ACHD's Road Wizard Sunday, October 22, 2017 ACHD's Road Wizard

"Cross Traffic Does Not Stop" sign requested at Records Ave. at Baldcypress Street.  Is commute traffic going east/west favored over north/south when it comes to signal timing?  Is the signal at Victory Rd. and Trabuco Ave. self-aware?

The Road Wizard Replies

Dear Road Wizard: I would like to put in a request to have a "cross traffic does not stop" sign posted on Records Avenue at Baldcypress Street. I have witnessed near-accidents at this intersection. People are cruising down Baldcypress while people on Records have a stop sign. They start to go because they assume it's an all-way stop. I have even had people honk and get mad at me when I didn't stop. Please post a sign before an accident happens.

Anonymous

Road Wizard:

"Cross Traffic Does Not Stop" signs are generally installed in more rural, high-speed locations where mistakes may result in serious crashes. Records has a 25 mph speed limit and Baldcypress is 25 mph or 20 mph.
 
There is also already a rule that any intersection that doesn't have "All Way" signs posted under the stop signs is not an all-way stop situation.

However, a bit of confusion at Records at Baldcypress is understandable. Records carries more vehicles, so if Records traffic is stopped, it may seem that Baldcypress should also have a stop sign.

Dear Road Wizard: As the growth to the north and south continues in Boise, can you please explain why the commute traffic from west to east and east to west is still the favorite child? Those of us driving in the north/south pattern have to sit so long at intersections so east/west commuters can move. It's time to make this fair for all commuters. If people continue to purchase homes farther from their jobs, they need to be the ones who have the longer commutes, not those of us who live in the city proper.

Stacie

Road Wizard:

Many east/west corridors do have greater traffic numbers based on the actual counting of cars. It's the nature of the Treasure Valley where communities are lined up along east/west Interstate 84. Even so, many north/south routes get priority; there are actually more coordinated signal systems on north/south routes than on east/west routes in Boise and Meridian.

Some examples of favored north/south routes in Boise are Broadway Avenue, Vista Avenue and Cole Road on the stretch between Century Way and the I-84 on-ramp. Routes like Fairview Avenue and Overland Road prioritize east/west traffic.

Dear Road Wizard: The signal at Victory Road and Trabuco Avenue has become self-aware and must be stopped. It appears to be capable of independent thought and is stopping traffic on Victory for its own amusement. Can someone take a look at it please?

Anonymous

Road Wizard:

No, the machines aren't taking over; the problem is relatively common. A traffic detection camera at Victory and Trabuco was struggling to tell the difference between shadows and actual vehicles.

 ACHD replaced the camera and the signal should be back to normal operation, but a crew would have gotten there faster if the report was called in directly to ACHD Traffic Operations at (208) 387-6190. A live person is there to take calls during normal working hours. The Road Wizard may be wise, but can't compete with how fast ACHD crews respond to signal malfunction reports.

 

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