Transportation Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the answers to the questions we are asked most
frequently. Hopefully, you will find the information you need
on this page, but if your question isn't listed here or if you
need additional information, please
contact us.
Do you issue or accept payment for parking
tickets?
Where can I renew my driver's license or
vehicle tags?
Where can I find out about road
construction in Mesa?
How can I report a pothole?
When can I drive on the street after
slurry/seal coats?
How do I report a streetlight out?
How do I report a traffic signal light out?
Why are traffic signals timed they way they
are?
Why do left turn arrows only seem to work at
certain times?
How
are pedestrian crosswalks timed?
Why are there cameras on top of some of the
traffic signals?
Does Transportation operate red light cameras?
How do I get a traffic signal installed at my intersection?
How do I get a left
turn arrow?
How do I get a stop sign at a tee intersection?
How do I reduce speeding in my neighborhood?
How can I request a speed hump?
How can I get a copy of the current bus schedule?
Do you perform car seat safety checks?
What are traffic engineers doing to help older
drivers?
Do you issue or accept payment for
parking tickets?
No, the Transportation Department does not issue or accept
payment for parking tickets. These tickets are issued and
processed through the Mesa Police Department or call the main number at
480-255-0072.
Where can I renew my driver's license or
vehicle tags?
The City of Mesa Transportation does not issue driver's
licenses or vehicle tags. Contact the
Arizona Department
of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Department or call
602-252-0072.
Where can I find out about road
construction in Mesa?
Engineering lists current lane restrictions and capital
improvement projects within the City of Mesa. You can also visit
the Arizona Department of Transportation or the
Maricopa County
Department of Transportation.
How can I report a pothole?
You can either
submit an online report or call our hotline at 480-644-3038.
When reporting a pothole, please let us know your name, phone
number and the address or precise location of the pothole.
When can I drive on the street after
slurry/seal coats?
You cannot drive on the street until the barricades are
removed. They start taking them down at 4:30pm. Once the
barricades are removed, you can drive on the street.
How do I report a streetlight out?
You can either
submit an online report or call our hotline at 480-644-3191.
When reporting a streetlight, please let us know your name,
phone number and the address or precise location of the
streetlight . Please also note whether the light is out, cycles
on and off, or is burning during the day. Currently, the
turn-around around time for repairing streetlights is 15
business days from the day it was reported.
Please note that the
City does not repair private lights such as lights in trailer
parks, apartment complexes, private parking lots, private
sub-Departments, gated communities, or on private property.
These lights are usually the responsibility of the owners of the
property or are maintained by Salt River Project.
There are some
areas in the City that have a City of Mesa mailing address but
are not incorporated into the City. The City does not maintain
the lights in these areas (examples of these are Dreamland
Villa, Leisure World, Thunder Mountain). These lights are
private or are maintained by Salt River Project.
In addition,
there are also some Special Improvement Districts (agreements
between Maricopa County and Salt River Project before these
areas were annexed into the City) in the City that have most of
their streetlights repaired by Salt River Project. Some examples
of these are: Apache Wells, Desert Sands, Arizona Skies, Golden
Hills, Fountain of the Sun and Twin Knolls.
For more information
on streetlights maintained by SRP, call them at 602-236-8490.
Learn more about City streetlights.
How do I report a traffic signal light
out?
You can either
submit an online report or call our hotline at 480-644-2160.
If possible, please let us know if the entire intersection is
dark or just a single indication. For a single indication,
please note which color bulb is out and also which direction the
traffic signal is facing. Please also be willing to provide your
name, phone number and address, in the event the technician
needs to contact you with questions.
Why are traffic signals timed they way
they are?
Current timing is in place to provide safe and efficient
movement of traffic. Through its central traffic control
system, traffic signals are timed to promote progression of
traffic along the major streets, thereby reducing overall
delay. One may experience some delays on the minor streets to
facilitate the progression on a heavier traversed street. A
significant amount of planning and effort goes into the the
timing of an intersection. We continue to monitor intersection
timings and traffic flow and make adjustments as necessary. For
more information on signal timing at a particular intersection,
please call Signal Systems 480-644-2160.
Why do left turn arrows only seem to work
at certain times?
Left turn arrows only come on when the controller equipment
at the intersection recognizes that a vehicle is present. If a
vehicle arrives too late to be detected, the intersection may
skip the arrow. Some left turn arrows use third car detection.
This means that the left turn arrows operate when three or more
vehicles are present in the left turn lane. Sometimes the
detection equipment does not pick up a vehicle, or will place a
constant call into the controller; if you would like to report
a left turn signal that does not seem to be functioning
properly, please call Signal Systems at 480-644-2160.
How are pedestrian crosswalks timed?
The WALK (man), the flashing DON'T WALK (flashing orange
hand), and the steady DON'T WALK (steady orange hand) symbols
make up the pedestrian timing. The WALK signal indicates that
it's alright to begin crossing the street. The flashing DON'T
WALK signal indicates that you should not begin to cross the
street, but should continue safely across the intersection. The
steady DON'T WALK signal indicates that you should not begin to
cross and that you should complete your crossing and get out of
the intersection as quickly as possible.
