Pointless Red Lights

[sidegate]

I think most people can agree on the need to conserve energy whereever possible so when I see large numbers of heavy objects being brought to a complete standstill for no reason then having to consume energy to start moving again, it gets my goat. This is a post to list those Houston traffic lights where a busy road intersects with a piddly wee street and you hit a red light and NO CARS AT ALL cross in front of you from the side street. Completely and utterly pointless.

First on the list for me has to be D'Amico at Waugh. Any others?

[Highway6]

First on the list for me has to be D'Amico at Waugh. Any others?

How many office buildings and parking garages are in that AGI complex?

And you don't think a light is needed at one of the main entrances ?

[TheNiche]

Canal and Adams. Adams Street on either side of Canal is offset a bit, making it confusing, there are no bus routes on Adams, and the traffic count crossing or coming off of Adams is very low.

[JLWM8609]

This is a post to list those Houston traffic lights where a busy road intersects with a piddly wee street and you hit a red light and NO CARS AT ALL cross in front of you from the side street. Completely and utterly pointless.

First on the list for me has to be D'Amico at Waugh. Any others?

I've passed through that intersection numerous times and there's always been cross traffic.

The way most intersections are getting car detecting cameras now. Lights changing green for non-existent cross traffic should one day be a thing of the past. At least that's the way it is for the intersection of Ardmore and S. MacGregor. S. MacGregor always has the green unless a car pulls up on Ardmore.

[travelguy_73]

I can only think of one or two red lights that are pointless (59 Eastex NB feeder road at Greens comes to mind). Worse, im my mind, are the pointless left turn arrows when a siimple yielding green light would be more efficient, and work better. There are too many of those to mention (do they even put yielding green lights at intersections anymore?).

[samagon]

pretty much any street after 2am. there are needs for lights at most of the intersections I see, but isn't it about time that this city got sophisticated enough to have clocks in the lights, and especially on some side streets, changed them to blinking yellows, or blinking reds? big intersections, I understand, but small intersections? especially ones that are there specifically to help with traffic from offices?

[dbigtex56]

Please bear in mind that a traffic light can influence traffic at more than one intersection. Interrupting the flow of traffic on a major artery creates gaps which allow passage at other intersections, sometimes blocks away.

[ricco67]

I think it's the "low flow" intersection signs simply need to be upgraded/modified so that they only cycle if there's a vehicle waiting at the light. Maybe a 311 calling campaign is in order instead of simply compiling a list?

[AtticaFlinch]

I think they ought to do away with the lights at Westheimer and Montrose and then sell tickets to the show.

[Fringe]

My beef is all the unnecessary school zones. I'm all for safety for kids walking to public schools but why do we need them at all the private schools? These kids don't walk. They get dropped off in their mom's Lexus and Mercedes.

[J008]

Has anyone noticed the streetlights that give you a green light going the wrong way on a one way street.

I don't have photos but below is a streetview link to shepherd at 11th and you'll see two green lights going the wrong way. I know there is another at yale and I-10 and I am trying to remember the one that was placed right above a do not enter sign.

They have to cost something to maintain and power and they are at least an obnoxious waste of resources and at most a potential invitation to a head on collision.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=yale+at+i-10&sll=29.793747,-95.391123&sspn=0.008771,0.013754&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Yale+St+%26+W+10th+St,+Houston,+Harris,+Texas+77008&ll=29.790573,-95.409894&spn=0,0.013754&z=16&layer=c&cbll=29.790675,-95.409896&panoid=ZL6M1xP-8LRYvOcNJ1CwuA&cbp=12,178.8,,0,5

[ricco67]

Has anyone noticed the streetlights that give you a green light going the wrong way on a one way street.

I don't have photos but below is a streetview link to shepherd at 11th and you'll see two green lights going the wrong way. I know there is another at yale and I-10 and I am trying to remember the one that was placed right above a do not enter sign.

They have to cost something to maintain and power and they are at least an obnoxious waste of resources and at most a potential invitation to a head on collision.

http://maps.google.c...p=12,178.8,,0,5

There are several around town. I'm assuming these were put up before the streets were converted to one way. there are a few in Midtown as well and I would wish they would get removed as well.

[Gary]

Willow Bend at Stella Link. Getting stuck at the westbound Willowbend signal is rediculous, especially seeing that very few cars pass north or south on Stella Link. Last time I checked the light was almost three minutes.

[SaintCyr]

14th and Yale during off-peak hours. That way all the people driving 50 and 60 mph should be able to hit 75 mph with out much worry b4 they hit 11th or 19th. Kidding of course, I do wish people would slow down but don't see the need for a light at 14th and Yale after peak... Maybe during peak too, I've never seen it during the day so can't make that call.

[taylor51]

Red light cameras are not pointless. They serve a valuable function and keep our streets safe. That's why Houston Police Officer's Union Endorses City of Houston Intersection Safety Camera Program.

[emmaj]

Big brother is always a concern of mine and giving him more power is dangerous. However, people against these cameras are not well informed!

These cameras aren't there to watch drivers or gain more control. Wake up people! The cameras are there for the benefit of the people.

[tethan]

A Texas A&M Texas Transportation Institute study found traffic crashes at red light camera locations across Texas decreased by approximately 30%. Right angle crashes, which usually produce the most deaths and injuries, dropped by 43%.

