| Author |
Message |
    
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2365
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 8:46 am: | 
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The new traffic lights have been activated but the timing has been changed so that there is a shorter amount of time to cross Springfield along Boyden. This is resulting in traffic backing up all the way to Elmwood. And this traffic is fed in both directions by employees at NJT and PSE&G. I timed it, it's now 15 seconds and if you obey the sign just north of the Fire Station that says STOP HERE ON RED only 3 or possibly 4 cars can get through the light. I have literally sat through at least 5 light changes just trying to get through!
Now that we own that section of the roadway, whose responsibility is it to deal with this? Who does traffic engineering? It's very aggravating. Supposedly the cameras installed at the light should help determine the length of the light. Are they on? Are they misreading the gap created by the STOP HERE ON RED sign? And turning left onto Springfield Ave has become more onerous as a result.
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Fruitcake
Citizen
Username: Fruitcake
Post Number: 254
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 8:54 am: |
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Q. Who does traffic engineering?
A. The Township Engineer.
Q. Who does the Township Engineer work for?
A. The Township Committee.
Q. If I have a concern about municipal operations, should I call township staff and/or public officials and try to get some reuslts?
A. Nah, just rant on MOL instead.
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Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2556
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 9:05 am: |
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Cathy, funny you should mention this. I sat through that just yesterday. Don't normally go that way (in fact I NEVER go that way), but was on my way to SB to pick my son up from after-school enrichment. It was extremely frustrating. I think it took me 5 minutes to get from the pool building to the light. And I was actually past that new "stop here on red" line when the light went yellow and, since the light seems to go very quickly from yellow to red, I was just barely crossing the intersection when the light went red. And, like you said, I was maybe the 5th car to make it through before the light turned red again.
Stupid, frustrating and potentially dangerous!
Perhaps they're still in the process of working out the right timing?
Maybe I'll give the engineer a call myself. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2366
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 9:27 am: |
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Fruitcake, what is your problem? I asked the first question you responded to so that I could decide on a course of action. Now, since you've decided to be so helpful, as well as snide, would you happen to know the name of the township engineer?
Meand: 15 seconds on green, maybe 2 or 3 on yellow. I'll time that. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 2560
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 9:35 am: |
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Cathy, come on, you know better than to acknowledge the trolls! 
Township Engineer: Richard Calbi 973-762-8120 x3200. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2367
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 9:43 am: |
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thanks, meand |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 4148
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 11:53 am: |
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I always avoided that intersection before because traffic was so backed up. Why on earth would they make it worse?
Imagine what it'd be like when the pool opens... |
les
Citizen
Username: Les
Post Number: 105
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006 - 9:19 pm: |
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While the new traffic signals are nicer looking and much more visible, I agree that they are causing some serious delays. I sat on Boyden Avenue twice today waiting a very long time to cross over Springfield Ave.; the second time I counted waiting until the ninth green signal before I was able to cross along with 3 other cars. We also counted that it stayed green for a mere 15 seconds. I'll be calling the engineer, thanks for the info. |
eb1154
Citizen
Username: Eb1154
Post Number: 441
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 7, 2006 - 12:21 pm: |
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Cathy,
I just sat through it myself. I called Rich Calbi and left a message for him. I will follow up on Monday.
Eric |
Kathy Leventhal
Citizen
Username: Kml
Post Number: 52
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 7, 2006 - 2:04 pm: |
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The new lights go through a process of 'timing' for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Generally, this takes a couple of weeks. Though, my understanding is that adjustments can be made earlier.
Eric, I also contacted our Engineer, late yesterday when I was alerted to the problem by another resident. Mr. Calbi said he will go to the site and access the situation.
We should have information back to you on Monday.
Sincerely,
Kathy Leventhal
Maplewood Township Committee
973-378-9897
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C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2371
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 7, 2006 - 2:17 pm: |
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Thank you to Eric and Kathy L for taking prompt action on this problem. This is the beauty of MOL in action! |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 4161
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 7, 2006 - 2:54 pm: |
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Nice work Kathy, thanks. I tried it myself this morning going to recycling and it was pretty tough.
Going back, I went up Tuscan, cut across Maplecrest Park, then Forest Road etc. Despite all that l it took half the time it took just going straight across Boyden and waiting for the light.
I noticed a lot more cars than usual trying to get onto Springfield by the library, so others are hip to the shortcut. The residents of those streets will owe you a debt once you get the timing fixed! |
Kathy Leventhal
Citizen
Username: Kml
Post Number: 54
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 9, 2006 - 5:37 pm: |
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Maplewood's Engineer will contact our consulting engineer for traffic and get back to us.
Will keep you all posted.
Sincerely,
Kathy Leventhal
Maplewood Township Committee
973-378-9897 |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 6529
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 9, 2006 - 11:23 pm: |
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Tom - as someone who is already affected negatively by the Forest Road cut-through, I'd like to thank you for posting the route.
There are 11 small children on the street, it is narrower than Elmwood or Boyden and cars speed down it like they are on Springfield.
I live in fear of the day these kids start riding their bikes. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 4175
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 4:26 pm: |
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...which is all the more reason why the main routes onto Springfield need to remain reasonably accessible.
(I didn't mean for it to be a helpful suggestion to drivers, because obviously anyone who lives in the area knows about it already!) |
slipknot (slippy)
Citizen
Username: Zotts
Post Number: 211
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 11:29 am: |
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I was almost had a head on collision with a woman driving her large SUV turning at the light while I was going straight (with right of way, and I was first in line) she had no intention of stopping and was last seen laughing. I assume she wanted to make the light. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2379
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 7:24 pm: |
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The following does not justify the incident Slipknot decribes above. It merely reminded me of something.
