Gas-Powered Beginnings (and a Fiery End)

The very first attempt at a traffic control signal appeared in London, UK, on December 9, 1868, installed outside the Houses of Parliament. Designed by railway engineer J.P. Knight, it was a gas-powered lantern system, using red and green lights with semaphore arms operated manually by a police officer to regulate horse-drawn carriages and pedestrian crossings. Tragically, in January 1869, a gas leak caused the device to explode, seriously injuring the policeman operating it and leading to its immediate removal.

The Electric Revolution Takes the Wheel

After the London incident, it took decades for the concept to re-emerge safely. The first electric traffic light, remarkably similar to what we know today, was designed by James Hoge and installed in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 5, 1914, at the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue. This two-color (red and green, or 'stop' and 'move') system not only controlled traffic with electrical signals but also included a buzzer to warn of impending color changes, and was operated manually from a nearby control booth. Later, inventor Garrett Morgan patented a T-shaped, three-position traffic signal in 1923, which added a 'caution' interval between stop and go, significantly improving safety.