Green Café will no longer be the only green amendment to the College Avenue-Dryden Avenue intersection in Collegtown. The implementation of new traffic signals in the spring semester of 2010 will warrant several more “go” lights, replacing the sole current signal — one of the oldest in Ithaca.

“The equipment in that signal is ancient,” said Tim Logue, Ithaca transportation engineer and respective project manager. “When we have failures or breakdowns, it’s a disaster to get it back up,” he said.

According to Logue, the standing system also fails to meet the traffic standard. While a single pole with one traffic light facing each direction currently regulates the intersection, the new plans call for two lights to be visible facing each direction. Logue explained that two corners will host a large pole with two mast arms on which the new traffic signal heads will be placed. Accordingly, drivers approaching the intersection will see two green lights instead of one, which satisfies the standard.

Logue said that the other two corners will entertain pedestrian signal heads—completely novel to the intersection.Thank you, Mr. President: Federal stimulus money will fund a new signal light that is slated to be installed at the intersections of College Avenue and Dryden Road.

“The noticeably old and worn signal is not only out of character with the modern context of the Collegetown core, but it is ill-equipped to handle the heavy traffic and pedestrian flow,” stated Svante Myrick (D-4th Ward), who plays an advisory role on the project. “There are currently no pedestrian signals although thousands of pedestrians cross there every day,” he continued.

In fact, an overwhelming majority of those asked about the intersection favored the implementation of pedestrian signals.

“Everyone’s always scrambling across the street and you always think you’re going to hit someone,” Caily Colantuno ’10, a Collegetown resident, said. “It’s kind of nerve-wracking from a driver’s point of view.”

Collegetown resident Megan Guild ’10, another proponent of pedestrian signals, mentioned the danger posed to walkers concerning cars’ typical fast speeds as they head down Dryden Avenue.

Due to the heavy concern over pedestrians, Logue explained that the “walk” signals will come on before the green signals for cars in order to give those on foot a bit of lead time.

When prompted about improving the intersection, Collegetown resident Evan Schwab ’10 discussed the issue of lanes. While Schwab suggested that additional turning lanes might ease traffic, Logue explained that single lanes in each direction will remain. In fact, instead of widening the intersection, there will be construction on the northeast curb that will widen the sidewalk by two feet. This will permit the removal of the current street light, in exchange for the aforementioned traffic signal, Logue said.

Though $120,000 worth of funding for the project was approved by the Common Council last year, according to Myrick, plans to complete the construction over the summer were halted at the prospect of receiving funding from President Barack Obama’s federal stimulus package.

“Because we were already in the planning stage of the project and it was an infrastructure improvement, we found out we were eligible for funds,” Myrick stated.

Myrick explained that the $200,000 worth of federal funds Ithaca received for this project doubled the amount the city had expected it might collect.

Logue further explained that the city will pay completely for the project’s design, while the stimulus money will go towards construction.

More generally, New York State received $1.1 billion for both highways and bridges, according to Logue. He added that the amount awarded for the traffic construction is one of two projects for which the city received stimulus funding; the other concerns the restoration of the Columbia Street pedestrian bridge.

According to Logue, the construction of the traffic signal will launch in two phases. Those who frequent Collegetown should expect to see the two-week underground construction commence this fall, and the completion of signal installation in April or May 2010.

Until then, we can prepare for our long-anticipated farewell to the outcast traffic officiator.

“It’s not like it’s a beautiful feature in Collegetown, Logue said. “I’d be surprised if too many were terribly worried about it going.”