USA Today: National Study gives Springfield "stellar" marks for managing traffic. - Page 2

|Zach| · 04-26-2005, 05:19 AM

Springtown news.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...-signals_x.htm

Nation's traffic signals get a D-minus for delays
By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The nation's traffic lights are woefully inefficient and outdated, forcing frustrated commuters to sit in congestion, waste gasoline and pollute the air, a traffic engineering group said Wednesday.

Two-thirds of 378 traffic agencies in 49 states don't actively monitor traffic lights, or they simply respond to problems as they occur, the Washington-based Institute of Transportation Engineers reported. Overall, the nation's traffic signals earned a D-minus, the group said in a report card on its Web site.

"While traffic signals do turn green, yellow and red, they are not operating as efficiently as they should," says Shelley Row, the group's associate executive director. "The traffic changes during the day. (Agencies) need to be able to time the signals differently at different points during the day. "

A study by a Maryland researcher last year found that 35% of the nation's traffic agencies had not retimed their traffic signals in 10 years. That means they haven't responded to business and residential growth that affects traffic patterns, says Philip Tarnoff, director of the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology at the University of Maryland. "The costs (of traffic signal management) compared to building a highway are trivial," he says. "The question is why isn't it being done more often?"

The stakes are high. Ideal management of traffic lights would cut delays by 15%-20%, reduce travel time by up to 25%, cut emissions by up to 22% and reduce gas consumption by up to 10%, according to the transportation engineers, who conducted their survey with the Federal Highway Administration and other groups. The survey estimates that improving traffic signal operations would cost about $965 million a year.

Two cities that get stellar marks for managing traffic lights are Bellevue, Wash., and Springfield, Mo.

Bellevue (population 120,000) connects 90% of 172 traffic lights to a centralized network that includes 20 cameras, traffic engineering manager Mark Poch says. "That allows us to make adjustments for events that are happening right now," he says.

An example: About 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, construction on northwest Fourth Street forced the closure of one westbound lane on the six-lane road. Engineers adjusted the timing of traffic lights on Fourth Street to take time away from drivers on intersecting streets to compensate for the closed lane, Poch says.

In Springfield, engineers use cameras to monitor 28 miles of roads and 100 traffic lights and alert drivers to problems, says Earl Newman, assistant public works director. Voters in the city of 156,000 have approved eight local sales tax initiatives to reduce congestion, which ranks as the public's top concern, he says.

"It's higher than crime," he says. "We don't have the congestion of a major city, and the citizens don't want it to become like that."

Demonpenz · 04-26-2005, 10:33 AM

maybe if they moved half of the eleventeen hundred china buffett out...

RedandGold · 04-26-2005, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

That intersection at Kansas Ex and Sunshine has been horrid for about two years. At least they work on it a little bit each week.

The intersection at Battlefield and Glenstone isn't exactly a picnic either.

I have a strange feeling that whoever wrote this article has never actually driven there.

philfree · 04-26-2005, 11:47 AM

The great thing bout Springfield is if you know your way around there's almost always a short cut or a long cut that has no traffic to deal with. You're also never more then 10 minutes from the country.

PhilFree

ChiefsCountry · 04-26-2005, 11:50 AM

Springfield is bad in some spots, but if you know the backways around it is easy. My knock on the town is that they should have ran I-44 where Chesnut Expressway is, but other than it isn't that bad.

**Tribal Warfare** · 04-26-2005, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rukdafaidas

I can't stand driving in Springfield. Although the new James River extension helps tremendously, it still takes forever to get to the heart of the city.
A few years ago, I decided to take Sunshine off of 65 Hwy to go to Bass Pro, it took me around 40 minutes to go what, 4 miles? I would expect that in a city like Chicago, but not Springfield.

The Drivers in Springfield are damn maniacs also. I was in the passing lane on I-44 trying to hit Kansas Expressway then this asshole in the right lane starts going 80 MPH while I had my right turn signal on. I had to go well over 100 to get past that dick ,and thank god there wasn't highway patrolman on the street that day.

JimNasium · 04-26-2005, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedandGold

The intersection at Battlefield and Glenstone isn't exactly a picnic either.

I have a strange feeling that whoever wrote this article has never actually driven there.

Having lived in both New York City and New Orleans I think I can say with great confidence that there are not significant traffic issues in Springfield. Sure it gets congested for 30 minutes each morning and evening but for the most part we have it pretty darn good. Try sitting in traffic on I-10 for an hour just to go eight miles. It puts things into perspective.

