Flashing Traffic Lights

Ok, there I am doing my job, talking around the water cooler, when we here a BIG Bang! It seems that lightning struck our building at work, for the second time in a month (what luck!).

When I went outside while the techs repaired our network, I noticed the traffic light at the corner flashing, one road red, the other yellow. My question is:

If they can hardwire the traffic lights to flash after a power outage, why can’t they just hardwire the light to work the way it’s suppost to? Why do traffic lights flash?

Just a guess…
probably something to do with computer controling the timers, pressure padds and so on needing to be reset.You can make a light flash with out that.