Officials must always study carefully any request for new traffic signals, especially on the well-traveled Parkway (Highway 441) through Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. While some signals are needed, too many of them can clog up the movement of vehicles, and that can be a bad thing to an area that thrives on visitors and tourism.

Still, there are spots along our busy thoroughfares where lights do not exist but probably are needed. Two such intersections are about to get signals.

In Pigeon Forge, plans are in place to install a traffic signal on the Parkway at Music Road, where WonderWorks, Black Bear Jamboree and The Titanic Museum are attracting hundreds of vehicles a day. In Sevierville, a light may be installed on Dolly Parton Parkway (Highway 411) at the entrance to the Food City shopping area.

Both signals are needed. Both would be at intersections where lots of vehicles enter and leave a busy, congested road. Accidents and near-accidents are commonplace. There is danger at both sites.

The trick, of course, is justifying such a signal based on traffic flow and safety concerns, while at the same time making sure they do not unnecessarily impede the flow of vehicles. If you don’t care about shopping at Food City or the other stores in that complex, you don’t see the need for another light along Dolly Parton Parkway. If you don’t visit WonderWorks, Black Bear or Titanic, you don’t see why a signal should be installed that will slow you down as you travel to other destinations.

It’s all about perspective.

In the final analysis, officials must put traffic signals where they are needed, where safety is an issue and where accidents are frequent. It seems both intersections warrant signals. Making sure they are synchronized with other signals in the area, and making sure traffic along the busy thoroughfares has priority in the sequencing and timing of the lights, are the critical issues.

Getting a new traffic light on any busy street should be difficult. But when needed, they should be installed.