Whats with all the down traffic signals?

[Django]

The past few days I've noticed many stop lights were not working and they haven't been repaired. Most ppl treat them as 4 way stops but others don't even notice and are blowing right through them. Is this something we just have to get used to? Some of them have got to be causing some accidents. I've seen two close calls already.

[Sehv313]

we've always had down traffic signals, but the real question is, what is up with the city playing with the side & main street lights, puritan across livernoi is pitch black but some side streets are lit up, & east nevada street near the precient was nice & bright last week. now all lights are off, its almost like the city is picking & choosing who gets lights on rotating by the week

[Meddle]

Must be LIBOR.

Or maybe that mysterious low level hum.

Maybe that Tommy Hardimon guy that's plastered all over this board can fix it all with some web video.

[Scottathew]

They put the Gratiot\Farmer traffic signal into a blinking yellow\red mode as a "traffic study". However, they don't indicate that to the Farmer traffic, that the blinking red that the Gratiot traffic has a blinking yellow.

I've seen several almost-accidents because of Farmer traffic assuming that the Gratiot traffic also has a blinking red, when they do not.

[Zacha341]

It seems that way. Let a big snow storm come and we're toast for plenty of accidents. I drive less at night due to this Russian roulette of lighting. I am seeing folks blow thru reds and lights out for certain!

...its almost like the city is picking & choosing who gets lights on rotating by the week

[PizzaMan]

It seems that way. Let a big snow storm come and we're toast for plenty of accidents. I drive less at night due to this Russian roulette of lighting. I am seeing folks blow thru reds and lights out for certain!

Even the flashing red lights have people just blow right through them and I use extra caution near stop lights in the city.

[Honky Tonk]

Even the flashing red lights have people just blow right through them and I use extra caution near stop lights in the city.

They don't EVEN have to be flashing.

[313WX]

MAybe once several people get into an accident and are injured at these interesections and file a clas action lawsuit against the city and state they'll get serious about actually making sure these signals are working and scrap their little social engineering project.

[poobert]

We live in Mad Max times.

On my way to work this past week, several traffic signals were out in Midtown on Warren. Midtown may on the up and up, but that doesn't mean services are going to be provided.

Jefferson from Belle Isle through Indian Village and Joseph Berry was the same way.

We're rightsizing the city. The plan is to provide services at unacceptable levels everywhere until everyone leaves. Then we can turn the whole blessed thing into the Detroit rainwater retention pond.

[Django]

I travel Canfield from the Corridor East daily and it seems they're all out except Woodward and possibly one in front of the hospital. Ive been driven by people from out of town and they blew right through at least one dark light before I started screaming, that got my blood going.

[MikeM]

Mack & Balfour - Working traffic signal changed to flashing yellow/red:



I don't know how the "study" works; wait and see how many accidents occur?

[313WX]

Mack & Balfour - Working traffic signal changed to flashing yellow/red:



I don't know how the "study" works; wait and see how many accidents occur?

That's actually Mack and Chatsworth [[Balfour is one block over).

[MikeM]

Whatever. Mack & Chatsworth.

[Honky Tonk]

A few years back, they changed the stoplight @ Lafayette & Van Dyke to a four way stop, with the stoplight flashing. After 2 years and multiple near-misses, the pulled the stop signs and a WORKING stoplight is back.

[Detroit Signal]

The city has been doing studies to eliminate traffic signals for the last few years. The studies have several determining factors such as traffic volume and number of accidents during a specific period [[same as a study to install a signal).

The city needs to definitely eliminate more signals and is finally on pace to do so accordingly. You'll probably see another 100 intersections eliminated by the end of next year. This will help streamline the maintenance costs and improve service to intersections that are more critical.

As far as streetlights being out, you have to remember that Detroit still uses series system lighting that acts light a Christmas light string [[one bulb or break in the circuit and the whole thing goes out). Much of the original series lighting with the metal poles was originally done underground and has been the victim of age/deterioration and scrapping. The PLD has patched and run repair service overhead, but it is not ideal for long-term performance with the number of pole knockdowns/failures. And of course, the PLD grid is ancient and that's why the shit doesen't work right in the first place.

Above all, what pisses me off the most is the the city of Detroit spent money in 2005 to upgrade signals with LED inserts that were 50-60 years in service. The signals were then decommissioned/removed or replaced less than two years later. THEN, the new signals were then upgraded again and now they are being decommissioned. All of this happening within a span of 7 years and millions of dollars later.

[Honky Tonk]

"Above all, what pisses me off the most is the the city of Detroit spent money in 2005 to upgrade signals with LED inserts that were 50-60 years in service. The signals were then decommissioned/removed or replaced less than two years later. THEN, the new signals were then upgraded again and now they are being decommissioned. All of this happening within a span of 7 years and millions of dollars later."

Ah yes, Detroit Einstein's @ the helm. "But we're out of money". Classic Detroit move.

[Meddle]

Two Detroit police officers, a teenager and a woman were hospitalized today following a car accident that involved a vehicle blowing a red light and hitting the officers’ patrol unit.

All four of the injured are listed in stable condition.

