DATE: May 7, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Public Works Department
TITLE: Purchase OF Advanced Traffic Signal ControllerS
RECOMMENDATION
title
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a purchase order to CT WEST, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $175,000, to purchase a minimum of 25 Advanced Traffic Signal controllers (ATC) for the Public Works/Traffic Engineering Division; approve the procurement as a sole source purchase; and authorize the Financial Services Director, or designee, to execute the purchase order.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The City of Oceanside is in the process of modernizing its traffic signal infrastructure to support enhanced safety, reliability, and future smart mobility applications. One element of this effort includes replacing outdated traffic signal controllers, which are limited in capability and have been discontinued from the supplier. The modern Intelight Advanced Transportation Controllers (ATC) proposed for purchase are designed to improve signal performance, enable more flexible programming for multimodal operations, and integrate seamlessly with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) devices.
This controller upgrade is part of a larger initiative to standardize equipment Citywide, reduce maintenance costs, and provide more robust tools for real-time traffic management and remote diagnostics. Upgrading to ATC controllers also supports compliance with current Federal and State standards for signal timing, accessibility, and system interoperability. Currently, the City of Oceanside maintains 163 traffic signalized intersections. Of these, 93 traffic signal controllers were upgraded to ATC controllers through a Caltrans Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant, and an additional 24 were purchased separately. There are 46 remaining traffic signal controllers that have not been upgraded. This purchase with CT West will upgrade at least 25 traffic signal controllers leaving 21 outdated signal controllers.
Upgrading to the Intelight ATC will allow the City to implement advanced signal timing strategies, including transit signal priority, adaptive coordination, and pedestrian safety enhancements like leading pedestrian intervals and automatic pedestrian recall during high-volume periods.
Staff has reached out to peer agencies currently using Intelight ATC controllers and found consistent reports of improved system reliability, better support tools, and easier integration with existing central traffic management software. These benefits align with the City's goals of improving traffic signal efficiency and preparing for future expansions in smart mobility technology. CT West, Inc. is the only provider of Intelight controllers, therefore, they are a sole source vendor.
The installation of the new controllers will be completed by City staff and is compatible with existing cabinet infrastructure, minimizing installation costs. This investment in a modern traffic control platform will enhance operational capabilities, reduce system downtime, and ensure the City's signal network is ready for emerging transportation technologies.
FISCAL IMPACT
The purchase order to CT West, Inc. in the amount of $175,000 will be charged to the Adaptive Signal/TMS Maintenance account 632444562.5704 and $20,000 will be charged to the Neighborhood Traffic Improvements account 425418212.5704; the available balance is $152,000 and $78,864 respectively; therefore, sufficient funds are available.
|
Description |
Account number |
Amount |
Available Balance |
|
Purchase Order with CT West, Inc. |
632444562.5704 Adaptive Signal/TMC Maintenance |
$153,000 |
$153,999 |
|
|
425418212.5704 Neighborhood Traffic Improvements |
22,000 |
78,864 |
|
Total |
|
$175,000 |
$232,863 |
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
Does not apply.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
Purchases must comply with Chapter 28A of the City Code.
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Prepared by: Tam Tran, Associate Engineer
Reviewed by: Hamid Bahadori, Public Works Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. CT West Quote
3. CT West Sole Source Justification