Baret's Banter: Progress Made...but Plenty to Go

On Sunday, I drove down McKnight Road toward Bob Evans. Heading southbound, something caught my eye. The left turn lane indicators, mentioned as being long out of commission in a post I wrote in August, are now functional again! The "left turn signal" sign next to the actual traffic signal looks to have been completely refurbished. Hopefully this will ease the problems with this variable lane. Kudos to the local authorities for taking care of the signage issue.

However, even with one confusing intersection fixed, getting around the North Hills (especially Ross and McCandless) is as tough as ever. Here are a few more problems I've discovered. Please feel free to discuss any of these in the comments, especially if you know any reasoning behind the rationale of these nonsensical intersections or road issues.

1. Siebert at Thompson Run: Where's the Third Stop Sign?

Nothing in the North Hills is more irritating than continuing toward Babcock on Thompson Run. As soon as you feel it's OK to take the left from the stop sign, someone going over the speed limit zooms by and makes a turn onto Siebert without using their turn signal. The only ones who benefit from this intersection are those who sell brakes, which undoubtably get worn out from slamming them whenever this all too common event occurs.

The fix for this is simple: make it a three way stop. The headaches from a lack of a stop sign on Thompson Run heading toward McCandless have gone on for decades. It's time to put an and to this ASAP. Install the stop sign; it will ease congestion and make the roads far safer.

2. Left Turn Lane, No Turn Signal

The most notable offender comes on southbound Perry Highway at Jackson Street. For years, there has been a left turn lane at this intersection. However, there has never been a signal to permit left turns. When the signals were upgraded a few years ago, a left turn signal could have easily been installed. If Perry Highway and Thompson Drive/Perry Lane could be upgraded to include this, why not Jackson Street?

3. Left Turn Signal, No Left Turn Lane

There are a few of these around, too. One such example is Thompson Run Road at McIntyre. Getting stuck behind the guy who wants to turn left after the arrow goes off is always a huge pain. Widen the road or eliminate the signal (the former is a far better idea).

4. Why 25mph on Kummer Road?

The 25mph speed limit makes perfect sense throughout North Park. As a frequent cyclist in the park during the summer months, I enjoy the strict enforcement of a slower driving speed for automotive traffic. However, Kummer Road extends far beyond the park limits and has a maximum speed of 25mph throughout as it approaches Babcock Boulevard.

The street may be more residential than anything, but it compares more favorably to Highland Road than a quaint residential street, as it's also a popular access road. Many drivers seem to go as fast as 40mph on the road. A speed limit of 35mph seems more sensible, especially since the road itself is tough to go 25mph on (believe me, I always seem to have my foot on the brake when I drive along Kummer).

5. No Turn on Red at Northbound Perry at Jackson? How about the Pines Plaza Entrance?

For years, there was a no turn on red sign at Jackson Street for drivers heading north on Perry Highway. A few blocks north, a similar sign existed at the Pines Plaza intersection (Trion Street). The Jackson Street sign appeared to have fallen at some point around 1991 and was never replaced. The Perry Highway sign disappeared when the signals were replaced.

Should there be right turns on red at these intersections? It seems OK to go without the restriction at Pines Plaza, but the sign would make perfect sense at Jackson Street, which is a hard right angle around Brandt Funeral Home. I'm almost positive the sign just fell off the wire, so let's get around to replacing it. (The sign on Jackson Street itself also fell recently but I didn't notice if it was replaced or not when I drove by there today).

6. Babcock, Peebles, and McKnight

There's really no good way around this intersection. Believe me, I've thought about it quite often as I sit at this signal. The best solution would probably be the construction of an overpass to merge with McKnight for left turn traffic from Babcock, but even then, the volume would probably create just as many bottlenecks. If you can think of a better idea, please post it.

7. Duncan, Ferguson, and Thompson Run

Otherwise known as the intersection most requested to receive a traffic signal, this has been a source of problems for years. Rush hour is by far the worst time; the intersection has the volume to arguably warrant a signal when it's congested (not to mention the number of unsafe drivers who try to cheat the stop sign system). During non-peak hours--say, 1:45 PM on a Tuesday afternoon--it's hardly crowded at all.

The solutions are simple. The light could be a smart light at all times. Alternately, the signal could only function as a regular traffic signal during peak hours and flash red (signaling a four way stop) at other times. Either option is better than what exists (personally, I like my second option best).

8. Left Turns from Peebles, Please!!

Since we're over in that area, let's talk about the Duncan/Peebles intersection. With the construction of McCandless Crossing, Duncan Avenue has become a far busier road than ever before. Once the new developments open, there will only be more nightmares.

The Duncan and Peebles intersection is a bad one if you're trying to make a left from Peebles in either direction. Left turn signals are needed at every junction here to eliminate bottlenecks for travelers not turning. Simply run the left turn lanes as protected lefts simultaneously, then switch them off and let the traffic flow.

Obviously, some land will need to be snapped up for the lanes to exist in some cases. It's tough to take from a cemetery, but the other businesses could certainly sacrifice a little bit to make things safer. Parking won't really be affected much, plus the size of the property will be lower, meaning lower taxes for those who own it. Isn't that a good enough reason to get rid of a little bit of land?

9. Left Turns in the Park (from Babcock)

When this intersection was retooled a few years ago, Babcock travelers lost their protected left turns. Sure, traffic flows a little quicker now, but it's nearly impossible to make a left turn onto Ingomar or Wildwood these days. See the above proposal for a solution.

10. Three Degree, Sewickley Oakmont, Lombardy, Graham, and Perry

You saw it coming--saving the best for last. Unfortunately, there's really little which can be done about this intersection unless the BP station or Willi's was demolished and one intersection was created. Even then, you'd have a six way stop.

Again, there is no real way to get around this one. The difficulty here lies in the unforeseen expansion of the North Hills. The signal was installed circa 1968. At the time, there was little beyond McCandless in terms of residential development. Today, Route 19 serves as a connector for those avoiding the Parkway North or McKnight Road who happen to be commuting to and from Wexford, Cranberry, and other points north of town. With two businesses here, both of which help the North Hills, there's no way anything can be done. Geography is also a constraint.

Changing the timing on the traffic signals wouldn't work, either, since every road at this intersection (save for Lombardy and Graham) tend to pile up traffic pretty quickly at any time of day.

Some bottlenecks simply can't be fixed. If they could, traveling along Bigelow Boulevard would have been easier decades ago. Sadly, the similarly bad intersection at Paulowna Street/Heron Avenue (a five way stop) cannot be re-engineered due to similar factors.

It's best to accept this one as-is and find ways around it if it's particularly bothersome. I've found Rochester Road to be a decent alternative for getting to Ingomar or Franklin Park quickly.


There you have it. Ten road problems for us to contemplate. Let's fix the ones which can be fixed!!!