INDIANAPOLIS — Following the Indianapolis City-County Council's overwhelming approval for new "no-turn-on-red" signs to be placed throughout the city, the Department of Public Works announced Aug. 9 that the city will begin installing the signs as early as Aug. 10.
A DPW spokesperson said he expects "hundreds" of signs to be installed beginning Thursday, but DPW doesn't have an exact number at this time.
Per the ordinance, DPW is required to post the location of where each no-turn-on-red sign will be placed.
Indianapolis is working to cut down on crashes involving pedestrians. Crews are installing dozens of signs around busy intersections.
Drivers turning right at intersections across the city will have to be extra cautious.
"Did you see that?" said Norman Davis.
Davis noticed some drivers turning on red while installing new No Turn On Red signs at Pennsylvania and Ohio Streets. "So, it's going to be new to them," said Davis.
Davis looks at traffic differently, as an employee for the Department of Public Works for 28 years. "Since i've been looking at signs when I'm out of town, 'oh that's wrong,'" said Davis.
He believes these are right. He would know. He's installed countless. "Probably a couple thousand or more."
For him, keeping pedestrians safe in intersections known for crashes around downtown is personal. "I had a couple friends that got hit walking across the street and then they didn't see them," Davis said.
He and another crew will replace and install new signs at 97 intersections as part of the first phase of the project before adding more. "The new signs right now we had No Turn On Reds, but they were just letters now they're putting the red dot up there," Davis said.
The signs will take months to install. Davis hopes his hard work will pay off. "That's going to make them stop so that pedestrians can get across the street. So, that's pretty good," said Davis.
City Council approved this project back in June despite the Indiana General Assembly passing a law that would have prevented No Turn On Red bans.
DPW has a full list of the intersections receiving new signs on its website.