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Show TSELRTres VERE Sentey,demery23, 2000 Smart Signals: —— — <tithas pam somepih there naee i bnadenlly Gat tease Less Stopping, More Going Jerry Biair for all major state-owned streets “What's wrong with this one?” leading into Salt Lake City: A showed the November repro- morni that favors inbound traffic but hinders out bound cars operates from 6:30 to 9. gramming saved State Street commuters an average of five minutes per trip, McBride said. “I really can't improve on Salt Lake City operations engineer es had to trek to each light to change its timing, a chore that often was not worth the effort. It will take more than that to change some long-held beliefs that local traffic engineers enjoy perpetrating chaos on the traveling public. they could be changed as often as desired. To demonstrate whata difference an update can make, Mc: Bride invited The Salt Lake Tri- bune to 10600 South in Sandy at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, then joined the morning rushnorth into Salt Lake City. He took State Street, which was reprogrammed with newtraffic estimates in Novem- that,” he said. “I can't tee people they can go 65 mph on State Street. I don’t wantthem to.” Motorists unlucky enough to be ber. The result: A smooth trip to 1300 South at around 40 mph with traveling south on State Street that morning had to stop more. only twostops at lights totaling 15 seconds. The trip took less than a half-hour. midnight, each intersection be gins operating independently, us- Street in Murray, McBride said, Before-and-after studies @ Continued from C-1 Before,traffic When he had to slow and al most stop a third time at Vine tem. . . It’s a great system.” “You'd have to stop several more times” going against the rush, McBride said. In the evening, the ing sensors in the street to detect how manycars are traveling in each direction and acting accordingly It works well until frustrated motorists on one street discover Then a midmorning program thatthe driveis easier on an adja- treats both directions about equally, so that inbound motorists stop more than before, but not more than outboundtraffic. A cent road and everyone flocks there, McBride said. Then engi- neers have to rethink their pro- grams and setthe lights for new traffic volumes. “We work really hard to get a street like this going good and similar program operates until 4 p.m., but with longer light eycles. The outbound traffic has priority from 4 to 6:30 p.m., followed again by a two-way traffic program throughout the evening. At then everybodyfinds it and we're back where westarted,” he said. “So we'vegot job security.” “There are some streets where you are going to stop and that’sall that’s going to happen. There’s no wayyou can get aroundit,” said Milton Hadley, a University of Utah sign painter who commutes daily from Sandyon 1300 East and 900 East. “It's goofy. There are twolights {on myroute] that onlylet one car through.” Heidentified those intersections as 7200 South at 900 East and 1300 East at Van Winkle. Brian Thompson, a University of Utahsteamfitter who commutes from Kearns, said he has seen no improvementin the timing. “I haven't noticed a big change,” hesaid. “In fact, maybe some of them fromState Street west have gotten worse. They're longer.” That may be because down- townlights nearthe newlight-rail line have been timed to give priority to the trains and thosepas- sengers wholeft their cars behind. Even though a train might come by only every fourth cycle of the lights, the intersection remains timed to the train schedule, so cars waitlonger. But the state believes it has Te ily ein yu ec ist wks pi al ay, 2000 Due to its popularity, our checkbook promotion has been extended DON'T BELIEVE IT! use tues MONEY SAVING CHECKSact rHis weex One check can even be exchanged for a FREE GIFT! improved movement to and from the university, Utah’s largest traffic generator. Last October, UDOT reprogrammed thelights on 400 South to favor eastbound commuters in the morning and westbound cémmutersin the afternoon. Trouble is, ‘a business-lined street such as 400 South cannot have it both ways. Signal timing that smooths the wayfor travelers ‘in onedirection necessarily slows driving in the other direction, ac- cording to UDOT engineers. Forillustration, picture two intersections on a busy street. If cars traveling the posted speed If you didn't get your checkbook, We have one for you at any of our stores. limit canget from oneto the other in 60 seconds,timing both lights on a 60-second cycle allowstravel- ers in each direction to continue without stopping. But where businesses need access, extra lights are added. If one suchlight is 20 secondsby car from one ma- immons Sy jor intersection and 40 seconds fromthe other, it is impossible to timethelightfortraffic from both directions. .m. drive along 400 South Bet or Sleep Through Science’ onFriday showedthe state’s new programming does favor university-bound traffic slightly in the morning. Driving from 300 Westto 1300 East at the posted 35 mphlimit, three stops were necessary on the eastboundtrip — at “TheMattress with the Just:Tighetnai re i ANY PREMIUM eeea State and 600 East. Going , the timing of the lights required five stops — at 1100 East, 700 East, 500 East, 200 East and Main.Atseven minutes, the westbound trip took a minute longer thanthe eastbound jaunt. The best UDOTcan dois estimate howmuchtraffic willflowin each direction at various times of day and program the lights accordingly, said Joseph McBride, traffic-signal coordination engineer. The beauty of the new system is that it allows instant adjustment if (any model, any size with led price point of $499 & above) camerasorsensorsprovetheesti- mates wrong. Up to now, major ‘ie state roads such as 700 East were programmedaccordingto traffic controlled roads including Bangerter Highway, Redwood Road, 700 East and 906 Eastall are operating on 2-year-old plans. Onceall 550lights are wired to the a» state’s $70 million control center, wv pl Salt Lake pe 533-8700 92-4433, ECMOCLs ae TL Plus any New Purchase over $299.99 qualifies you for our... NO DOWN! NO INTEREST! 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