'This light takes forever. Who designed this intersection?' Comic takes aim at traffic signal engineers

Timothy Welch of Welch Engineering in Bedford read our coverage in Monday's Star-Telegram about the lack of signal synchronization on Mid-Cities Boulevard in Northeast Tarrant County. He sent along this comic strip, which is a terrific reminder that as we debate how to best keep traffic moving in the area we best not lose our sense of humor.

@gdickson

Comments

[RCH]

While I appreciate his sense of humor, I'd like to invite Mr. Welch to wait to turn left from Liberty Drive onto Holiday Lane in North Richland Hills. There are times the light simply will not turn green and you are forced to wait until lightning strikes and takes the power out or make an illegal turn. The City of NRH needs to focus on correcting this problem rather than making light of it.

[TexHwyMan]

@RCH, have you reported this problem to the city? It sounds like there may be a malfunction at that particular location rather than an engineering issue, which is what the cartoon was about.

[TexasWelch]

@RCH, let me call the Public Works director and I will get that signal looked at it. Also in the future if you see any other traffic issues, feel free to contact the city. NRH Councilman Welch.

[Timothy Welch]

@RCH, This is the response from our P.W. Manager:
We have had some vehicle detection problems at this signalized intersection before. I will have them take a look again and get the problem fixed. The signal light also operates as part of the synchronized system along Holiday lane. There are times during peak hours that some delays will occur on the cross street because of the amount of traffic on Holiday Lane. We will check it today.

Jimmy Cates
Public Works Operations Manager
7200 A Dick Fisher Drive South
North Richland Hills, Texas 76180
817.427.6464

@RCH,I hope this answered your concerns and as always contact Jimmy or myself on my NRH email address. Thank you. NRH Councilman Tim Welch

[djc]

Perhaps, the traffic engineers in Southlake could contemplate the westbound left turn from 1709 onto Southbound David Blvd, which is backed up constantly, and at rush hour is a total nightmare. There is ample room for a two-lane turn onto Davis, but when the intersection was redone last year, and we all hoped that would be fixed, it remained the same, the backed-up left turn lane that it has always been, albeit with a median now. They provided a double-left-turn capability from westbound 1709 onto southbound Paytonville, but of course, that serves Carroll High School --- can't have Chad and Buffy wait too long to get to class...