Construction throws off Sahara traffic signal

We have a couple of questions about the synchronization of traffic signals. These are tough to address because typically those who manage signals say that they are well-timed and that traffic flows efficiently. If residents have problems, technicians sometimes find that the signal is malfunctioning, and the Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation resolves the issue. Then readers fire off emails and leave me messages asking whether I’m crazy because they do not at all believe that signals are well-synchronized.

So, please, don’t shoot the messenger.

Ed has a couple of questions. First: Traffic flow on Sahara: There is now complete stoppage at the light at Nevada Power. Every hour of the day it’s red. Truly remarkable, but then why would we want to move traffic on Sahara.

As I’m sure you know by now, Ed, the Regional Transportation Commission has been building new designated bus lanes on Sahara Avenue for some time now, and that has thrown the traffic signals out of whack. FAST controls the lights and times them with the goal of moving traffic down the arterial more efficiently. Traffic engineers have difficulty properly synchronizing the lights when the roads are torn up.

Ed is absolutely correct, the lights along Sahara are difficult to predict and sometimes are aggravating. Believe it or not, Ed, there is some good news. After your inquiry, FAST sent its engineers to Sahara to ensure that the problem was because of interruptions caused by construction. That was indeed their conclusion. Hopefully synchronization will return at the end of the month when construction is expected to wrap up.

And, secondly: There is a light at Lindell Road for no reason, then inconsistent changing turn arrows for no reason. Can you please explain why we are forced to sit and wait at this intersection?

This is what Brian Hoeft, director of FAST, had to say about this intersection:

Whether a left-turn arrow occurs at the beginning or the end of a green signal is often determined by travel patterns through the intersection, so they often vary depending on the time of day. For example, if a motorist is heading east on Sahara and wants to turn left on Lindell, the left-turn signal may occur first in the morning because of higher traffic volumes in the eastbound direction in the morning. The left-turn arrow may occur after the green ball signal in the afternoons when westbound traffic is heavier and the demand for left turns is lighter.

The signal may not provide a left-turn arrow at all sometimes during the day, such as the overnight hours, unless the signal detects that a car is going to turn left.

“The goal is to maximize how many cars can travel through the intersection as efficiently as possible,” Hoeft said.

Ellen got stuck on tags: In your Jan.18 column, you mention that “tags” are available at Department of Motor Vehicle kiosks. Could you define “tag”? I’ve asked several people and got the answers “sticker,” “license plate,” and “license plate with a current sticker.” My dictionary lists one definition as “license plate.” Could you please clear this up?

Absolutely and my apologies, Ellen. The tags, also known as stickers or decals — I suppose it depends on which part of the country you live in — are the colored stickers with the month and year your registration is due. They are issued when you register your vehicle.

And speaking of tags and stickers, here is Anita: Do you know why they changed registration tags so that the month is big and the year runs perpendicular and is smaller? Didn’t they used to be the same size?

Yes. The DMV’s registration tag used to use the month and the last two digits of the year. For example, the sticker would say 04-12. For law enforcement purposes, they changed the month because that is really the important number for officers to see. They can determine the year by the color of the decal.

Michael is curious about the next license plates: I’ve noticed that we are running out of digits in our standard license plates. Any ideas as to what the next plate will look like? I suspect that, due to the budget woes, DMV will just add a digit to the front of the existing plates and start over. What have you heard?

The department is just starting the process of looking at new designs, but it doesn’t have anything to do with running out of letters and numbers. According to Tom Jacobs, spokesman for the agency, after a decade or so, the older plates start to get faded and are difficult to read. The state’s traditional plates were changed from the bighorn sheep to the new sunset plate in 2003. The state will celebrate its 150th anniversary in two years, so it is likely that the new plates will have a theme related to that milestone.

Arlene asks: Please answer a question I have wondered about for years. Why are drivers with handicap status allowed to drive with the placard hanging from the rear view mirror? It specifically states on the card to not drive while it is displayed on the mirror. Are these drivers ever ticketed?

State law prevents motorists from having a sticker or other type of decal on their front windshield that would obstruct their view of the roadway or highway. According to the DMV, while it is strongly suggested that drivers do not operate their vehicles with these hanging from the mirror, it is not against the law. If a motorist with a dangling placard were to get into an accident, it would be difficult to prove that the placard was the cause of the crash, so they are not ticketed.

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at 702-387-2904, or send an email to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number.