People trying to turn left crossing Springfield Ave from the Fire Dept side who are concientious about the Stop Here on Red sign have basically no opportunity to make their turn. The left turn area (2 or 3 cars at most) is after the sign. So, if you are a law-abiding citizen you cannot get close enough to the light to actually make the turn during rush hour. Instead, you inch up to the actual light and wait while 20 cars pass you by. The light has now turned red and you are illegally stopped beyond the sign. If the Stop Here on Red sign is to remain, a left turn arrow must be added to the signal.
OR, more sanely, we could do what West Orange has done at the corner of Prospect and the top of Rte 10 (the light at Mt Fuji.) Have traffic flow from only one quarter of the intersection (instead of 1/2) at a time. It really works. People turning left can do so freely, without worry or interference. People proceding forward or turning right can do so as well. Any side can turn right on red, traffic permitting. It is amazingly civilized. The greens are somewhat shorter than they were previously but it is not a problem because there is no opposing traffic to negotiate. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 4179
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 2:17 am: |
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I've never liked that one-quarter-of-the-intersection thing we see so much in NJ. Much of the time it just leaves lots of people sitting waiting for a light and nobody moving. Better ways to handle turns are to let both facing directions turn left at the same time, either before or after the main flow of traffic. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3023
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 6:19 am: |
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Unless an explicit turn arrow is added to the signals (which I doubt since they just changed them), then the immediate preceding conversation is basically moot.
Being a SB parent who lives toward the Tuscan/Prospect area, I am always going to be turning left from Boyden onto Prospect. I do make it a practice to jump out and make the turn if I'm the first one in line. However, if you do that quickly, the angle of the intersection typically allows you to do so without interfering with the facing traffic proceeding straight through. (But I don't have an SUV, so I'm not the guilty party mentioned above.)
I would love to see turn arrows there, but I just don't expect it to happen at this point. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 3582
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 6:38 am: |
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C
I agree with you about the light on Prospect! It's not only broken down to one quarter at a time; but I think those going South on Prospect are broken down even more. Those making a left onto Mount Pleasant get to make the Left a good 30 seconds before the other cars go straight.
Another problem intersect is the one by Kmart (Prospect and Eagle Rock). West Orange handles the timing well at that intersection too. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2410
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 12:52 pm: |
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No change and certainly no improvement as yet. The other day I sat through seven light changes to get from in front of NJT through the light. Now that the waiting traffic has been moved back about 50 feet we need a left turn arrow as well. Any cars moving up to try to turn left are stuck in that illegal no-man's-land in front of the Fire Station because no one from the opposite direction will allow a turn in front of them. Drivers are taking greater chances to try to make the turn before or after the light change since there's little chance of going through on green. Of course the situation is at its worst during rush hour which at 7:30 a.m. is already in full swing.
Kathy L, can you follow up again with Mr. Calbi?
Thanks. |
Kathy Leventhal
Citizen
Username: Kml
Post Number: 55
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 7:09 pm: |
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I just opened an e-mail from Mr. Calbi and came here to post when I saw C. Bataille's post!
Mr. Calbi said that the signal timing of the Boyden Avenue/Springfield Avenue intersection will be adjusted to allow more green time on the Boyden approaches.
He is working to schedule the change by the end of next week, but can't guarantee the date.
I previously let him know of your concern about the left turn. Let's see if the extended green light for Boyden will resolve the problem.
Thanks and I'll continue to check both at the site and here online.
Sincerely,
Kathy Leventhal
Maplewood Township Committee
973-378-9897
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les
Citizen
Username: Les
Post Number: 107
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006 - 8:55 pm: |
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Another suggestion.....would it be possible to request a few extra seconds for the green light that controls Boyden Parkway traffic? It used to be a little longer with the old traffic signals. Now, only 2 cars can get out before it turns red. It seems that with the shortened green signals on Boyden Ave & Boyden Parkway, many people are running the red lights and creating further problems. My friend who lives on that street says it has been a mess since the new signals were installed. Thanks |
beckyz
Citizen
Username: Beckyz
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 2:16 pm: |
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I just registered for this discussion board just to contribute to this discussion. I live on Boyden Parkway, so there is no way for me to avoid this light. Les, your friend is correct - only 2 cars can get through per green light cycle, and none if there happens to be a pedestrian crossing the street.
I too have sat through many light cycles waiting to turn right from Boyden Ave to Boyden Pkwy - my record is 9 minutes at 4:30pm.
I wonder why the previous light cycles (of the old traffic light) are not recorded anywhere. If they are, why not set the light to the old timings and if things need to be re-evaluated, a study can be done. I, personally, did not think the old cycle times were so terrible - especially not compared to now. |
Kathy Leventhal
Citizen
Username: Kml
Post Number: 56
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 6:31 pm: |
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I've passed the comments about Boyden Pkwy. onto Mr. Calbi.
Sincerely,
Kathy Leventhal
Maplewood Township Committee
973-378-9897 |
beckyz
Citizen
Username: Beckyz
Post Number: 2
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 8:55 pm: |
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I can see the light has quite an intelligent cycle now! My husband even said today "this light is really smart; we should live in a world where all intersections are this intelligent." I still think it is tough to get out of Boyden Parkway, but it is better.
Also thanks to Cathy for following through with all of the information transfer.
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knak
Citizen
Username: Knak
Post Number: 131
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 11:30 pm: |
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Belated thanks to all who helped get this light back to functioning sanely! By Thursday, our commute to Seth Boyden for the morning drop-off, driving past the pool and making it across the Springfield light, was back to a 1 or 2-light wait, and morning was a little less frenzied. It was really hard to add that 5-10 minutes to our morning routine. |
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