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Ok, so here is a civics question from someone who should know better:
Who is in charge of traffic patterns and traffic light programing?
I've noticed that many main streets, such as NC Hwy 54, NC Hwy 55, NC Hwy 751, Fayetteville Rd, and others, have one frustrating feature in common: each time one light changes to green, the light that follows it changes to red when you're halfway there. The traffic lights are not sequenced correctly and it causes a bit more than just frustration
Not only does it increase wear and tear on your car (star/stop traffic), but it's also bad for the economy. All that start/stop traffic uses more gas/tires/brakes on your car. And, it's also dangerous. Yes, I said dangerous.
I've noticed people who accelerate at a higher rate of speed than normal/necessary and then drive faster than the speed limit to try to make the next light before it changes to red. I've even thought about doing it myself a few times, but have restrained from so doing (I've only lived here 3 months, maybe a few more and I'll be doing it myself, LOL). This is going to cause an accident at some point, if it hasn't already.
Anywho, I would like to write someone about correcting this, but I don't know whom I should write. Is this an issue for the City Council? The Mayor? Who?
The roads you list are state highways, so I think the State DOT would be in charge.
As you inquire, I'd be careful in telling then they haven't done it "correctly." I'm going to guess they think they know what they're doing (evidence to the contrary notwithstanding). Maybe there is a good reason for the way they've done it that isn't apparent to us mere mortals.
I seem to remember over the past several years hearing about some major initiatives to work on traffic light operations in the area. I don't know what ever became of those projects (if they ever happened).
Last time I tried this I *think* I found that the folks responsible for maintaining traffic light timing were different from the design folks. I also seem to remember a local engineer named Spaulding who helped fix some badly timed intersections but that was maybe 10 years ago ....
I THINK each light is set to monitor traffic patterns and it drives me nuts, because you might make it through one, but you won't make it through the next if there's not a car ahead of you that triggered it. It drives me crazy too. Back in Detroit, it was nice because you could cruise 20 miles on one road if you timed your lights properly. Can't do that here and it slows you down tremendously. It's my ONE complaint about this beautiful area. LOL.
DOT has implemented projects in select locations (i.e. Capital Blvd in N Raleigh) to synch traffic signals. Unfortunately it seems to require optical fiber between traffic lights to make it work which seems like an awfully expensive way to get accurate timing. It makes more sense if you add video for real time adjusting but still ...
At one time I worked for a local company that installed an optical fiber system in Los Angeles to assist in traffic signal timing before the 1984 Summer Olympics. Communications has come a long way in the last 25 years ...
You're not alone with your frustration! This is one of my pet peeves around here. On a recent drive out to the zoo, I hit every single red light on 15-501 through Durham/Chapel Hill. Infuriating. I drive in downtown Durham quite a bit and notice that the red/green light patterns there often vary from week to week in certain places. I don't get it.
They just made a great change on Page road north at TW Alexander - it used to be only one lane going straight and the right lane was dedicated right turn. All the northbound traffic would back up on Page and it was rare to make it through in just one cycle.
I noticed yesterday that both lanes are now permitted to go straight (the merge into a single lane does not occur for about a quarter mile) - this should help tremendously!
They've been changing up the light timing on 751/54/40 lately. For the last 10 months or so, it was very predictable but now you never know what it's going to be like from day to day. Thanks, I didn't need any more uncertainty in my life!
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