The Invention is a center-of-intersection portable traffic light for emergency use. The portable traffic light features a cart with wheels, a telescoping light standard and one or more light assemblies. A preemption signal detector and traffic detector detect emergency vehicles and traffic, respectively. A control system controls the operation of the portable traffic light. A radio transceiver allows the portable traffic light to communicate with the other portable traffic lights. One of the portable traffic lights in a group acts as a master and controls operation of slave portable traffic lights. Any of the portable traffic lights in a group may act as master and any may act as slave.