From the St. Marys Police Department—

(3-11-26) Over the past few days, night owls and early bird morning commuters may have noticed a change to the downtown traffic lights. Intersections that previously operated on flashing signals during overnight hours are now running on a normal traffic light cycle.

After careful discussion and evaluation, the decision was made in the interest of both public safety and officer safety. Over the past several years, these intersections have been the site of numerous crashes and close calls involving drivers failing to stop at flashing red lights. Unfortunately, we have also had patrol vehicles struck in these areas.

While we understand this change may cause a minor inconvenience for those who regularly travel through downtown during the early morning hours, the safety of our community and our officers remains our top priority.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we continue working to keep our community safe.