Traffic lights in front of Costco now operational for testing

RIDGELAND — New traffic signals at the entrance to Costco on the Highland Colony Parkway went into operation last week putting the project ahead of schedule.

“They are in operation,” said Mike McCollom, Ridgeland public works director. “There is a 30-day burn-in period and that has started, but the average driver would not ever know it was in that type of a cycle.”

McCollom said engineers will be monitoring traffic flow during the next 30 days and making adjustments as necessary.

“We do have to adjust the timing to make sure they are synced up with the lights that are right there in the area, so you don’t have a green light and then all the sudden you catch a red one on the other one,” McCollom said. “We do have to install some additional markings on the road.”

When work began on installing the new traffic signals late last month, officials said the lights would not be completed until May.

“There are going to be minor adjustments going forward like with anything you just put in operation,” McCollom said. “We don’t expect any serious problems or anything like that.”

The new traffic lights replaced temporary traffic signals that were installed last March when Costco opened. 

The temporary lights were necessary because ordering the antique-looking traffic signal poles was a long-term delay, officials said.

The new lights were 100% paid for through $926,000 in grants from the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District administered through the Mississippi Department of Transportation as part of a Local Public Agency project, McCollum said.