Traffic Flow/Saety Improvement Suggestions
Just to show that it ain't all fun and games (and joking around), here is something that I take seriously.
I haven't seen any movement in the direction suggested in this email text.
The probable cause is that The Walmart/Sam's advisors have an objection.
Still, I have faith that the local powers that be will do the right thing.
A more recent repeat of the same traffic hazard, just the other day, prompts me to post this summary/suggestion to the Traffic Control Deciders.
Mr. Chai:
First of all, thank you for implementing my suggestion, from 2010, for a double left turn, onto westbound Memorial, from the northbound Hefner Parkway exit ramp. Traffic flow has been vastly improved and unnecessary irritation minimized.
Here are two more suggestions that I think will benefit everyone.
(But I'd be misrepresenting "the whole truth" if I didn't add, "mainly me.")
Location: Penn and Memorial
Twice in two days, as a driver, I was nearly involved in accidents with vehicles whose "drivers" decided that they didn't want to try to make a left turn from southbound Penn into the Sam's/Walmart/et.al. parking lot (at the northernmost entrance). These vehicles both swerved blindly out of the vague "left turn lane" back into the southbound lane on Penn that I happened to be occupying at the moment that they changed their "minds." The exact same thing occurred yesterday, as a passenger in a vehicle that my wife was driving. Obviously, this is a very hazardous location (in addition to all the rest of the "joys" associated with this area, known informally as The Intersection from Hell.)
Suggestion: Prohibit left turns, from southbound Penn, into that retail area except at the controlled intersections that already exist a little further to the south. Make that parking lot entrance/exit an exit only for northbound vehicles.
There are probably dozens of objections that could be raised to my suggestion but none of them have any merit in terms of improved traffic flow and safety.
Location: Memorial and Meridian
Early morning traffic, westbound on Memorial is always very heavy at this location. There are three westbound lanes here, a center lane for through traffic, a right lane for through traffic and for the small number of vehicles that didn't use either of the two right turn opportunities to enter the business and medical development on the north side of the intersection, and a left turn lane to go south on Merdian. Much of the westbound traffic makes a left turn, onto Meridian, probably bound for the Mercy Hospital Complex and the associated doctors' offices to the west of it. Sometimes the left turn lane is backed up nearly to the exit from the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
Suggestion: Allow a double left turn from westbound Memorial onto southbound Meridian.
I predict that most of the time the center lane would be occupied only by through traffic, but this minor change would still improve traffic flow, especially in the morning, but also around noon and in the evening.
Thank you for your consideration--and implementation--of these suggestions.
After all, "It's better to light one candle than to curse the [idiots on the road with you]."
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Originally Posted by RadicalModerate
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