Traffic signals once needed sometimes outlive their intended usefulness, but that doesn’t always necessitate their demise.
Q. Is the light at Kinsmoor Avenue and Fairfield still necessary? – Laura Rodriguez
A. Good question, Laura, and you aren’t the only one to wonder about its use.
Driver complaints about this signal prompted the Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council to study the intersection and whether its traffic still warranted a signal. The group’s research found that it did not meet any of the requirements for a traffic signal.
Shan Gunawardena, city traffic engineer, said the study was the first step in eliminating the signal. Next will be discussing the change with neighbors and converting the signal to flash at all times; it currently flashes overnight. This is to determine whether problems are created by eliminating it without actually doing so.
If the conversion to all flash goes without incident for a few months, the city will then be able to remove the signal.
Signals staying
That’s not to say all signals that failed to meet requirements will go.
The transportation council also tested traffic signals at Fairfield and Home Avenue; Indiana Avenue and Rudisill Boulevard; and South Wayne Avenue and Rudisill. None of the intersections met any of the traffic requirements for a signal.
Gunawardena, however, said it is unlikely those signals will be removed. The signal at Fairfield and Home provides safe pedestrian access for a nearby school. He said he prefers not having the signal on only during school hours because that could affect driver expectations of the area and lead to more violations or unsafe driving.
The city is waiting to see what happens with the former Taylor University campus before it decides what to do with the signals on Rudisill. He said when the school was active the signals were needed, and if it is used again, they will be needed again.
Sign ban
The number of signs along state roads has apparently become enough of a problem for the state to ask for help.
The Indiana State Police in Fort Wayne recently reminded residents that signs placed along highways in the right of way are not permitted.
While this may seem like nitpicking to some, there are some valid reasons. First, the signs can block a driver’s line of sight or distract them from the road. Secondly, they simply just look like ugly clutter in most cases. The state defines them as a public nuisance.
Radio Sage
This week’s audio question comes from Chuck Harris of Fort Wayne who asks about the intersection of Dupont and Lima roads. The segment originally aired Friday afternoon on WOWO and can be found online at www.journalgazette.net/roadsage.
