Even if I drive at the speed limit I don’t seem to make it through all the lights. Why?
Many people refer to old downtown areas in large cities where there are one-way streets spaced exactly at ¼ mile intervals as an example of where you can drive a set speed and get through every light. This is the simplest form of coordination. Throw in unevenly spaced signals, variations in signals (some have protected left turns some do not) long pedestrians times (many times coordination is based on no pedestrian crossings – when they occur it throws the signals out of step) and other conditions and you can see why modern streets systems do not lend themselves to “perfect coordination.”

Show All Answers

1. What is Traffic Signal Coordination?
2. What is the best way/method for getting through the most signals without stopping?
3. Even if I drive at the speed limit I don’t seem to make it through all the lights. Why?
4. Which traffic signals are coordinated?
5. When are they coordinated?
6. Are signals coordinated in both directions?
7. Does coordination “break” at major intersections because the cross street volume is also very high?
8. Sometimes I have to wait almost 1-½ minutes (but can seem like 5 minutes) to get a green on a side street or a left turn even when there seems to gaps in traffic. Why?
9. Why don’t you coordinate all the time?
10. How do the signals operate when you don’t coordinate?