Description
If you are heading westbound (towards Springfield Mall), a left turn arrow needs to be added to the signal to turn into the Bed Bath and Beyond/Target Complex. Because the Eastbound traffic gets the green first (and I believe there is a green turn arrow in that direction for the left turn movement onto Thompson) cars heading westbound and making the left into the shopping complex are forced to turn after the red. Typically there is no breaks in the traffic to make the movement during the green.
6 Comments
Rick (Guest)
Geoff S. (Guest)
Erin (Guest)
Geoff,
Obviously, you don't know much about this type of thing. The traffic for this Shopping center are -already there on Baltimore Pike. A left turn will not add any traffic and will instead reduce traffic that stacks at that light. My profession is in planning and traffic and a shopping center this size needs more than 1 entrance. The traffic can't make it through the light at 420 either do to shear volume. The traffic is going to be there no matter what unless the target closes. The problem with the traffic on Baltimore Pike is that the lights are not properly timed or there is no closed loop system that links the traffic lights. Routinely, I am stopped at one light and then at also at the very next light. This should never happen and I'm not talking about this happening during rush hour or Saturday afternoons when you should expect it. But this happens to me at 10 or 11 pm or 5 am when I leave for work when there is relatively little traffic. Again I know what I am talking about, its my profession.
springfield resident (Guest)
Geoff S (Guest)
Springfield Resident - I have lived and worked in Swarthmore since 1975 and have watched the traffic increase steadily with many, many attempted solutions to the problems. Timing is one factor, volume and a lack of backroad access for those who are residents and know their way around are the largest factors. In most of Delaware County you can access just about any commercial district by going through your local neighborhood streets, without significantly affecting quality of life or traffic volume on those neighborhood streets. Those from outside of the area will use the primary routes but will have less traffic to contend with so they will not be as likely to seek out alternate routes. In this part of Baltimore Pike, specifically the area containing the shopping centers from the edge of Sproul Shopping Village up to the old Strawbridges (now Bed Bath) are in a inaccessible funnel where the only access is Baltimore Pike. Once you get beyond 420 back road access is plentiful and the traffic moves quite well. It is the PECO, former Boeing and Swartmore Swim Club properties that block the back road access for the neighborhoods on the East Side of Baltimore Pk and South from Swarthmore down through Media. Turning lanes were tried in both directions and all that did was shorten the length of time for through traffic to flow past that shopping center adding another degree of congestion. Springfields closing of the Stoney Brook neighborhood has also created problems for some time.
Next time you criticize be sure of what you are speaking about, and have some manners as well.
Closed Erin (Guest)