The red light you just hit? It's supposed to get you to the office sooner

[Manhattan]

Pretty terrible article as I learned almost nothing new as before reading it. But wanted to get some thoughts on traffic light patterns in Calgary vs other cities. Personally I find the traffic lights are much more of a hinderance compared to many other cities. Also not sure if the infographic considers the volume of traffic relative to the km of roads. Perhaps someone can school me.

https://i.cbc.ca/1.6633621.1666989236!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/chart.jpg

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/mobility-operations-centre-calgary-patil-angela-knight-1.6633586

[Manhattan]

Mods please move to society / current events thanks

[ExtraSlow]

Yeah, calgary traffic is mild to non-existent. Even today, driving into downtown on a pretty bad snow day, I had zero traffic issues.

[Cagare]

There are far more problems than the programming of traffic lights in the City. There are a number of things that contribute to this problem. The biggest is that there are too many road connections. I am going to take an example of something I use every day. John Laurie Blvd between McKnight and Nose Hill Drive is 70km/hr although the road in it's current config probably has a 90 km/hr+ design speed. It has 9 roads that cross it over 11 km. That's a road crossing every 1.2 km. Of the crossings 3 of them are major arterial.

Yet in the past few weeks the City has decided to put traffic lights at Charleswood Drive. The main reason for this is the backup that is caused during peak periods due to left turns in and out of there. Where what should happen is that 19 Street, Charleswood and Brisebois should all be closed to John Laurie and those neighbourhoods should be forced to use Northmount (a collector) to get to 14 Street or Shaganappi for access to John Laurie at the interchange/traffic light. That would improve traffic flow in a straight stretch of road that is meant to move vehicles quickly from one location to another. Instead they put in a traffic light, that requires more lifecycle cost and human resource to manage.

This is just meant as one example. This happens all over the place and is not uncommon in other Cities also. You cannot solve these sorts of stupid design choices through managing traffic lights, it's not practical.

If you want to talk about downtown that's a different sort of issue.

I don't think these traffic problems are big in today's scale, but as we grow they are going to get quite bad later on.

[zechs]

Be glad you have the red/yellow/green pattern times you have.

In Edmonton they are shorter, at the speed limit if you catch a light just right you have to slam on your brakes to not get a redlight ticket.

[rage2]

I'm pretty obsessive about light timings and patterns, and I don't think what they've said in the article is accurate, or at least, not operational yet.


With a few keystrokes and mouse clicks, staff at the facility can override any of the city's 1,200 traffic signals when necessary: say, when traffic backs up after a Calgary Flames game, or when construction has impacted regular timing.
I go to a lot of Flames games, and I noticed it's CPS parking their cars and pugged into the corner interface box who's manipulating the lights post game within a few blocks of the dome. I've also driven 6th and 11th ave as an exit point post game, and the light timing is fucking identical to non game nights. I have to basically drive WOT against 3 lights to "beat" the desync from McLeod to 9th St. SW. If I don't beat the desync, I'm literally sitting at a light with zero cross traffic for 2-3 mins on 6th ave at McLeod (which is prioritized) which is a waste of everyone's time.

So yea, there's no fucking way any of this shit is operational or the level of control they claim.

[Xtrema]

Yeah, calgary traffic is mild to non-existent. Even today, driving into downtown on a pretty bad snow day, I had zero traffic issues.

Last week or week before, something happened further up 14th st or something and nobody is moving on 11th ave out of Downtown crawling at 5kph at quitting time.

Once 14th is cleared, it's smooth sailing onto Crowchild.

[danno]

It’s actually true that the engineers can implement the timings from their office. Are they likely to do it after a flames game I would say no. But they definitely have the power to do it for the majority of intersections.

[rage2]

It’s actually true that the engineers can implement the timings from their office. Are they likely to do it after a flames game I would say no. But they definitely have the power to do it for the majority of intersections.
That's not what the article says. Article says they can control all of them. Controlling parts of the network isn't very useful, have to control every single path to be effective. We learnt this in GTAV final robbery.

That and they used Flames game as an example haha.

[schocker]

The only lights I encounter that are synced on a daily basis are downtown. Sage hill to downtown via shaganappi and crowchild is just red after red unless you are going mega fast.

Obviously they have no control over the 9th st 5th ave sw light based on how it backs up at times.

[Swank]

My driver doesn't wake me until I'm at my destination so I have yet to experience a red light, well aside from my trips to Amsterdam.

[killramos]

I want to see what farcical explanation the city has for the downtown intersections where they overlap red lights by 10-15 seconds, but enabling the walk lights.

Basically making cars going straight wait longer for literally no reason.

They have been spreading too.

[lilmira]

We all have that person who only uses 5% throttle off the light. No traffic engineering can fix that.

