Riverside transportation officials presented the city's updated 2026 traffic signal priority rankings Wednesday, outlining how staff evaluate requests for new traffic signals and emphasizing that the list is intended as a planning tool rather than a construction plan.
The annual ranking identifies 51 unsignalized intersections throughout Riverside that staff monitor based on resident requests and observed operational or safety concerns. Public Works staff said the list helps the city consistently evaluate where future traffic signals may be warranted but is not a recommendation to construct new signals.
Principal Transportation Planner Ethan Sun said the city receives routine requests from residents seeking traffic signals at intersections throughout Riverside.
"Because constructing a traffic signal is a significant investment, it is important that we evaluate each location using the same objective criteria," Sun told the Transportation Board.
The city's ranking system is based on traffic signal warrants outlined in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and incorporates additional local factors, including traffic volumes, collision history, pedestrian and bicycle activity, posted speed limits, proximity to nearby signals and other operational conditions. Staff said the ranking system has no maximum score because it is intended to compare intersections relative to one another based on overall need.
This year's highest-ranked intersection is Washington Street and Victoria Avenue with 112 points, followed by Spruce Street and Rustin Avenue with 95 points and Palm Avenue and Dewey Avenue with 88 points.
Sun noted that despite its top ranking, the Washington Street and Victoria Avenue intersection remains on the list only for tracking purposes because previous City Council direction and the city's Victoria Avenue policy call for preserving the historic corridor. Rather than installing a traffic signal there, staff would consider alternative traffic-control measures if future improvements become necessary.
Staff also emphasized that satisfying a traffic signal warrant does not automatically result in a new signal. Engineering judgment, available funding, right-of-way needs, environmental constraints and broader city priorities all factor into whether a project moves forward. In many cases, staff said, other improvements — such as median modifications, turn restrictions or neighborhood traffic circles — may provide more effective safety and operational benefits than installing a traffic signal.
During the discussion, board members asked about the city's traffic signal system and congestion at freeway ramps.
Sun said Riverside has more than 400 signalized intersections, excluding those controlled by Caltrans. Public Works staff said the city regularly coordinates with Caltrans regarding traffic signal timing at freeway ramps and recently established quarterly meetings with agency staff to address ongoing concerns.
