We’ve talked over and over about some of the simple changes that can be made to save gas and help the environment. One of those is for local jurisdictions to make traffic signals operate sequentially, or at least more efficiently. This means an end to constant stopping and starting at times when there is little or no cross-traffic. Here’s an example of a road that just doesn’t work and it’s one most of us are familiar with: Independence Avenue.
On several occasions during the past few weeks, I’ve driven the eastbound stretch of this road off 14th Street at around 10 p.m. Here’s what happened: After I turned right, I got about halfway to the light at 12th Street before it turned red. That’s OK because there are usually tourists at this somewhat late hour heading for the Metro station after a night on the town and they need to cross safely. As soon as that light turns green and traffic gets started, the next light at L’Enfant Plaza turns red, and drivers sit and sit with no traffic crossing. As soon as that light turns green, the light at 9th Street turns red. This is the ultimate insult in that the Ninth Street tunnel is one-way southbound and the only traffic that would cross Independence Avenue would be that from the DOT/FAA Building which is as dark as a tomb as this hour.
