City of Frisco Engineering Standards

Engineering Standards
2.09 Traffic Signal Installation
A. Introduction – According to the Texas Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD),
traffic control signals should not be installed unless one or more of the signal warrants in the
manual are met. The satisfaction of a warrant or warrants is not in itself justification for a signal.
Information should be obtained by means of engineering studies and compared with the
requirements set forth in the warrants. The engineering study should indicate the installation of a
traffic signal will improve the overall safety and/or operation of the intersection. If these
requirements are not met, a traffic signal should neither be put into operation nor continued in
operation (if already installed).
B. Warrant Criteria
1. To justify the installation of a traffic signal, Part IV in the TMUTCD shall be followed. Part
IV describes the warrants for a traffic signal installation and provides guidelines and
requirements for the actual design and operation of a traffic signal.
2. Engineering studies must be conducted in order to assess whether a particular location
satisfies the warrant criteria listed in the TMUTCD. These studies may include one or more
of the following:
a. Traffic volume counts
b. Pedestrian volume counts
c. Delay studies
d. Speed studies
e. Gap studies
f. Diagram of physical conditions
g. Accident studies
C. Traffic Signal Spacing – Signal spacing is an important factor in being able to provide
progressive flow for a platoon of traffic. Traffic signal spacing shall be determined by the
Director of Engineering Services.
D. Traffic Signal Design and Installation – The design and installation of traffic signals shall follow
the City’s Technical Specifications.
E. Cost of Traffic Signal Installation
1. Traffic signals where a private driveway or a residential street intersects with a Type A or B
thoroughfare – The developer is responsible for the total cost of designing and constructing a
traffic signal that would only be warranted based on the traffic generated by the development.
The developer shall escrow funds for the cost of the traffic signal and the City shall construct
the traffic signal at the time of development or when the development reaches a certain level
of activity, as determined by the Director of Engineering Services. If a future traffic signal
will equally serve a development on each side of the thoroughfare, each development shall be
responsible for half the cost of the traffic signal.
Section 2 – Thoroughfare Design Requirements May 2012 Page 2-51