[ianderson]

Hmm... Intersting points. I certainly hope that the issue of red-light cameras comes to a vote, and will eagerly join millions of fellow Houstonians in voting in favor of them. The only people who are against red-light cameras are those who narcissistically believe so much in their own self-importance, they will selfishly risk innocent lives in order to save a few minutes of driving time.

[Fringe]

Willow Bend at Stella Link. Getting stuck at the westbound Willowbend signal is rediculous, especially seeing that very few cars pass north or south on Stella Link. Last time I checked the light was almost three minutes.

LOL. That is a long light. I ran the red turning onto Willowbend from Stella Link just 2 days ago. I never have the patience to sit for particular lights, that one included. Don't worry. If I do run a light I make sure no cars are anywhere around.  

[sidegate]

How many office buildings and parking garages are in that AGI complex?

And you don't think a light is needed at one of the main entrances ?

Sure it is, during the week. At the weekend there's nothing there but tumbleweeds.

Red light cameras are not pointless. They serve a valuable function and keep our streets safe. That's why Houston Police Officer's Union Endorses City of Houston Intersection Safety Camera Program.

Eh, who said anything about red light cameras?

LOL. That is a long light. I ran the red turning onto Willowbend from Stella Link just 2 days ago. I never have the patience to sit for particular lights, that one included. Don't worry. If I do run a light I make sure no cars are anywhere around.

Totally. 2am? No-one around? I'm going.....

[marmer]

White Oak at South just east of the underpass under 45 as it turns into Quitman. Never understood why that light is there.

[sidegate]

WTF..

I was getting ready to make fun of newbie taylor51 for not even bothering to read the topic... this isnt a thread on red-light cameras.

But he obviously has no intentions of being a real contributor to HAIF since he posted as 4 newbies in a row. Do you really think we're that dumb ?

Reported your ass

Amazing...

[Highway6]

Sure it is, during the week. At the weekend there's nothing there but tumbleweeds.

I initially thought you were advocating for removal of signals. Ya didn't specify.

After reading everyone's posts, I see now you probably meant better-timed red lights. If that's the case.. sure.. I would agree that the weekend setup should favor Waugh more than it is now.

[sidegate]

Yeah there definitely needs to be more sophistication about this. Apart from the inconvenience it amounts to an obscenely prodigal waste of energy.

[JLWM8609]

Has anyone noticed the streetlights that give you a green light going the wrong way on a one way street.

I don't have photos but below is a streetview link to shepherd at 11th and you'll see two green lights going the wrong way. I know there is another at yale and I-10 and I am trying to remember the one that was placed right above a do not enter sign.

They have to cost something to maintain and power and they are at least an obnoxious waste of resources and at most a potential invitation to a head on collision.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=yale+at+i-10&sll=29.793747,-95.391123&sspn=0.008771,0.013754&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Yale+St+%26+W+10th+St,+Houston,+Harris,+Texas+77008&ll=29.790573,-95.409894&spn=0,0.013754&z=16&layer=c&cbll=29.790675,-95.409896&panoid=ZL6M1xP-8LRYvOcNJ1CwuA&cbp=12,178.8,,0,5

The positioning of those signals doesn't suggest being remnants of being from a 2 way configuration. Otherwise, they'd be span wire mounted like the rest of the signals at the intersection. I speculate a lot of signals were placed like that back in the 50s and 60s before pedestrian signals became the norm to let pedestrians walking against traffic know that it was safe to cross. I wouldn't be surprised if it also served as another way for cops to judge whether people were running lights. They probably had a better view of that light than the light closest to them.

Worse, im my mind, are the pointless left turn arrows when a siimple yielding green light would be more efficient, and work better. There are too many of those to mention (do they even put yielding green lights at intersections anymore?).

The traffic engineer likely had a good reason for putting a left turn signal there. Things that look more efficient aren't always what they seem.

Take a look at this.

http://midimagic.sgc-hosting.com/yeltrp.htm

Often times, the COH will install left turn signals to avoid the dangerous yellow trap scenario.

[Fringe]

I'd just like to see Houston update their signal controllers. I hate having to wait on turn lights when no one is even turning. Yet it happens all over town. 

[travelguy_73]

Has anyone noticed the streetlights that give you a green light going the wrong way on a one way street.

I don't have photos but below is a streetview link to shepherd at 11th and you'll see two green lights going the wrong way. I know there is another at yale and I-10 and I am trying to remember the one that was placed right above a do not enter sign.

They have to cost something to maintain and power and they are at least an obnoxious waste of resources and at most a potential invitation to a head on collision.

http://maps.google.c...p=12,178.8,,0,5

My understanding is that the single lights facing the wrong direction are to keep cars (who are driving in that wrong direction) from running through intersections when their street doesn't have the right-of-way.

[sarahiki]

Holman and Tierwester. It's not even a four-way intersection and there's a traffic light. Very little traffic there, too, in the middle of the third ward.

[Subdude]

Allen Parkway and Taft.

To me even more annoying than pointless red lights are streets with stop signs on every block. American traffic is like American sports - designed around stop and go movement, not continuous action.

[dbigtex56]

Allen Parkway and Taft.

To me even more annoying than pointless red lights are streets with stop signs on every block. American traffic is like American sports - designed around stop and go movement, not continuous action.

Stop signs on every block?

Then. Maybe. You. Shouldn't. Regard. This. As. A. Through. Street.