Post by City of Hays

🚦 An Update on 8th & Fort: Why it’s been a 3-Way Stop (And when the lights are coming back!) We know, we know. The intersection of 8th and Fort has felt a bit like a waiting game since March. We’ve heard the community feedback, and we completely appreciate your patience while this corner has been running on temporary three-way stop signs. It’s definitely taken longer than a standard traffic light repair, and we want to pull back the curtain on why you haven't seen crews out there spinning wrenches yet. Turns out, it wasn't quite as simple as running down to the local hardware store for a quick fix. 🛠️ 👀 First, We Did Some Homework When a vehicle accident unfortunately destroyed the entire control box back in March, it left us with a blank slate. Instead of just rushing to replace it, our teams used the opportunity to conduct a mini traffic study. We wanted to see if the three-way stop actually functioned better or if restoring the full signal was the right move for long-term traffic flow. Ultimately, the data showed that restoring the intersection control lights is the best option for Hays drivers. 💻 Why Can't We Just Grab a Spare Box? A lot of people have reasonably asked: “Why doesn't the City just keep a backup control box in the garage?” Think of a traffic control box like a high-powered computer. If we bought a spare and let it sit on a shelf in a warehouse, it would sit there unused for a decade or more because replacing an entire box is incredibly rare. By the time we actually needed this highly expensive equipment, the technology would be completely outdated, and the warranty would be long gone. 📦 The Waiting Game (And What's Next) Because these control boxes are highly specialized, custom-built pieces of equipment, the lead time to get one manufactured is significant. The good news? The new box has been ordered! 🥳 The timeline? We expect the new control box to arrive by early August. Once it lands in Hays, crews will need about a week to completely replace the box and overhaul the wiring in the lights themselves. If everything goes according to plan, you'll see those familiar red, yellow, and green lights shining again before the middle of August. Until then, please continue to treat 8th and Fort as a three-way stop, drive safely, and thank you again for bearing with us as we get this intersection completely modernized! 🚗💨 #HaysKS #CityOfHays #TrafficUpdate #Infrastructure #CommunityFirst