Well, whatever you think, a red light is a red light. If it were meant to be a stop sign situation, the city would set it to flash red and yellow, which means: treat this as a stop signs and proceed w/ caution.
This intersection is dangerous anyway. In a separate note, at rush hour yesterday, bridge closed, 2 cars blew the red light and almost hit a pedestrian, not to mention the Front St traffic that was starting to go. Many people in NH are just too impatient and selfish.

Rose I like your idea of a red+yellow. Except ... there is no such signal used in Connecticut. That would really cause confusion.

Department of Public Works assigned this issue to Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking

Department of Public Works assigned this issue to Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking

Road widths at this intersection cannot accomodate turn pockets. For example, drivers traveling north on Front St, at the approach to the intersection with Grand Ave are lined up in a single lane to either go straight, turn right, or turn left. This is the case for each approach. If the lights went to flash, there is no way to accomodate these three different turning movements so drivers need to wait while the swing bndge opens and closes. If drivers are impatient and decide to run the red light, it becomes a traffic enforcement issue. We will forward this to NHPD. Thank you for the post.

Turn pockets are unnecessary. Nearly all motorists would rather proceed through the intersection and make their way to the Ferry Street Bridge, rather than wait out the Grand Ave Bridge, which takes a painfully long period of time to cycle.

I would encourage the city to try out a three-way flashing red signal during bridge openings, just to observe the results. My prediction is that even the traffic that would otherwise have proceeded onto the Bridge will instead choose to keep moving and take an alternate route. Locals know that the bridge isn't worth waiting for.

On the question of the current behavior and enforcement. Short of placing a police officer there permanently, you will never be able to stop people from running this light. And if you are going to place an officer, they'd be a lot more useful directing traffic than ticketing people.

But to maximize safety, I really think the city has to seek a solution that will return some semblance of order to this intersection during bridge openings. I'll readily admit that I run the light all the time when the bridge opens. But I also acknowledge that sooner or later this will result in an accident (though to my knowledge, it hasn't yet). Try the flashing red, just see what happens. I predict you'll see vast improvement.

Flashing red phase could also be supplemented with a temporary turn prohibition, such as this sign:
http://www.usasignal.com/products/lanecontrol/nlt.html

Diverting traffic to the Ferry St Bridge would result in a similar problem at the intersection of Chapel St. & Ferry St. Depending upon the size of the boat - the Ferry St. bridge may be up as well - if that is the case, you would have whatever number of vehicles already waiting for the Ferry St. Bridge plus traffic coming from Grand & Front.

Is there no reason that while the bridge is open, that the Front St. Light can be green? Leave the Grand Ave light red, and allow people traveling Front St to commence. If they're taking the turn to cross the bridge and stall traffic, that's just the way it is, and people need to wait. Otherwise, there's no reason to have a three way stop at an intersection hat can accommodate at least one of the roads to be passable.

The intersections at either end of this bridge are dangerous. I drive through them daily, and have almost been killed by red light runners at both. These spots re prime candidates in general for red light cameras and ticketing. Some people, it seems, will only obey the basic laws if someone s watching and enforcing. People in his neighborhood are too impatient and rude when they're behind the wheel.

Due to it's age, this issue is being closed. If this continues to be a problem, please reopen or create a new issue. Thank you.