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gurple
offlineMember
Am I going nuts, or sometime in the last couple weeks did the light at Leary & Market change in order from:
1. Leary goes
2. Market goes
3. 22nd goes
to
1. Leary goes
2. 22nd goes
3. Market goes
Anybody know anything about why? Is it supposed to be more efficient this way, or something? Is there somewhere online where they explain things like that?
Mondoman
offlineMember
G - after months of waiting, they just repoured the sidewalk around the stoplight control box at the NE corner of 22nd & Market, where Leary merges in. That might mean that they've already activated the new stoplight control system there(part of the set of Market St stoplight control changes/bus stop changes).
gurple
offlineMember
That makes sense. Must be part of that whole project. I wonder what the reasoning is behind the change in the order of the lights.
Dweezil
offlineMember
I noticed something was different about the order of the lights over the weekend too. Often times the westbound traffic will stack up into the intersection after a red light, so hopefully this helps?
I'd like to see an all-way, diagonal pedestrian crossing for 22nd/Market.
Mondoman
offlineMember
Not a bad idea, D! When I go through there as a car, there are often enough peds that the car traffic with the green light backs up waiting for them to finish crossing.
Dweezil,
I remembered seeing an article somewhere (I just looked and couldn't relocate it so it might have been something I read in my dreams <grin>) in which the city claimed that its studies showed that 4 way walks were not effective/efficient in almost all places they looked at.
I have trouble following that however just watching traffic in key places...like 22nd/Market for example. When I do actually drive a vehicle I found that in summer at places like 22nd and Market there might be several consecutive light cycles where right turning traffic simply couldn't move because of the constant pedestrian traffic. I certainly don't begrudge the pedestrians the right of way. But I do object to a traffic light pattern that doesn't give a driver a chance at all. Even trying to turn right there on a bicycle with any degree of courtesy can be difficult. It does seem like an intersection like that would be a prime place to do an all way walk.
We do have one at Cherry and 1st near my office and even though that intersection is only a T intersection it certainly helps a bunch. Everyone gets a chance to move.
D
Cate
offlineMember
As a frequent pedestrian there, I would feel safer with an "all cross" portion of the light cycle. Some of the cars with green lights get impatient waiting for the pedestrians.
charliecooper
offlineMember
I agree; an 'All Cross' option would be safer and more expediant for traffic turning off and onto Market street.
For those of us that use that intersection daily, we were custom to the traffic moving in a certain pattern.
Mondoman
offlineMember
Are you up for calling SDOT and proposing this for the Market/22nd St intersection, Dweezil? I'd be willing to call in support.
great idea
offlineMember
maybe if you guys walk backwards, things won't feel so weird.
Mondoman
offlineMember
Who's walking, gi?
(evil bicyclist/motorist chuckle)
charliecooper
offlineMember
I will also call in support. I know several others who will also be interested.
If someone has the time to produce fliers with information, posting the fliers or passing them to others can also generate more calls.
great idea
offlineMember
how about some sort of flash mob in the intersection to get SDOT's attention?
I'll bring my boombox and we can dance to David Lee Roth's 'Dancing in the Streets'!
Mondoman
offlineMember
Wasn't that the Bowie/Jagger video from the 80's?
cc - maybe there's some time this week interested folks could meet up for coffee or beer to chat about it.
Dweezil
offlineMember
Mondo- I've no idea where where/how to start proposing this to the city, so you are certainly welcome to lead the charge. I got yer back. I think the city might be more attentive if there was a detailed proposal, rather than just mentioning we want such a thing. I can easily imagine some top transportation engineer replying "get outta here kid, ya bother me! I'm the big dog."
Re: flash mob. I think you have to do Safety Dance.
charliecooper
offlineMember
I received this response from the City of Seattle:
InquiryNotification-DoNotReply@seattle.govInquiryNotification-DoNotReply@seattle.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSR - Automated Response E-mail Notification - DO NOT REPLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for contacting the Seattle Department of Transportation. Your inquiry has been added to the service request tracking system, and you can expect a response within 10 business days.
Your inquiry has been assigned the unique service request number 12-00049595. This number is the official reference number for your service request if you need to inquire about it in the future.
If you have questions regarding your inquiry, please call 206-684-5000.
Dweezil
offlineMember
Kudos for taking the initiative there, charlie.
Hope you a get a reply that specifically addresses this intersection.
BuddyCianci
offlineMember
This topic reminds me of something I wonder about that intersection. Anyone here drive north on Leary and then take a right onto Market? If so, why not turn onto 20th? The reason I wonder is the right lane northbound traffic at Leary & Market gets slowed-up by cars turning right and yielding to pedestrians.
SeaSpider
offlineMember
If I'm driving in the area I avoid 22nd/Market and 24th/Market (especially north bound) like the plague. If I have to cross Market in my car I usually do so at 20th.
charliecooper
offlineMember
I called City of Seattle; Department of Transportation today. They had a lot of people on vacation, whom are recently back in the office. As of today, the request to change the 22nd & Market intersection to "all walk" has been sent to the group within the Department of Transportation that manages the traffic lights.
I guess we will need to wait, at this point.
charliecooper
offlineMember
It looks like it isn't going to happen:
Dear Mr. Cooper:
Thank you for your suggestion for the intersection of 22nd Avenue NW and NW Market Street. You requested that we change the operation of the traffic signal to include an All-Way Walk (AWW) phase.
The AWW operation is used sparingly throughout Seattle, as it causes delay for all users of the intersection, including pedestrians. The operation is most beneficial when high levels of pedestrian activities are present as well as similar high vehicle volumes, particularly conflicting turn movements.
This particular intersection would not be a good candidate for the AWW operation due to the adjacent intersection of Leary Way. This extra "leg" of the intersection creates a crossing distance too long to be served within a signal cycle.
If you'd like to discuss this in greater detail, please feel free to contact me directly at (206) 684-8086 or saeed.nowkhasteh@seattle.gov. I will be happy to assist you further.
Sincerely,
Saeed Nowkhasteh
Senior Traffic Signal Engineer
Seattle Department of Transportation
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