Pamela, Citizen Contact Centre assigned this issue to Engineering Services

to enable better coordination with nearby intersections the traffic signals run on a fixed time plan that will change the signals automatically, during off-peak periods. Forcing the signals to change, even when there is no apparent demand, also enables other vehicles, and pedestrians, to cross safely when they may not have been detected by the detector. In the event of a detector failing it will automatically place a demand for that vehicular or pedestrian movement.