Improvements are coming to city traffic signals, but drivers will have to be patient.
Q. I am frequently stopped on Fairfield Avenue for the Home Avenue light, and most often, there isn’t any traffic on Home. Are there any changes planned for this intersection in the future? – Evan Hyndman
A. Good news, Evan, changes have been identified for this intersection, but you will have to wait a bit for them to become a reality.
Shan Gunawardena, city traffic engineer, said the signal at Fairfield and Home doesn’t have a detection system installed to determine when vehicles on Home would need the signal to change to proceed.
Gunawardena said this signal is one of many where the city plans to add detection as money becomes available. Until then, the city has timed the adjacent signals on Fairfield to provide the best traffic flow during morning and evening rush hours. As a result, morning drivers heading north will experience the best flow, and the reverse in the evening. Drivers heading the opposite direction at those times could experience additional signals, however.
Gunawardena added that the intersection with Home is an important pedestrian crossing point, which is why the city won’t convert it to flashing mode for a longer portion of the day.
Sidewalk delayed
A regional transportation planning group this week delayed plans to install a trail and sidewalk on Lake Avenue from Anthony Boulevard to Reed Road.
While most on the Urban Transportation Advisory Board agreed a sidewalk was needed – there are visibly worn walking paths in the grass – there was concern about spending money to construct a trail just north of a section of the Rivergreenway. The total project was anticipated to cost more than $4.5 million because a large amount of property needs to be acquired.
The board did agree to apply for more federal money to complete the section of the Pufferbelly Trail from west of Lawton Park to Fernhill Avenue that includes a spur to Franke Park.
Clinton reduction
Beginning Monday, the state plans to reduce Clinton Street to one southbound lane from just north of Fourth Street to Headwaters Park – the section has two lanes currently.
The restriction will allow crews to construct the connecting pavement to the new section of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge. Two lanes of traffic should reopen by June 6, weather permitting. The bridge project is expected to be finished by December.
Radio Sage
The audio question this week comes from Sue Peters of Roanoke who asked about cleaning responsibilities along the interstate. The segment originally aired Friday afternoon on WOWO and can be found online at www.journalgazette.net/roadsage.
