There’s a science to those yellow lights
THE YELLOW IS TOO SHORT, UNLESS IT ISN’T:
DF emails there are “a couple of factors in the number of drivers running red lights that can easily be addressed:”
No. 1, he says, is “the yellow at many, not all, intersections is too short for the posted speed on the street/road. I’ve been surprised by the light turning red when I was driving at the limit and thought I had plenty of time to go through after the light turned yellow.”
No. 2, he says, is often the signal “cycle is so long. It is very frustrating to sit at a light with no traffic moving in any direction . ... Lights stay green as much as 30 seconds after the last vehicle has passed through the intersection.”
Believe it or not, there is a science to traffic engineering, and licenses to practice that science. Bobby Baker, traffic control administrator for Bernalillo County, has one. And he explains that “most Bernalillo County-maintained traffic signals run coordination timing plans from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. This means that the mainline runs maximum, fixed green times and the side streets are actuated, or are controlled, by detection. Even though there may be acceptable gaps in traffic on the mainline to allow a side street vehicle to cross, we currently do not have a way to determine this. When the signals are coordinated, the side streets do have more delay time.”
As for too-short yellows, Baker says, “The yellow times are calculated based on the width of the intersection and the speed limit using the formula in the ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) manual. We also have a 1.5 second all-red time” to try to limit accidents involving red-light runners.
THE NEW HIGHWAY SIGNS DON’T NEED LIGHTS:
R. Garland, who identifies as a “concerned taxpayer,” emails about “my returning family guests’ unkind comments about our city.”
Specifically, “it has been pointed out to me for several years that the interstate signage over I-25 north- and southbound from (the) airport exit/ entrance to at least Paseo del Norte ... have lighting fixtures installed on some signs, not all, that have become non-functioning over the years. I recall these worked as they should when the Big I was redone some years ago.
“Shouldn’t the taxpayers deserve to expect the lighting units to be maintained and operational on an ongoing reasonable schedule? If they are not needed, why did we pay for them?”
R. says ditto for the signs on the airport terminal loop road and Paseo between I-25 and Coors. “Maybe Albuquerque should think about how these details look to visitors and our own citizens, or do people care?”
They do care, and new sign technology has made the Edison technology obsolete and thus a waste of tax dollars.
Bernadette Bell, public relations officer for the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s District Three office, explains “we now use a new Digital Type XI Sheeting that does not require lighting due to the high retro-reflectivity of the sign. This type of signage is more efficient by not having to pay the expense of the lights.”
ADDRESS PAINTER GETS A NEW NUMBER:
Two years ago readers asked for tips on address painters, and readers responded (Road Warrior column, May 5, 2014). Last week one of those painters, James Kvech, called to say he’s got a new number, 486-5069.
And a click on his Facebook site (www.facebook.com/ jspainting.custom) shows he’s got new designs, including NFL logos. He says he’s been doing the work on curbs and mailboxes since 2006, has an extensive catalog of stencils, uses reflective Rustoleum products, and charges $10 for the address and $10 for the background, with the picture thrown in for free.