Pointless traffic light?

Three times in the last two weeks I have been stopped by a red light at 7 Avenue South (travelling north on 13 Street South) and had to wait (along with 12-21 other vehicles) for several minutes for no reason!

This is a timed light that stops traffic on 13 Street for no reason whatsoever. Driving north or south on 13 Street, you cannot turn left either east or west onto 7 Avenue South. Travelling east or west on 7 Avenue South, you cannot turn left either way onto 13 Street South.

So my question is this — why is there a traffic light there? Certainly not for east or west traffic flow as they are forced to turn right. If it exists to allow bicycle traffic across 13 Street, then wouldn’t an ondemand pedestrian crossing light be more practical (and much less expensive)?

I don’t believe that any cyclists (myself included) would be angry at having to walk their bikes through the intersection on a marked crosswalk to cross 13 Street, and the traffic flow north and south on 13 Street would only be impeded when a cyclist or pedestrian wishes to cross.

In an age of concert over wasted fuel and vehicle emissions, what sense does it make to stop vehicles on a major thoroughfare for no reason at all? For those who agree with me, I implore you to contact your major or council members and urge them to make a change to this foolishness.

Dave Schandor

Lethbridge