Professional Traffic Operations Engineers have reviewed traffic counts and completed signal warrants for the city's 61 signalized intersections.

Recommendations have been made to remove 21 signals.

The total cost of the project including construction is $1.6 million.

It will all be covered by a grant through the CMAQ Funds.

To use this state funding grant, the city of Warren must be in compliance with state traffic regulations.

"But in order to get the state money, we had to agree that we would be bound by the findings of the study," said Councilman Greg Greathouse. "So there is a little bit of wiggle room, but not very much."

The city will place the traffic signals on flash mode for a period of time to monitor the intersections before the signal is removed and replaced with stop signs or other appropriate traffic control methods.

Ruth Mason lives near Country Club Drive and East Market Street where a four-way traffic light stop is.

"How about leaving the traffic signal in place permanently? Exclude it from your elimination list. Add blinking hours of caution lights between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. as opposed to going forward with completely removing the traffic signal," said Mason. "Will council at least consider that?"

Some people feel that there are already too many stoplights in Warren and that they are contributing to traffic problems.

Some main areas of concern are the intersection at Parkman and Southern and on the west side of town and East Market and Country Club Drive on the east side.

Warren will also utilize federal Safe Routes To School funds to replace the city's 20 mph school zone flasher assemblies.

This will go into a second reading at the next city council meeting.