The 72,000 daily drivers on a six-mile stretch of Route 50 in Fairfax County may notice a smoother commute this morning.
The Virginia Department of Transportation switched the left-turn signals at 11 of 15 intersections between Pleasant Valley Road and the Fairfax County Parkway to activate at the end of the signal cycle instead of the beginning.
“We are trying to look at any way to squeeze a little more time and make traffic flow better in Northern Virginia,” VDOT spokesman Ryan Hall said.
Traffic previously would be backed up at one intersection while the red light at the intersection ahead was empty. The switch in turning-signal timing should stop the gaps in traffic and make commutes steady, Hall said.
Signs are posted warning drivers to “Wait for the green arrow” in the new traffic pattern.
