What’s Going On With the Traffic Lights in Billings?

With over 127 city-maintained signalized intersections across Billings, keeping drivers safe on the road is a top priority for the City of Billings Public Works Department.

If you’ve ever driven through an intersection where the lights are acting strange, like maybe they've gone completely dark or they're flashing and then solid, and you've been confused about what's going on, you’re not alone. However, you can rest assured that there's nothing wrong with the lights. They're working exactly as they should be.

Why Signals Sometimes Act Up

Power outages, maintenance work, malfunctions, or even traffic accidents can cause temporary disruptions to the traffic signal systems. When that happens, the city uses an industry-approved safety protocol called the “Intersection Start-Up” procedure to bring the lights back online safely and systematically.

What to Expect During the Start-Up Sequence

When a traffic signal is recovering from a disruption, it doesn’t just pop back on like your living room lamp. It follows a precise sequence designed to keep everyone on the road safe.

All Lights Go Dark: At first, the signal might look like it's completely off. If you come up on a light like this, you should treat the intersection as an all-way stop. That means every driver has to come to a full stop and yield before driving through the light.

Flashing Red for 6 Seconds:  After the dark phase, you’ll see all lights flash red. Think of this like a blinking stop sign. Drivers should keep on treating the intersection as an all-way stop.

Solid Red for 6 Seconds:  Next, all signals will show a solid red light for about six seconds. This pause helps reset the system and prepare for normal operation.

Green on the Main Street: After the red phase, the main street will get a green light, and regular timing resumes from there.

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Why This Process Matters

This short but important sequence helps the traffic signals "sync up" safely, preventing confusion and keeping everyone moving in the right direction. It may seem unusual if you’ve never seen it before, but now that you know what’s happening, you’ll understand when you come up on a signal that’s just coming back online.