Nicole Moons/MCDOT

A worker installing adaptive signal control technology on Bell Road.

A pilot project along a major north side thoroughfare could soon mean less "stop" and more "go" for motorists. Maricopa County is almost done installing adaptive traffic lights along Bell Road.   

All the traffic lights on Bell between Surprise and Scottsdale will soon be using adaptive technology.

“It goes through and analyzes what’s going on with the traffic patterns and flows second by second,” said April Wire, intelligent transportation systems project manager with the Maricopa County Department of Transportation. “Each timing cycle will be different, the patterns will be different, how much green time it gets will be different.”

More efficient signaling should lead to less driving time along Bell Road. Wire said the department is trying to mitigate the crush of traffic along Bell when drivers are trying to avoid congestion on the freeway.

“The adaptive system is able to handle those very drastic changes in traffic,” she said.

Much of the road has its adaptive signals turned on. The last remaining section, occupying the Phoenix area, should be ready by the end of September.