|
|
||
Is the traffic-signal timing off at State Route 3 and Port Conway Road Date published: 3/9/2009
HEADS UP this morning when you get behind the wheel. The first day back to work after daylight-saving time always creates a few problems on the roads. For starters, what happened to the sun? "The morning commute will be darker, so drivers can expect impaired visibility," said Martha M. Meade, AAA Mid-Atlantic manager of public and government affairs, in a statement. "If you begin your commute in the early morning, you may need to turn on your headlights as you drive to your destination. We also Also, since the sun will be shining longer in the evening, expect to see more pedestrians, runners and cyclists on the trip home. Dear Kelly: Now that the land is finally being cleared on U.S. 17 in Stafford for the new Wal-Mart, when will the new traffic light at Warrenton Road and Cardinal Forest Drive --Maris Lenhart, Stafford No word on an installation date, unfortunately. The Virginia Department of Transportation has approved the traffic signal designs and returned them to the developer installing the signal. But VDOT and Stafford County have no indication of the installation time frame. Dear Kelly: Can you inquire about the functionality of the light at Port Conway Road on State Route 3 near King George? Too many times I have seen that light turn green, only to have a vehicle appear on Port Conway, and immediately trip the light, causing the traffic on Route 3 to stop again for a red light. The light can often turn from green to red in a span of 10 seconds. The Port Conway traffic, on the other hand, waits no time at all. They simply appear at the line and immediately gain a green light. Furthermore, the Port Conway traffic is typically only one vehicle, and the red light will remain long after it has passed through the signal. This traffic inequity cannot be a deliberate design. This misfiring on a major thoroughfare causes a waste of time, of car wear and tear, and most importantly, of gasoline. --Vicki Crowder, Spotsylvania "Traffic inequity." I love it. That's a great phrase.
How is it reasonable that a major thoroughfare is constantly being preempted by a minor cross road? As TP Keller stated above, I too have seen that light stay green only for 10 seconds or so, which violates the minimum portion of time that a light should stay green. End result is the vehicles entering into and leaving from Port Conway wait virtually no time at all for their green go. Such a waste of time and gas.
Oh, I thought the light was set so as not to inconvenience those folks who bought the fancy big new houses there....
Try going westbound in King George on RT 3 now. YOU. WILL. STOP. AT. EVERY. LIGHT! The new light at the high school will be followed soon by a new light at the Post Office. That makes 4 stoplights within a little over 1/2 mile! How about taking one of them OUT? Our time, and operating expenses are seemingly of no concern to VDOT.
If VDOT had dared venture 5 miles into Maryland, they could have discovered a "T" intersection that does not stop all main line traffic; traffic at the top of the T continues uninterrupted, and has merge and decel lanes for the side road. That means that half of the traffic that VDOT stops at this intersection is stopped UNNECESSARILY!
The VDOT responders ignored the part of the complaint regarding minimum traffic cycle time. Most intersections have a timer that prevents the cycle from repeating until after a certain amount of "green time" the other way. This issue was not addressed. The other complaint was the amount of time the Port Conway side stays green. This was also not addressed, but I believe it is because much of the traffic entering from Port Conway is large sand trucks, which take longer to clear the intersection.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
