Descrizione
When writing SCF post titles, I know that using attention getting titles helps drive up visibility, but I apologize in advance for my inflammatory title, but in this case, I'm seriously concerned that unless a change is implemented soon, someone is going to lose their life.
The issue at question is the redesigned northbound left turn lane on State Street turning onto Grove.
The new signal is now "at eye level" across the street on the traffic island and removed from the other cluster of lights.
THREE TIMES in as many days, I have seen drivers COMPLTELY miss this light, and take a left turn across traffic with the main green light.
I thought that the first time I might just be a fluke, but seeing it again, and again, the most recently being last night and I think that we have a serious problem on our hands.
There are almost zero eye level lights in this city, and this one in particular is a change from the old intersection.
The light is extremely hard to see, and unfamiliar drivers can miss it completely.
This needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. It is only a matter of time that someone takes a left across traffic, and someone barrelling down State Street going south plows in to them.
I'll post pictures, and spend a few minutes today seeing if I can video tape this happening.
43 Commentos
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
zakstone333 (Utente registrato)
Thank your for raising awareness about this issue, and for putting up that helpful video clip.
Best,
Zak
Community Manager
SeeClickFix
Brian Tang (Ospite)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
The biggest problem is that this is one of the major commuting arterials in the city, so there is a built in population of regular drivers on this street who are simply not expecting a car to be crossing their path when they have a green light.
Combine the pretty darn high speeds that people hit on this road with a total unawareness that a car will be crossing their path, and you have a dangerous situation.
Crossing over the two lanes plus the median is a pretty wide turn. Someone using poor judgement and trying to "make the light" expecting the cars in front of him to slow down, when they would not be expecting a last minute maneuver like that at all and so would have reduced reaction time is what would cause an accident.
It's not the person using common judgement that worries me, it's the absolute lack of awareness among the oncoming drivers that something like that might even occur that causes the dangerous situation.
Bottom line- the old light that had been in place for 20 years didn't have this problem, the new one does. This needs to be fixed.
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
juli (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
Mark, these eye-level lights are definitely a rarity in New Haven. I can't off the top of my head actually think of where there is one currently set up.
In Illinois, they are actually the de-facto style of light in some towns. I almost drove through a few intersections when I was visiting that I thought were uncontrolled because I was so used to looking up for the lights and not to the right or left, so I definitely can see how this happens.
Anonymous (Ospite)
juli (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
Ken (Ospite)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
I heard from Mike P that they are looking into this, but that's been about it. Here is another video to prove that this isn't just a "sometimes" thing.
I don't know if the city gets it, but for about 40% of the cars, this is now the default way that they travel through the intersection.
When I walk down to get a morning cup of coffee, I wait at the intersection, and WITHOUT FAIL within 5 minutes, someone has blown the light.
Today, there was another variation. The person drove up, and stopped WHILE the left turn was green. THEN, when it turned red, he proceeded with the non-turn green light!! The next car after him simply proceeded past the left turn signal like "normal."
I recorded it with my phone and once I get it onto youtube I'll post a link.
The longer this happens, the longer this gets reinforced as normal behavior and the higher the likelihood that someone gets involved in a serious accident.
Ken (Ospite)
Ken (Ospite)
Pedro (Ospite)
Here is the video. Worth watching directly on Youtube to see it at full resolution.
You can see the light turning yellow, then green THEN the pickup drives through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDXU6pPprZs
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
I'm still seeing cars drive through, or almost drive through and then get stuck mid-intersection, on almost a daily basis.
Brian Tang (Ospite)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
I saw a taxi cab almost get completely destroyed here, when it didn't pay attention to the signal, yesterday morning.
A day in the life of ConnDOT, I suppose.
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
I see someone go through about every other time I'm in the intersection.
Thanks, Brian I'll email that address with this.
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
BB (Utente registrato)
Hey Pedro,
You can always just post the issue URL into the email to a new contact. What do you want the share feature to look like?
Thanks,
Ben
Riconosciuto Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
Thank you, Transportation Department.
We can all keep an eye on this and see if driver behavior is changing. Please post if you see that drivers are often still confused.
BB (Utente registrato)
GregL (Utente registrato)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
The other issue is that due to the new traffic camera controlled lights, there is now no discernible pattern that the lights operate.
Northbound and NB left will turn, then NB left will switch off, then, Southbound turns green, then all straight travel turns red, and the turn lights go.
When the lights were on a strict timer, it was very easy for pedestrians to cross the street since they knew what lights turned when, and could cross with the light. Yes, jaywalking, but considering that the crosswalk is timed only to cross HALF the street, something that needs to be done.
I think that this new light system now that is been in place for a year has been a big fail. It's not pedestrian friendly, and confusing to drivers. How in the world is this an improvement than what was there before?
Ben (Ospite)
Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Utente registrato)
Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
Pedro Soto (Utente registrato)
Please keep us updated as to what solutions are applied! Just today saw two people ignore the left turn signal, one who almost got hit.
Thanks!
Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)
Chiusa Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Utente registrato)