[killramos]

We all have that person who only uses 5% throttle off the light. No traffic engineering can fix that.

God damned trackhawks

[88CRX]

Northbound 52nd street by Auburn Bay/Mahogany and then west onto Seton Blvd..... Somehow they've engineered this area to hit every red light. Traffic calming?

[dimi]

The biggest problem in my view is the sheer amount of traffic lights being installed everywhere. It's absolutely staggering. Most of these locations a simple 4 way or a roundabout would be 10x more efficient and cost effective.

It's almost as if there's a traffic light installation department at the city and their only kpi is amount of traffic lights installed.

[SJW]

The biggest problem in my view is the sheer amount of traffic lights being installed everywhere. It's absolutely staggering. Most of these locations a simple 4 way or a roundabout would be 10x more efficient and cost effective.

It's almost as if there's a traffic light installation department at the city and their only kpi is amount of traffic lights installed.

I only stop for 1/2 the red lights. Problem solved.

[sexualbanana]

The biggest problem in my view is the sheer amount of traffic lights being installed everywhere. It's absolutely staggering. Most of these locations a simple 4 way or a roundabout would be 10x more efficient and cost effective.

It's almost as if there's a traffic light installation department at the city and their only kpi is amount of traffic lights installed.

This has been a major peeve of mine as it has become more prevalent (or at least been a major focus downtown). My examples:

- SB 1 Street SE/Macleod Trail and Riverfront Avenue - I get the need for control because of the targeted increase in pedestrian traffic in that area. But I don't think a traffic light is all that necessary for a single-lane two-way road intersecting with the beginning of a one-way road. I think a pedestrian crossing light is more effective there than stopping all of traffic.

- One block later at the entrance/exit of the Harry Hays parkade - The reasoning I've heard is that the traffic getting in and out of the Harry Hays parkade is tough at the end of the day, but, again, a traffic light seems to be a drastic measure to remedy a very small window of trouble.

-NB Macleod at 13th and 14th Ave SE - Again, a traffic light intersecting with small 3-lane (the ones where there is room for parking on one side of the road and barely enough room for cars going in opposite directions) residential roads.

- 1 St and 13 Ave SW - They added a traffic light here that, I think, actually makes the traffic worse because 13 Ave is barely wide enough opposing traffic. So instead of the 2-way stop sign that allows cars on 13th to move in and out when possible, cars now have to wait and it clogs up that whole area until the light turns green.

[ZenOps]

All deliveries under 5 pounds should be done by electric flying drones.

Would be the single greatest improvement in traffic for the entire world.

[suntan]

The city has given up on believing that drivers know what they're doing.

I can't blame them really.

[Cagare]

It’s actually true that the engineers can implement the timings from their office. Are they likely to do it after a flames game I would say no. But they definitely have the power to do it for the majority of intersections.

It's possible, but not for every light in town. The remote operation system is super costly and is only reserved for specific locations. Most traffic lights in this City, like many others, are controlled locally and have to be preprogrammed in person.

Also, the level of monitoring when they change stuff on the fly is only reserved for on-peak times, just rush hour. Aside from that the timings are left untouched.

- - - Updated - - -


The biggest problem in my view is the sheer amount of traffic lights being installed everywhere. It's absolutely staggering. Most of these locations a simple 4 way or a roundabout would be 10x more efficient and cost effective.

It's almost as if there's a traffic light installation department at the city and their only kpi is amount of traffic lights installed.

Or maybe some of these roads should be a right in and right out, or closed altogether.

[rage2]

It's possible, but not for every light in town. The remote operation system is super costly and is only reserved for specific locations. Most traffic lights in this City, like many others, are controlled locally and have to be preprogrammed in person.

Also, the level of monitoring when they change stuff on the fly is only reserved for on-peak times, just rush hour. Aside from that the timings are left untouched.
Any source info on this? Used to have a friend that worked traffic engineering but they no longer work there so I miss learning about how the sausage is made.

[Cagare]

Any source info on this? Used to have a friend that worked traffic engineering but they no longer work there so I miss learning about how the sausage is made.

The source is myself. I've run these systems for other Cities in Canada. Remote operations of every traffic light in the City isn't a thing that would be done due to cost (and the human resource to manage). It's certainly done on every major arterial and I wouldn't doubt that the systems are probably becoming more common on collector roads also.

A good example of a light that would not be managed centrally is one that is done by sensor exception. Meaning that the timing does not activate until a vehicle is sensed at the red in the excepted direction. These are not centrally managed are all typically controlled in a local cabinet because it's pointless to centrally control that.

[danno]

I’d guess 70% have remote access. There is lots of locations that don’t require it. I’m not in the department anymore so I’d have to ask. With the new controllers we put out a few years ago they have the ability to do it.

