TRAFFIC: Engineers responsible for congestion

I’d like to add my two cents regarding observed traffic issues.

I feel that the local traffic engineers are responsible for some of the needless congestion.

Specific problem intersections that I frequent are Third and Harrison, Seventh and Lakeside, and Government Way and Appleway.   

Most of the delays are being caused by left turn arrows that are not only being activated if no vehicles are in that lane but then they don’t expire for 15 or so seconds while traffic backs up in the other directions. The first two intersections mentioned have been on a default mode since about last winter and the streets department is aware.

When I go through the Appleway intersection Friday mornings, the backups are also needless. Appleway gets a much too long green time even when no traffic is left to clear. And then the left turn arrows activate and stay lit way beyond the last vehicle. This is particularly disturbing because the Government Way signals supposedly have been “upgraded.” I also have not noticed that adjacent intersections are synchronized at least between 7 and 8 a.m.

I cannot get satisfactory answers from the streets department as to why programming is so poor even after new equipment has been installed.

TOM WHIN

Coeur d’Alene