400 traffic lights in Downtown Houston and Midtown to be updated ahead of 2026 World Cup

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- About 400 traffic lights in Downtown Houston and Midtown are set to undergo timing upgrades. It's part of a project with the City of Houston to reduce traffic congestion and make streets safer.

A Houston Public Works representative told ABC13 that some might not notice a difference in the timing change, but that the updates are based on new traffic volume data in the area.

The representative said that the company the city contracted had already finished collecting data on traffic volume, travel times, and pedestrian clearances. They'll use that information to help update the traffic light signal timing.

"The timing and how everything is interconnected with each other. I mean, it's super important for pedestrian safety and just the flow of traffic," Houston resident, Marco Oregon, said.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, signal timing should address the needs of pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles. The DOT has strategies and suggestions on its website on how to tackle this. It recommended looking at how long a pedestrian has to wait before crossing the street, and not just how long a vehicle waits at a traffic signal.

With more pedestrians expected to visit Houston in the near future for World Cup matches in 2026, traffic safety is top of mind.

"It's going to put that to the test where you're moving large crowds," Oregon said.

As far as construction delays with this project, the Houston Public Works representative said there will be little traffic impact. However, the representative said there could be times when you see a crew out in the area to check on the traffic control box.