significant improvements to longstanding problems. Reliable traffic signals are essential to public safety, emergency response, and the daily movement of residents, workers, and visitors,” said Mayor Helena Moreno. “This plan moves us from a reactive system to a proactive one identifying problem areas, making repairs, modernizing equipment, and using data to make smarter decisions.”
“At DPW we are committed to do things differently to ensure better outcomes,” said Steve Nelson Deputy CAO of Infrastructure. “This is a practical, safety-driven plan to fix what is broken, modernize what is outdated, and make sure New Orleans has a traffic signal system that works better for everyone.”
Report malfunctioning signals to 311 to help the City track issues and accelerate repairs.