Red lights stop drivers who go too fast
The following is a Counterpoint
By John Beaman
There have been recent letters to the editor and even a "wish" from John Blust, our representative in Raleigh, complaining about Greensboro's traffic-light coordination system as being nonexistent or flawed. This is simply not true.
Greensboro has the best traffic-signal control system in North Carolina and probably South Carolina. Charlotte's is a nightmare and Raleigh-Durham's is a complete nightmare. Chapel Hill-Carrboro does not have or want such a thing since they hate cars, people and any sort of growth.
Thanks to the great planning of Greensboro in the late 1950s and 1960s, a "Thoroughfare Plan" was created and has been largely carried out by the Greensboro Department of Transportation.
GDOT was the first in the state to have a computer-controlled traffic-light system in the 1970s, and it is still the best in the state. There are more than 200 lights under this control.
One can drive north-south and east-west on Greensboro's major thoroughfares without hitting a red light. These include Friendly Avenue, Market Street, Smith Street, Battleground Avenue, Holden Road, Freeman Mill Road/Eugene Street and Wendover Avenue. However, there is a trick: You must drive the speed limit of 35 mph. The vast majority of Greensboro drivers do not do this, or even close. The computer control system is set for 35-39 mph. Go over this and you will hit one red light after another. Drive 35 and you will make them as they change. Early morning and afternoon rush hours are an exception, of course, as there are so many cars in storage lanes at lights, they cannot start moving before the oncoming cars arrive. However, at other times, drive 35 and you will rarely hit a red light.
West Wendover is a problem. There are so many cars all the time, and people speed. They hit lights. However, drive this at non-peak times, drive 35, and red light hits are not common.
Speeding is an epidemic in Greensboro. Have you driven on any thoroughfare lately at 35 mph? You will be run over and glared at. Places like Cone Boulevard, Holden, Elm Street, etc., are jokes. People drive at least 10-15 mph over the posted limits.
So, slow down, make the lights and lower your frustration level. Don’t blame your speeding on the traffic-light control system.
The writer is a retired city employee and lives in Greensboro.
Comments (7)
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"Have you driven on any thoroughfare lately at 35 mph? You will be run over and glared at. Places like Cone Boulevard, Holden, Elm Street, etc., are jokes."
Yep. The speed limits on Cone and Holden, both four lane roads with a median or turn lane should be at least 40-45 mph. Same for the section of Elm between Cone and Lake Jeanette.
Posted on January 5, 2007 6:15 AM
Mr. Beamon, the speed limit on all of Wendover Avenue is 45 miles per hour, not 35. I know; I've driven it end to end and the speed limit never changes. If the traffic lights on Wendover are scheduled to accomodate 35 mph, then that in itself creates serious problems. If they properly accomodate 45 mph, then your information is flawed. I'm sorry, sir, but such a glaring mistake affects your credibility.
Posted on January 5, 2007 9:49 AM
Hugh,
I doubt it would make much difference. If the speed limit were 100, people would go 110.
Here's what I like:
"West Wendover is a problem...drive 35, and red lights are not common"
Um, the speed limit on Wendover is 45. As far as I know, that's everwhere on West Wendover.
"One can drive north-south and east-west on Greensboro's major thoroughfares without hitting a red light."
I've lived here for over 20 years, generally go the speed limit, and that has maybe happened once. Guess it depends on how far you drive down those roads.
I will agree, however, that our traffic lights are better than a LOT of places I've been.
Posted on January 5, 2007 9:52 AM
Mr. Beaman is obviously unaware of the "85th percentile" standard.
In virtually every case, speed limits on our roads and highways should be set at the rate of speed that 85 percent of all drivers are reaching while driving in a safe and responsible manner.
Sadly, this is not the case.
In Greensboro, as elsewhere, many speed limits are set by political consideration, and are artificially low.
These particular stretches of roads also become fertile ground for Alternate Tax Revenue enforcement.
Posted on January 5, 2007 5:40 PM
Correction to my last post...the sentance should read:
In virtually every case, speed limits on our roads and highways should be set at the MAXIMUM rate of speed that 85 percent of drivers are reaching while driving in a safe and responsible manner
Posted on January 5, 2007 5:46 PM
The practical speed limit on Wendover is 5 to 10 mph past I-40. I've never observed the blessed 35 mph that Mr. Beaman has observed.
I don't care what the signs say.
In general I agree that Greensboro is much better than most cities its size. Compare to Winston (ugh).
Posted on January 6, 2007 5:53 AM
Rufus,
I agree. I also have an almost impossible time getting up to 55 on that red-light infested stretch of NC 68 near the interstate. Might as well just drop that one down to 45.
Posted on January 8, 2007 11:47 AM