The WALK interval is
usually very short, sometimes as brief as six seconds. The
flashing DON'T WALK timing is normally based on the crossing
distance of an intersection and a person's average walking
speed.
Not all crosswalks have pedestrian push buttons, but for
those that do, the side street will remain green for a longer
amount of time if the button is pushed. Some of Mesa's streets
are very wide, so it may take a greater amount of time for a
person to cross them.
In addition, some intersections do not
have pedestrian push buttons, but do have pedestrian
indications. These locations are set to service the pedestrian
every time the concurrent vehicle green indications are active.
Why are there cameras on top of some
of the traffic signals?
Cameras are in place at several locations throughout Mesa.
Some are used to monitor traffic conditions, while others are
used to detect the presence of vehicles at an intersection,
thereby providing service and extended green time. The.ces
located on top of the traffic signal head, at the end of the
mast arm and over the roadway aren't cameras, although most
people think they are. These are fire preemption.ces.
Approximately two-thirds of Mesa's traffic signals are equipped
with fire preemption. Fire department vehicles have special
coded transmitters that trigger the system. This equipment makes
the traffic signal give the green indication to the approaching
fire vehicle to help emergency services personnel arrive quickly
and safely to where they're needed.
Does the Transportation Department
operate red light cameras?
The City of Mesa Transportation Department is not responsible
for the red light cameras. They are a part of the Mesa Police
Department's photo safety program. Any questions should be
directed to the
Mesa Police Department.
How do I get a traffic signal
installed at my intersection?
A study can be requested of the intersection, which involves
analyzing data and taking traffic counts. Contact Traffic
Studies at 480-644-2160 to request a study.
How do I get a left turn arrow?
A study can be requested of the intersection, which involves
analyzing data and taking traffic counts. Contact Traffic
Studies at 480-644-2160 to request a study.
How do I get a stop sign at a tee intersection?
Stop signs are not needed to assign the right of way at tee
intersections in Arizona. Arizona state law requires the
drivers on the terminating street to yield to drivers on the
continuing street. Stop signs may be installed if a traffic
study indicates a stop sign would improve safety. To
request a
study of the intersection, contact Traffic Studies at
480-644-2160.
How do I reduce speeding in my
neighborhood?
For traditional enforcement, contact the Mesa Police
Department at 480-644-3533 or submit a
Traffic Enforcement Request Form. In addition to
traditional enforcement, the Police Department offer two
community programs to curb neighborhood speeding: the Speed
Trailer and the Block Watch Program.
For more information on the Neighborhood Watch program,
please visit
www.mesaaz.gov/police/NeighborhoodWatch/Default.aspx. Speed
trailer information can be found at
www.mesaaz.gov/police/FAQs/Speeding.aspx.
The Neighborhood Speed
Watch Program is a citizen-involved activity in which
neighborhood residents collect vehicle and speed information to
allow identification of and warnings to be sent to speed limit
violators on residential streets.
The Pace Car Program is an
information campaign that encourages participants to "pledge" to
drive the speed limit in their neighborhood. Those who commit
are given an "official pace car" window sticker. Contact
Traffic Studies at 480-644-2160 for more information.
How can I request a speed hump?
To be eligible for speed humps, a street must meet certain
conditions. Two of the key conditions are that the street is
not a primary emergency response route (ie. a fire route), and
the 85th percentile speed is at least 8 m.p.h. over the speed
limit. At this time, residents requesting speed humps must pay
the costs for traffic counts. A new policy was approved by City
Council on 8/28/06. View the
speed hump policy (.pdf 1 page) and all of the conditions
that must be satisfied before speed humps may be installed on a
street. For more information, contact Traffic Studies at
480-644-2160.
How can I get a copy of the current bus schedule in Mesa?
Visit the
Valley Metro web site for a current bus schedule and fare
rates.
Do you perform car seat safety checks?
The Transportation Department does not currently perform
these checks. The
Mesa
Fire Department inspects car seats by appointment only, call
480-644-2200 to make an appointment.
What are traffic engineers doing to
help older drivers?
The increasing needs of older motorists are becoming apparent
as a greater proportion of our nation's motorists fall into the
65 or older age group. The natural aging process results in a
steady decrease in the abilities needed to perform the driving
task.
The affect of aging upon vision, hearing, coordination,
range of movement, strength, attentiveness, and response time
have been well documented through research. Concerns over how
these limitations affect motorists has resulted in several
research studies that document both these limitations and that
(sometimes) make recommendations that could off-set these
limitations.
The most recent of these large studies resulted in
the January 1998 publication of the Older Driver Highway Design
Handbook, by FHWA. The recommendations found in this handbook
were strongly reflected in the Millennium edition of the Manual
On Uniform Traffic Control.ces, which became the law of the
land for most Cities, Counties and States on January 16, 2001.
In addition to new standards in the MUTCD, and as a result of
the above referenced handbook and previous research studies,
traffic control signs have gotten larger, more legible,
incorporate more symbols, and have more reflectivity.
Traffic
signal faces have also gotten larger, are better located within
fields of view, and longer walking times for pedestrians are
becoming common, as are pedestrian refuge islands, and other
safer provisions for pedestrians.