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Tucson's first 'blue light' installed at Grant and Craycroft

New traffic lights are to help catch red light runners
Posted at 2:27 PM, Sep 06, 2023
and last updated 2023-09-06 21:29:16-04

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The installation of blue lights at Tucson intersections has begun, and that means the traffic will be backing up on certain streets throughout the city while the lights are being worked on.

On Wednesday, the first installation of blue lights, which are intended to help fight red light runners began at Grant and Craycroft Roads.

The Department of Transportation says the installation will go until 6 p.m. Wednesday and the lights will be activated Thursday morning.

There will be some delays throughout Thursday at that intersection and the project should be completed by Thursday afternoon.

The new lights will help fight red light runners because the blue light lets a police officer know if the red light is red, even if the officer can’t see the light for himself.

An officer can watch an intersection from a safe location, and still see if a driver ran the red when alerted by the blue light.

Pima County says it has been using the system for about 20 years but the City of Tucson is now adding them to certain intersections within the city limits.

Dave Morgan, who drives his van through the intersection multiple times a day for work says he thinks it'll take more than a blue light to stop reckless drivers.

“This is a terrible intersection. They could write 100 tickets a day here if they wanted to and that would pay for a blue light probably. If there were to be a law enforcement presence here it should be a human," Morgan said.

The lights will be activated on September 7.

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