Stop sign with traffic control features

A traffic control system for an intersection of a plurality of roadways, said traffic control system comprising:

• a number of assemblies, each installed in a permanent, fixed manner at the intersection in association with one of the plurality of roadways and comprising:
• a stop sign;
• a vehicle detection device configured to detect a vehicle within a range of the vehicle detection device;
• a traffic signaling device comprising one or more lights and configured to visually signal a driver of the vehicle to proceed or wait by altering power supplied to the one or more lights;
• a time keeping device;
• and
• a controller comprising one or more processors and one or more electronic storage devices comprising executable software instructions, which when executed configure the one or more processors to:
• receive data from the time keeping device indicating an arrival time for the vehicle;
• transmit the arrival time to a command center;
• receive a signal from the command center indicating permission to proceed;
• and
• instruct the traffic signaling device to change from wait to proceed by altering power supplied to the one or more lights;
• and
• a command center in electronic communication with each of the number of assemblies and configured to:
• receive arrival times from the number of assemblies;
• determine which of the received arrival times is earliest;
• and
• transmit a signal to a respective one of the number of assemblies associated with the earliest of the received arrival times indicating permission to proceed.

A method for controlling traffic at an intersection of a plurality of roadways, the method comprising the steps of:

• setting traffic signaling devices of assemblies installed at the intersection in a fixed location to wait, wherein each of the assemblies comprise a stop sign;
• monitoring for arrival of vehicles at the assemblies by way of vehicle detection devices installed at the intersection;
• determining an arrival time for each of the arriving vehicles by way of one or more timing devices;
• determining, at a command center remote from and in electronic communication with each of the assemblies, which of the arrival times is earliest, wherein said command center is separate and remote from the vehicles;
• and
• commanding a respective one of the assemblies from which the earliest of the arrival times is received to set the traffic signaling device for the respective one of the assemblies to proceed.

A traffic control system for an intersection of a plurality of roadways, said traffic control system comprising:

• one or more assemblies, each permanently installed at a fixed location at a side of one of the plurality of roadways and comprising a mounting apparatus, a stop sign, and a traffic signaling device, said traffic signaling device comprising at least one light configured to signal drivers of arriving vehicles to proceed or wait, wherein said stop sign and said traffic signaling device are connected to said mounting apparatus;
• one or more vehicle detection devices permanently installed at the intersection at a fixed location and configured to detect the arriving vehicles;
• one or more time keeping devices configured to determine arrival times of the arriving vehicles;
• and
• a command center remote from and in electronic communication with each of the one or more assemblies, said command center configured to:
• determine which of the arrival times is earliest;
• if permission to proceed has not been previously transmitted from the command center within a predetermined period of time, transmit a signal to a respective one of the one or more assemblies associated with the earliest of the arrival times indicating permission to proceed;
• and
• if permission to proceed has been previously transmitted from the command center within the predetermined period of time, wait a remaining amount of time sufficient to reach or exceed said predetermined amount of time before subsequently transmitting the signal to the respective one of the one or more assemblies associated with the earliest of the received arrival times indicating permission to proceed;
• wherein the predetermined amount of time is greater than or equal to an expected amount of time for the vehicle to clear the intersection;
• wherein the assemblies are configured to move the at least one light between an illuminated and a non-illuminated state to signal the drivers of the vehicles to proceed or wait in response to receipt of the permission to proceed from the command center.