We heard the other day that walkers in LA are getting killed at higher rates than they are in the rest of the country--partly because there are more pedestrians here than in the rest of the US, believe it or not--and Long Beach is doing something about it, reports Streetsblog. On a 6,000 foot stretch of the city's busy East Wardlow Road, a new speed detection system has been installed to slow down drivers near a school. Here's how it works: the traffic light is always red until a vehicle nears, but if a car is traveling faster than 45 miles per hour, the light will stay red--otherwise it will turn green (if no other vehicle is approaching). Novel approach, but Streetsblog brings up this concern: "The problem arises when drivers reach a habit that they will expect immediate results if they traveling at a legal speed. However, if another approaching car was granted green first, drivers may simply run a red light, thereby increasing the number of crashes." Meanwhile, the city is installing new traffic lights on Atlantic.
· In Long Beach, Some Lights Rest Unless Drivers Follow Speed Limits
[Streetsblog]
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