TRAFFIC: Timing of lights is terrible

We moved to Coeur d’Alene a year and a half ago and love everything about this town and the area except for one thing — the traffic lights. I spent 22 years doing road construction in northern Chicago and the suburbs. The traffic lights here in Coeur d’Alene and Washington state are the worst timed and most inefficient traffic system I have seen anywhere. The sensor loops under the pavement remind me of generation one systems that I saw in the ’80s. I understand why I see so many cars running late yellow and red lights though there is no justifying it. They do it because they don’t want to sit through another long light cycle.

The people who are responsible for the traffic light system here must have been on an acid trip when they designed them or have an IQ of 10. If they think these are state of the art systems then they need to go to the suburbs north of Chicago and they will see what state of the art is. They have to be, or road rage would be out of control with the people there.

This city spent millions and millions on downtown parks and such, then why not upgrade these traffic systems which would be money better spent.

By the way people, signaling a turn is the law last time I checked (recently). It is not a suggestion or if you feel like it. People hitting the brakes and then turning into an entrance or side street has become an epidemic in this country.

JOE GERARDS

Coeur d’Alene