The first modern intersection has been launched in Kaunas. From now on, traffic on the intersection of Pramonės Blvd and Draugystės St. will be orchestrated by advanced lights programmed to operate in a “green street” mode and equipped with wireless traffic flow detectors, the only of the kind across the country. Specialists predict that a lot of main city intersections will be equipped in the same way. Modernisation of this transport node located near a soon-to-be-completed Banginis shopping park has cost to its owners EUR 0.7 million of investment.

The reconstructed intersection has been expanded with new lanes and two new intersections leading to the shopping park. In the words of Rokas Šlekys, director of the Solutions Department of Fima that deployed the traffic regulation system, although the intersection following reconstruction now has more lights, it takes less time for drivers to cover the section that has been upgraded.

“All of the lights at the intersection are linked to work in the so-called ‘green street’ mode, which means that after the lights turn green at one intersection, a driver should be able to pass the rest of them without stopping. Besides, traffic here is orchestrated by wireless traffic flow detectors, the novelty nation-wide. Thanks to them, lights go green at the busiest part of the intersection,” the transportation system specialist said. Wireless detectors are easy to install and operate and their installation does not require dismantling of pavement.

In R. Šlekys’ words, the new lights respond to the time of day and the amount of light, shining with increased intensity during the day and not so bright at night so as not to blind drivers. Just like any other traffic lights that the company deploys these comply with the strictest European Union safety requirements too. The traffic regulation system is customised for easily integration into a centralised traffic control system should the city decide to set one up some time in future.

Andrius Kupčinskas, the Mayor of Kaunas said that overburdened by traffic, this transport node needed reconstruction badly indeed. “This intersection is situated in one of the city’s main arteries and had long been in need for reconstruction. It was nice that the municipality and business people had the same objectives and the reconstruction project was approved in no time. I hope that both city dwellers and guests of the city will appreciate the changes to the infrastructure and that there will be no traffic jams at this spot,” he said. He further said that this was the first modern intersection in the city.

The decision to upgrade the busy intersection of Pramonės Blvd. and Draugystės St. was made anticipating an increase in the traffic flow. On December 3, Banginis shopping park with Prisma mall is scheduled for opening at this intersection.

The investment of over EUR 0.7 million necessary to modernise the intersection and build additional intersections has been allotted by the owners of Banginis shopping park and the company SSPC-Pramonė with the Rakauskas family as the key shareholders. The investment came at no cost for the city budget.