Burbank & Glendale join to improve street traffic

The project, which will cost roughly $1.7 million, includes improving traffic signals, installing cameras and a fiber optic infrastructure that will allow both cities to communicate and make changes to improve traffic flow, Burbank Traffic Engineer Ken Johnson said.

Residents can expect lane closures alongside street curbs, but not during peak traffic times, Johnson said.

The city does not anticipate street closures as contractors install the fiber optic system using a machine that bores holes under the street's surface, Johnson added.

Johnson said the fibers, which are made of glass and are as fine as strands of hair, allow officials to see how traffic is moving miles away from their operations center.

Transportation officials can also receive pictures from intersections and respond by sending commands to signals.