I was envisioning something more along the lines of that crossfire game from a couple decades ago.
So maybe I am just stirring up things... but I emailed udot and asked them this question
How is the Continuous Flow Intersection going to be controlled in the event of a power outage or light failure?
And this is the response
That is a very good question. I will bring it up in our team meeting today and get back with you.
I feel so much better about their planning and foresight now
When I get a response back from them I will be sure to post it up.
Bart, are you comparing this with a round-about?
Nope, just commenting on the earlier roundabout post.
I'm familiar with the continuous flow project on Bangerter and am interested to see how it works. I was at that intersection last week and traffic sucked. I'd rather save my condemnations for later, if it doesn't work. I just get a kick out of people that ***** about something because it's new and different.
Here in Pittsburgh, the land of sensible intersections and excellent roads (Tacoma is laughing right now), they have timed most of their lights. Once you get on the major road, and get caught up with the light cycle, you do not have to stop.
It is VERY nice . . .
I just get a kick out of people that ***** about something because it's new and different.
I'm not condemning it because it's new and different, I'm more semi-frustrated because this seems like a band-aid fix for something that should have been built completely differently. (a freeway. Now they're needing to build another freeway in Braden's backyard to handle the traffic the non-freeway isn't able to handle)
http://www.udot.utah.gov/mountainview/where is the Mountain View Corridor?
shoot, I should google it. Lazy tonight.
My question to UDOT was
How is the Continuous Flow Intersection going to be controlled in the event of a power outage or light failure?
Their response back was
The new signals will have back-up power sources that will maintain the lights for a minimum of four hours. Most signal issues can be handled within four hours, even at a major intersection. We will also discuss emergency preparedness with public safety officials. Otherwise the intersection will function as a four way stop, as other intersections do in power outages, with left turns then through traffic cycling around the intersection. The crossover signals obviously wouldn't coordinate with the larger intersection during an outage, so the crossover signals should be treated as a two-way stop.
Did this answer your question?
I don't feel much better, that crazy left would be dangerous in a 4-way stop situation. But the power backup sounds like it was the right answer to hear.
I go through tis intersection every day (twice ) and anything is better than what it is right now. (or has been, seeing right now they have it down to two lanes and if you get stuck in rush hour traffic it takes 30+ mins to get through that one light).
To start another debate/discussion related to this...the Mountain View Corridor, do you think it should be a toll road? My opinion is not only yes, but hell yes I'd pay! I know the truckers were complaining because then they wouldn't use it and all I say is so??? Stick to Bangerter if you don't want to pay.
I avoid this intersection twice a day. :greg:
Spork said:Mountain view corridor a toll road? No not only no Hell no.
Udot hasn't managed to put a usable road in south of Camp Williams. (Redwood is a sorry excuse for a road, it might have been usable 10 years ago) Making mountain view a toll road is just rolling over and giving them a pass for all the incompetence. If they want a toll road they better start refunding the gas tax.
If I don't get in to work early then I go around, same thing if I get out later than 4:00, I go around
Explain your line of thinking. How is it giving them a pass for all incompetence? Why would you want a refund for gas tax? There are still roads that need to be built and maintained so the gas tax point, well, makes no sense. This would be a toll road that funds itself. Very common in major cities around the country, the users of the road pay to use it. Why would someone that lives on the east side pay for a road they will likely never use? I don't understand the incompetence part either. So you would rather pay for the road through your taxes causing an increase in taxes? The money is not there as it is to build the road so either the whole county (state?) pays for it or just the users pay for it? I like the idea of a toll road. Paying an extra $30-$50 a month for a road that would be way less congested and be an actual freeway sounds quite appealing to me. Those that don't want to pay can go sit in traffic on Bangerter