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National Boards => General Highway Talk => Traffic Control => Topic started by: DevalDragon on August 05, 2014, 09:32:14 PM

Title: Traffic Signal turns 100 today
Post by: DevalDragon on August 05, 2014, 09:32:14 PM
Since nobody mentioned it, I thought I'd throw it out there.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/chi-traffic-light-turns-100-today-20140805-story.html

Traffic Signal turns 100 today!
Title: Re: Traffic Signal turns 100 today
Post by: Brandon on August 06, 2014, 12:37:15 PM
Quote from: DevalDragon on August 05, 2014, 09:32:14 PM
Since nobody mentioned it, I thought I'd throw it out there.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/chi-traffic-light-turns-100-today-20140805-story.html

Traffic Signal turns 100 today!

And yet, they missed the inventor of the modern three-lamp (red/yellow/green) and automatic traffic signal, Detroit policeman William Potts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Potts).  He invented the modern signal in 1920 and the controller in 1921.  The first one was at Michigan and Woodward, also known as Campus Martius.
Title: Re: Traffic Signal turns 100 today
Post by: Henry on August 06, 2014, 01:15:46 PM
I never knew that! Happy centennial to the traffic signal! :clap:
Title: Re: Traffic Signal turns 100 today
Post by: tradephoric on August 06, 2014, 02:08:48 PM
A few pictures of Detroit traffic lights.

Michigan & Griswold in background (just west of Campus Martius):
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi478.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr144%2Ftradephoric%2FTransportation%2520Pictures%2FDetroit%2FtrafficlightcornerofMichiganandGriswoldtrafficlightin_zps94cf96f3.jpg&hash=3addd33c56cdc9b4be4aaf15426e70f676e1b9c4)

Congress & Woodward:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kbrhorse.net%2Fsigpics2%2Fpotts_signal_intersection.jpg&hash=344c55eb0f0f07afd0c9c45a4928841aba46112e)

Cadillac Square (old Hudson's building in background) circa 1920:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fpublishing.cdlib.org%2Fucpressebooks%2Fdata%2F13030%2Fzm%2Fft8779p1zm%2Ffigures%2Fft8779p1zm_00029.jpg&hash=9d16cacbeece4572f4572850deb1f4daac253320)

Other pictures:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi478.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr144%2Ftradephoric%2FTransportation%2520Pictures%2FMichiganWoodward1920-1.jpg&hash=ef056fa77a8b34f25cf5bec2fc0436a9691bff59)

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atdetroit.net%2Fforum%2Fmessages%2F6790%2F60629.jpg&hash=65e19601d8a1ec398b2c58556137f496d474ee72)