Montgomery County Precinct 3 is in the process of upgrading a 10-year-old video vehicle signal system to a radar vehicle signal detection system in The Woodlands after the traffic signal system started to malfunction, according to Precinct 3 officials. The traffic signal updates will help the flow of traffic and detect vehicles better than the previous vehicle detection system.

Charles Cobb, Montgomery County traffic operations manager, said the old vehicle detection component of the system that was being used can be thrown off by natural elements, such as trees and shadows.

“The county is currently replacing equipment as it fails,” Cobb said. “The new technology we add will serve the area better.”

According to Precinct 3, the total cost of the upgrades is expected to be $848,200. Intersections that have been updated with new technology or upgrades have seen faster travel times and higher speeds. For example, on Research Forest Drive, from Kuykendahl Road to David Memorial Drive, travel time decreased by almost 4 minutes, with average speeds increasing by 10 mph.

However, The Woodlands Township is still debating whether to spend $975,000 to speed up the process of installing new upgrades in The Woodlands, according to township officials.

"The new technology we add will serve the area better.”

– Charles Cobb, Montgomery County traffic operations manager

Mike Bass, vice chairman of the township’s board of directors, said the amount was intended to be used as part of an agreement the township had with the county in 2014, in which the $975,000 would be used to pilot a program on adaptive signal technology.

“The technology at that time was found to be unsuccessful at intersections and the county was advised to continue with manual timing,” Bass said. “However, we still want to upgrade the controller and signal detection.”

Bass said Commissioner James Noack’s office has been trying to replace the technology and use the $975,000 from the township to help fund upgrades on traffic signals. If the township agrees to help fund the upgrades, Bass said Precinct 3 could have the signals upgraded within 12 to 18 months, rather than an estimated three to five years without the township’s funding.

The township board of directors will meet at 6 p.m. March 23 to consider approving funding for the new traffic signal upgrades. Bass said he thinks by working together with the county, The Woodlands can achieve more change.

“The overall issue is that there is just a lack of funding,” Bass said. “There is no lack of understanding what the needs are.”