Traffic

Operation & Management

Traffic Operations utilizes engineering techniques to achieve the safe and efficient movement of people and goods on roadways. Traffic operations involves the coordination, organization, guidance, and control of both stationary and moving traffic, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and all types of vehicles. It focuses mainly on safe and efficient traffic flow, through as road geometry, sidewalks and crosswalks, cycling infrastructure, traffic signs, road surface markings and traffic lights. Traffic operations deals with the functional part of transportation system.

Typical traffic engineering projects involve designing traffic control device installations and modifications, including traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings. 

Examples of Engineering. 

• Traffic operations also considers traffic safety by investigating locations with high crash rates and developing countermeasures to reduce crashes. 
• Traffic flow management can be short-term (preparing construction traffic control plans, including detour plans for pedestrian and vehicular traffic) or long-term (estimating the impacts of proposed commercial/residential developments on traffic patterns). Increasingly, traffic problems are being addressed by developing systems for intelligent transportation systems.

Responsibilities

• Receives and responds to inquiries and comments from the public on transportation related issues
• Plans, designs, and operates the city's traffic signal system and school / pedestrian flashing beacons
• Plans, designs, and directs the implementation of all regulatory, parking, street name, guide, and warning signs
• Plans, designs, and directs the implementation of pavement markings
• Conducts traffic / pedestrian counts and transportat/2030/Back-to-School-Safetyion studies
• Organizes the administration of traffic signals and other traffic safety improvement projects
• Reviews traffic-related features of plats, site plans, transportation studies, and long-range plans
• Coordinates federal aid for transportation improvement projects
• Reviews construction signage for all work conducted in the public rights of way
• Reviews routes and issues permits for the movement of oversize loads
• Prepares the annual Capital Improvements Program for roadway projects

Pedestrian Safety

• To improve safety for children and adults crossing the roadway in high traffic areas, the city of Bismarck has begun installing curb extensions or “bump outs”, improving safety for students and their families when crossing the street. Learn more.