JimNasium · 04-26-2005, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Springfield is bad in some spots, but if you know the backways around it is easy. My knock on the town is that they should have ran I-44 where Chesnut Expressway is, but other than it isn't that bad.

Yep, you can avoid a lot of headaches if you choose your route wisely.

**Skip Towne** · 04-26-2005, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimNasium

Yep, you can avoid a lot of headaches if you choose your route wisely.

How was the traffic in Pine Bluff?

JimNasium · 04-26-2005, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

How was the traffic in Pine Bluff?

On the river or on the road?

|Zach| · 04-26-2005, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimNasium

Having lived in both New York City and New Orleans I think I can say with great confidence that there are not significant traffic issues in Springfield. Sure it gets congested for 30 minutes each morning and evening but for the most part we have it pretty darn good. Try sitting in traffic on I-10 for an hour just to go eight miles. It puts things into perspective.

Having kicked JimNasium's ass in both New York and New Orleans I think I can say with great confidence that it was better beating his ass and leaving him in the streets of NO so that he was assured to smell like the piss the next morning.

04-26-2005, 05:19 AM
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $5206768	USA Today: National Study gives Springfield "stellar" marks for managing traffic. Springtown news. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...-signals_x.htm Nation's traffic signals get a D-minus for delays By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — The nation's traffic lights are woefully inefficient and outdated, forcing frustrated commuters to sit in congestion, waste gasoline and pollute the air, a traffic engineering group said Wednesday. Two-thirds of 378 traffic agencies in 49 states don't actively monitor traffic lights, or they simply respond to problems as they occur, the Washington-based Institute of Transportation Engineers reported. Overall, the nation's traffic signals earned a D-minus, the group said in a report card on its Web site. "While traffic signals do turn green, yellow and red, they are not operating as efficiently as they should," says Shelley Row, the group's associate executive director. "The traffic changes during the day. (Agencies) need to be able to time the signals differently at different points during the day. " A study by a Maryland researcher last year found that 35% of the nation's traffic agencies had not retimed their traffic signals in 10 years. That means they haven't responded to business and residential growth that affects traffic patterns, says Philip Tarnoff, director of the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology at the University of Maryland. "The costs (of traffic signal management) compared to building a highway are trivial," he says. "The question is why isn't it being done more often?" The stakes are high. Ideal management of traffic lights would cut delays by 15%-20%, reduce travel time by up to 25%, cut emissions by up to 22% and reduce gas consumption by up to 10%, according to the transportation engineers, who conducted their survey with the Federal Highway Administration and other groups. The survey estimates that improving traffic signal operations would cost about $965 million a year. Two cities that get stellar marks for managing traffic lights are Bellevue, Wash., and Springfield, Mo. Bellevue (population 120,000) connects 90% of 172 traffic lights to a centralized network that includes 20 cameras, traffic engineering manager Mark Poch says. "That allows us to make adjustments for events that are happening right now," he says. An example: About 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, construction on northwest Fourth Street forced the closure of one westbound lane on the six-lane road. Engineers adjusted the timing of traffic lights on Fourth Street to take time away from drivers on intersecting streets to compensate for the closed lane, Poch says. In Springfield, engineers use cameras to monitor 28 miles of roads and 100 traffic lights and alert drivers to problems, says Earl Newman, assistant public works director. Voters in the city of 156,000 have approved eight local sales tax initiatives to reduce congestion, which ranks as the public's top concern, he says. "It's higher than crime," he says. "We don't have the congestion of a major city, and the citizens don't want it to become like that."
Posts: 53,468

04-26-2005, 10:33 AM	#16
Demonpenz Woman should only make babies Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Apartment "G UNIT!" Casino cash: $2972136	maybe if they moved half of the eleventeen hundred china buffett out... __________________
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04-26-2005, 11:47 AM	#18
philfree Indian Twitter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Free Agency Casino cash: $1386198	The great thing bout Springfield is if you know your way around there's almost always a short cut or a long cut that has no traffic to deal with. You're also never more then 10 minutes from the country. PhilFree __________________ [/SIGPIC]
Posts: 15,024

04-26-2005, 11:50 AM	#19
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $2058752	Springfield is bad in some spots, but if you know the backways around it is easy. My knock on the town is that they should have ran I-44 where Chesnut Expressway is, but other than it isn't that bad.
Posts: 49,750