LOWELL — Drivers are more likely to ignore speed limits, traffic signals and road signs if what they're asked to do doesn't make sense.
Traffic engineers know this, and it's why they have to consider reasonableness when they try to control drivers' actions.
This comes up because Bryan Meesey of Farmington found unreasonable traffic signals in his town, and he wants The Guru to eliminate the stops in his early-morning commute to work.
The Guru's also got new information about turning right on red at two Rogers traffic signals.
Question: Meesey goes to work between 3:30 and 5 a.m., and the route takes him through five frustrating U.S. 62 traffic signals in and near Farmington.
"All the lights in Farmington are set on a cycle that is entirely too short," Meesey writes. "Forget the fact that at 4 a.m. all the lights could be set to blinking yellow or - at worst - cycle for a minute or so of [green time] for U.S.
62 drivers then maybe 15 seconds for [drivers on the lesser roads].
"All that being said, I seem to stop a lot less coming home from work, whether that is at 3:30 or 6:30 p.m. The lights have to be running on different cycles during the day than they are at 4 a.m.
"I wouldn't have a problem stopping at every single light if there were actually cars (on the lesser roads). What good are pavement sensors and cameras if they can't do their job of detecting a car?"
Answer: Chad Adams, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department's district construction engineer at Fort Smith, said the adjustment of the signals' timing through Farmington is one of the final steps to complete the widening of U.S. 62. The road is done. The signals should be adjusted properly within a week, he said.
A radio system will coordinate the U.S. 62 signals at County Road 62, Double Springs Road, Rheas Mill Road and Arkansas 170. The signals will give most of the "green" time to U.S. 62 drivers.
In the late night and early morning hours, the signals will be set so the lights are always green for U.S. 62 unless there's a vehicle waiting to enter from Arkansas 170 or one of the other roads.
The traffic signal at Broyles Road, the fifth traffic signal encountered by Meesey, won't be coordinated with the other signals.
RIGHT ON RED IS LEGAL
Readers comments and questions to The Guru caused the Highway Department and city of Rogers to come to a new agreement about right turns on red.
Now, drivers going north on Interstate 540 who exit Pleasant Grove Road or Promenade Boulevard will be allowed to turn right on red.
The city had always favored making the turn legal, said Steve Glass, the Rogers planning and transportation director.
The Highway Department agrees and has blessed the installation - within days - of signs that will say "right on red after stop." Robert J. Smith, aka The Guru, writes on traffic issues in Northwest Arkansas each Friday.
He can be reached at gridlock [email protected] or nwanews.com/gridlockguru.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 13 on 09/25/2009