T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON MOTORISTS on Hanover Street wait for the traffic signal to turn green at the Ohio 7 intersection in Martins Ferry. Residents and city officials are waiting for new signals, shown here covered in white plastic, to be turned on and timed correctly.

MARTINS FERRY — City officials and residents still are waiting for the new traffic signals to be turned on at the intersection of Ohio 7 and Hanover Street in Martins Ferry.

During the past few city council meetings, members have discussed the delay in getting the new traffic signals turned on by the Ohio Department of Transportation. The new lights came as part of the $1.36 million reconfiguration of the intersection and installation of new turning lanes by Shelly & Sands Construction.

Although the construction work has been complete for several months, the new lights, which were installed by Complete General of Columbus, Ohio, continue to remain covered with plastic. And the old traffic signals apparently are not timed correctly. For example, motorists aiming to turn onto Hanover Street often must wait up to seven minutes before the light will turn green.

This, city officials have said, has led to some motorists being impatient and attempting to turn before the light turns green because they believe it is broken.

They noted part of the delay in getting the new lights turned on is because the railroad also has had work to do at the intersection.