BRIEFS. Transportation

Panama city to get new traffic lights

The government will spend $19 million to upgrade Panama City's stop lights which will hopefully lead to fewer traffic jams.

The new stoplights will be networked so that controllers at a command center in Clayton can better regulate the flow of traffic. They will also have sensors that will change the light if a vehicle is waiting at an otherwise empty intersection.

The Autoridad de Tránsito y Transporte Terrestre (ATTT) awarded the contract to Spanish company Telvent Tráfico y Transporte. Another part of the contract will be to install cameras at five intersections so that controllers can visually monitor traffic congestion. The cameras will be located in San Miguelito, Albrook, and on Vía España, Vía Ricardo J. Alfaro and La Transístmica.

ATTT officials said the cameras will not be used for security reasons, such as identifying vehicles that run red lights, which is a common practice in other countries.

The old lights will be installed at intersections in other parts of the country, including Colón and La Chorrera.