Traffic

Welcome to Traffic and Traffic Communications. Here you can find information about how we use traffic signals, street lighting, pavement markings, and signs to support safety and mobility.

The Traffic and Traffic Communications teams work to maintain a safe environment for all users of Bellingham’s streets and sidewalks. We emphasize quality in our work and collaborate closely with other City departments and divisions to achieve these goals.

 The major tasks that Traffic and Traffic Communications handle are:

Work on traffic signals falls into three general categories:

  • Preventive maintenance: Staff inspect every traffic signal controller monthly to ensure it operates properly. Crews also walk the intersections to check pedestrian push buttons, look for needed repairs, and address issues such as graffiti on cabinets.
  • Lamp replacement: Once a year, crews replace signal lamps. During this work, they also clean lenses and refractors, check light alignment, and inspect the condition of poles.
  • Trouble calls: Staff respond to reports of accident damage or malfunctions as they occur. During business hours, crews strive to respond to these calls promptly. After hours, responses follow a priority system set by Maintenance and Engineering. Some issues require immediate attention, while others can wait until the next morning. Problems can include burned‑out lights, malfunctioning detectors, or electronic failures in the cabinet.

Work on the signs and pavement markings generally is one of two activities:

  • Sign maintenance: Crews replace damaged or missing signs, posts, and anchors. They also wash sign faces, straighten posts, check visibility, and test reflectivity. New signs are installed as needed. Signs marked with graffiti must be replaced, since removing paint also removes the reflective coating.
  • Pavement markings: Each summer, City crews and contractors refresh crosswalks, stop bars, symbols, parking stalls, and other markings. Most crosswalks, symbols, and stop bars use plastic marking tape, while rough surfaces require paint. Crews also paint curbs for no‑parking, loading, and accessible zones, as well as fog lines, bike lanes, and some center lanes. In the Central Business District and Fairhaven, stripes mark parking stalls. Painting can only occur in warm, dry conditions, so all jobs are scheduled when the weather permits. During the summer, crews also install or replace pavement buttons on new or existing street surfaces.

  • The City is currently upgrading all City streetlights into smart LED fixtures.
  • LED streetlights significantly reduce the City’s carbon footprint by drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Energy-efficient LED streetlights are expected to save the City over $200,000 annually.
  • LED lights produce better color rendering and uniform illumination patterns as opposed to old, high-pressure sodium fixtures.
  • The City’s new LED lights are guaranteed to last 10 years, and are expected to last at least 20 years.
  • The smart LED lights contain a node that alerts the central network about a failure.
  • The LED lights can be adjusted based on customer requests, and to save additional energy during low-occupancy times.
  • LED streetlights have been shown to increase public safety. This national lighting standard is consistent with Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) standards.
  • The City owns approximately 3,600 streetlights around town. The City pays for an additional 1,700 streetlights owned and operated by Puget Sound Energy, which are also being converted to more energy-efficient lights.

See the Traffic Maps page

See the Mobile Speed Trailer request form.

See the Community Streets Program webpage.

Resources

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