Sir: As of at least mid-September, the left turn light at Churchill Street and Grand Avenue, which has detained drivers without just cause since last fall, is now almost currently useless.
Churchill Street is blocked for repairs, as is the sidewalk, making access to the crosswalk button for Grand Avenue unavailable. Unless recently adjusted, the red light on Grand Avenue, however, continues to stop traffic. Its only saving grace is that anyone wanting to cross Grand Avenue at this location need only wait for the light to change.
The reality is that on average only one in 100 times the light stops traffic, a pedestrian will be crossing. It’s unfortunate that such a nuisance light requires major surgery to rectify.
Also, unless it has recently been adjusted, a similar scenario has existed at St. Clair Street and Gregory Drive, as well as the next controlled intersection at the Super Store Gas Bar. Within the past two months I’ve been stopped on St. Clair Street at both locations with no one waiting to turn or cross. This is most noticeable in the later evening hours.
Patience is a virtue, but that’s not what these lights were installed for. It does, however, detain traffic a little bit more in on the outskirts of town. As for the reasoning, if any, I can only speculate.
Brock Turner
Chatham
