Sunday, January 24, 2010
Northbound left turns at the Eagle/Overland signal, free-running right on-ramp from northbound on Eagle Road
< < Back to the Wizard's Index
Loading...
|
| | Dear Road
Wizard: I drove my daughter to Mountain View High for two years. We'd travel
north on Eagle Road and wait for the left-turn (westbound) signal at Overland Road.
At 7:10 a.m., the signal only allows three or four cars through before turning
yellow, leaving cars and buses backed up. Now that she drives herself to school
I understand why she and her friends take shortcuts through neighborhoods and
businesses to avoid this signal. What gives? M.R.@ |
| | What gives is
that Overland Road traffic has more volume than Eagle Road. As Big Kid, it gets
more green time than Little Kid.
The northbound
left turn onto Overland does have a short green light. If you regularly wait
through multiple cycles to get your turn, it's reasonable to consider other
alternatives: leaving home earlier; choice music; alternative routes. She's
probably heard about these during a teachable moment.
It's also
reasonable to ask ACHD's Signal Kid to investigate the Big Kid/Little Kid
situation circa 7:10 a.m., which I did. Which he will do. Which I will report.
You didn't say
what route your daughter actually does use, if not this one. She has every
right to use any public street to get where she's going. You, too! She need
only drive the speed limit and park legally.
If she doesn't
already, your daughter might consider approaching the school from Locust Grove
Road. Puffin Street opened in the last two years and offers a legal,
straightforward way into the school. Approaching from the south, she gets there
with a right turn and avoids both left turns at Overland and Millennium Way. |
|