[rage2]

Thanks. So article is exaggerating quite a bit. Also the DT East/West ave bad timing in low traffic times where you can't drive one side of DT to the other without stopping is entirely because of incompetence.

[mr2mike]

so I miss learning about how the sausage is made.
Miss those comments but not the guy.


My driver doesn't wake me until I'm at my destination so I have yet to experience a red light, well aside from my trips to Amsterdam.

Can we stop and appreciate this post, please?

[killramos]

Thanks. So article is exaggerating quite a bit. Also the DT East/West ave bad timing in low traffic times where you can't drive one side of DT to the other without stopping is entirely because of incompetence.

DT N-S is the real comedy routine

[you&me]

Thanks. So article is exaggerating quite a bit. Also the DT East/West ave bad timing in low traffic times where you can't drive one side of DT to the other without stopping is entirely because of incompetence.


DT N-S is the real comedy routine

Why prioritize and solve for n/s or e/w when you can fuck up both?

[danno]

So we have about 1300 intersections and around 1000 have com support, you could imagine an intersection in the middle of the community will probably not require coordination as much as main roads. So about 80% are capable of being adjusted at any time.

[Sentry]

Really the only time I'm frustrated by lights is trying to get across 16ave to get to crowchild (I live by edmonton trail). What a piece of shit road with its 50k limit and hitting every red every time. If I have no traffic ahead of me after the red at center street I blast up to 100k for a moment just to break the cycle of reds (and give the Mopac fellas a flyby)

[Manhattan]

Was driving in US (King county) earlier this year. At night when there's minimal traffic the sensors (I assume) change the light from red to green within a second or two. So even when you do hit a red you are hardly waiting. It was great.

John Laurie is the worst. Is there no logic or timing to those lights? Along that entire road I hit red on each light every single time. :facepalm:

[94boosted]

It's not just the incompetence of the guys in the control room. Whichever moron that though making the second-from-left lane on NB Mcleod Trail & 6th Ave SE straight only, should be fired immediately. For years traffic was able to go straight or turn left (WB) onto 6th Ave at that intersection, from that lane, but not long before Covid they changed the sign to make that lane straight only. It results in traffic being backed up 2-3 blocks every morning, on a good day.

https://i.imgur.com/9rnqsIT.png

[rage2]

John Laurie is the worst. Is there no logic or timing to those lights? Along that entire road I hit red on each light every single time. :facepalm:
You need to speed a lot to hit the greens for 53rd and Sarcee from Shaganappi. Edgemont Drive is a joker, it’s sensor triggered and can ruin it easily. Once past Sarcee you can drive calmly until you get the green at Hawkwood drive, then wot to clear the green for nose hill haha.

There’s a cop that hides on the slow stretch between Sarcee and Hawkwood drive, so it’s perfect since you need to drive slow to hit the green at Hawkwood drive anyways.

[Manhattan]

^

This is exactly what I mean. Why can't the city set the John Laurie lights to be same as E/W routes DT so if you're going at the speed you're supposed to you get through on all green.

[riander5]

Why the fuck is the city putting lights on john laurie.

Also, has anyone experience the traffic lights put in around east village? Biggest waste of a few million bucks i've ever seen. The traffic planner in this city need to be drawn and quartered

[Cagare]

^

This is exactly what I mean. Why can't the city set the John Laurie lights to be same as E/W routes DT so if you're going at the speed you're supposed to you get through on all green.

It's probably because the Shag/Sarcee/Nose Hill are all the primary routes they are timing for to get access to Crowchild.

[mr2mike]

I suspect too many people on the land.

109854

[rage2]

It's probably because the Shag/Sarcee/Nose Hill are all the primary routes they are timing for to get access to Crowchild.
No. If you drive speed limit, you’ll hit the red as you approach 53rd, not the advanced left green to get onto crowchild. Then it’s a long wait because northbound d 53rd has a long left green before southbound gets going. Same for Sarcee. Nose hill is actually relatively quick regardless if you make it or not, because the n/s lights change ridiculously quick, with a ridiculously long left green that goes on forever with no car needing to turn, impacting straight e/w traffic. But that’s a rant for another day.

[Manhattan]

Does CoC spend relatively less on traffic control than other cities or are they just being typical useless city employees? Every I see a city 'metric' its always complete BS.

[killramos]

Spending more and having useless city employees are not mutually exclusive

[mr2mike]

My driver doesn't wake me until I'm at my destination so I have yet to experience a red light, well aside from my trips to Amsterdam.

109891

Spotted Swank commuting.

[Swank]

Like I'd ever front seat mr2mike, wait are you the driver?!?! OK, we ugly in this house of lies.