The accident happened at around 2:45 p.m., when a 2002 Kia traveling eastbound on West Warren disregarded a red traffic light and struck the officers’ cruiser, which was heading north on Mansfield.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012122...text|FRONTPAGE

[compn]

its destruction derby out there. watch for cars + jaywalkers who jump out from behind buses without looking.

almost got me one the other day. he jumped back and i swerved at the last second.

ignore the lights, everyone else does and they get crazier when its snowing.

[Rocko]

As far as streetlights being out, you have to remember that Detroit still uses series system lighting that acts like a Christmas light string [[one bulb or break in the circuit and the whole thing goes out). Much of the original series lighting with the metal poles was originally done underground and has been the victim of age/deterioration and scrapping. The PLD has patched and run repair service overhead, but it is not ideal for long-term performance with the number of pole knockdowns/failures. And of course, the PLD grid is ancient and that's why the shit doesen't work right in the first place.

On this subject, and I'm not sure who's purview this is under, but it is great to see the rehabilitated and now operating infrastructure in place on all sides and through Roosevelt Park in front of MCS. Reused fixtures and lamp housings, replaced poles, and overhead wiring means all lights are ON. Makes a huge difference.

Above all, what pisses me off the most is the the city of Detroit spent money in 2005 to upgrade signals with LED inserts that were 50-60 years in service. The signals were then decommissioned/removed or replaced less than two years later. THEN, the new signals were then upgraded again and now they are being decommissioned. All of this happening within a span of 7 years and millions of dollars later.

Some intersections have had up to three traffic light installations in a less than 10 year period. Keeping the electrical contractors employed? YES. Frittering away very limited Detroit money that could be so much better managed so the whole system works better? YES.

Also, if the city were serious about trying to recoup some $$$, they'd have a team out on site pulling down the old steel poles for re-use or scrap days after these studied intersections go out of service and are finally replaced by stop signs.

[Bad Brains]

Forget about down signals, what's with the traffic lights downtown? Haven't they ever heard of timed lights during times of low traffic? Try driving through downtown at 1 or 2 A.M during the week. Catching a long red light when there isn't a car or even a soul around in any direction is frustrating. That's retarded, it's 2013 and they can't fix this?

You know they won't hesitate to give you a ticket shall you decide to run through it and an officer magically appears. Maybe that's their plan actually. Not a bad idea I suppose.

[DetroitPlanner]

Forget about down signals, what's with the traffic lights downtown? Haven't they ever heard of timed lights during times of low traffic? Try driving through downtown at 1 or 2 A.M during the week. Catching a long red light when there isn't a car or even a soul around in any direction is frustrating. That's retarded, it's 2013 and they can't fix this?

You know they won't hesitate to give you a ticket shall you decide to run through it and an officer magically appears. Maybe that's their plan actually. Not a bad idea I suppose.

Just because traffic is less, does that mean that pedestrians do not deserve protection? Granted there is less pedestrian traffic in off hours, but it is there and there should never be cars racing though an area with a bunch of blind intersections. It does lead to more car crashes.

Nice name calling by the way. Just because you're inconvenienced a bit does not mean that traffic signals should still not be working.

[Detroit Signal]

On this subject, and I'm not sure who's purview this is under, but it is great to see the rehabilitated and now operating infrastructure in place on all sides and through Roosevelt Park in front of MCS. Reused fixtures and lamp housings, replaced poles, and overhead wiring means all lights are ON. Makes a huge difference.

I love that they did this. Finally a smart use of resources that have been sitting around collecting dust for 40 years.

BTW, Anybody notice the new LED fixtures on 14th near Lasalle Gardens/Euclid??

[Detroit Signal]

Also, if the city were serious about trying to recoup some $$$, they'd have a team out on site pulling down the old steel poles for re-use or scrap days after these studied intersections go out of service and are finally replaced by stop signs.

Agreed. Even if they took the time to blast/paint these old poles along Gratiot/Oakman/Warren, etc. and protect them from rotting out, falling and killing someone.

Funny thing - I just figured out why the old steel poles lean AWAY from the roadway along Gratiot......they used to be under tension from the streetcar wires - duh!!!!!!

[Detroit Signal]

Forget about down signals, what's with the traffic lights downtown? Haven't they ever heard of timed lights during times of low traffic? Try driving through downtown at 1 or 2 A.M during the week. Catching a long red light when there isn't a car or even a soul around in any direction is frustrating. That's retarded, it's 2013 and they can't fix this?

Detroit has not implemented any actuated controllers - It would take millions in funding to install vehicle detection at various intersections. Dont worry, at the rate they're eliminating signals, you wont be waiting at any lights soon - just worrying about who's not gonna run the stop sign.....

Here are a few that are being eliminated soon:

Milwaukee/John R
Milwaukee/Brush
Milwaukee/Beaubien
Baltimore/John R
E Grand/Beaubien
Clifford/Washington
Porter/W Grand
etc.....

[313WX]

Detroit has not implemented any actuated controllers - It would take millions in funding to install vehicle detection at various intersections. Dont worry, at the rate they're eliminating signals, you wont be waiting at any lights soon - just worrying about who's not gonna run the stop sign.....
Here are a few that are being eliminated soon:
Milwaukee/John R
Milwaukee/Brush
Milwaukee/Beaubien
Baltimore/John R
E Grand/Beaubien
Clifford/Washington
Porter/W Grand
etc.....

Do you mind posting the entire list of signals that will be eliminated?