The Observation Deck

The city has spent hundreds of thousands on lights and the traffic patterns and studies for
Detroit Ave. a street that was until the FitzGerald Administration pretty easy to go down.
We had studies removing lights, and putting up new poles, so that we could stop and go
better past public parks that had to be closed early for lack of funds, so how is it working
for you?


This photo was taken at 4:10 pm on Detroit Ave. headed West. It was a solid line of traffic
from Bell to Rosewood and beyond. In both directions. This was before the streets were
narrowed temporarily for the Hoty's Lakewood Mall construction.




Traffic on Detroit has been bad recently. As this was studied, was this the plan? Slow
cars down as they drive through Downtown, to a speed of 10 minutes to cover the
8 tenths of a mile? Or is this to make all of us think, "you know, what we need is a
ring road, around our Downtown Mall.


It was actually so bad, I though one motorist had just given up and camped out while
waiting for less traffic. However I found out he was camping out in front of the Root for
a far different reason.

Now I might be mistaken, but the new "idling cameras" as told to us, was they would see
the traffic flow, and change it, so as to improve flow stop unneeded idling and save the
world for a greener tomorrow. Oh recently it was mentioned that they could help in an
Amber Alert as they can recognize faces, cars, and license numbers. I hope they do that
better than this idling thing.

So the question this week(s) Is moving through Downtown Lakewood Better or Worse?
Click to answer - http://lakewoodobserver.com/daily-question/2012-05-21

Hundreds of thousands for lights, traffic studies, but no money to keep the parks open
until 11 pm like they have been for 100 years.


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I was disturbed to see the city cutting down healthy trees along Detroit near the intersection of Elmwood/Andrews this morning.

I inquired with one of the workers and he said there must be some kind of construction planned but had no details.

Perhaps the traffic situation will improve but I will miss the trees.

Is spring garden getting a light? Has there ever been one there before?

Seems to be working OK.

I have not noticed any more traffic, fortunately for me there seems to be an improvement since I seem to be able to turn right on more streets, I have to wait less when driving in the Detroit in the Manor Park area.

As far as the area in your pictures, I must be Lakewood-wise enough to not drive along Detroit on the "main" downtown strip (especially closer to rush hour times) because that has never been very good in the last decade(s) or more even before any of these changes. Lakewood streets are structured so it is really easy not to have to drive that portion of Detroit. I always considered that part of Detroit the part you should park near and walk around, otherwise take Franklin, Madison, or Clifton.

Also, at some point it seems by your picture there's going to be so much traffic it doesn't matter what traffic flow cameras you have, it is going to be jammed somewhat (unless you think those devices should teleport people to their destination). To me it wouldn't make sense to put more lights farther down on Detroit to make it completely unbearable just to try to relieve traffic in the section in your pictures. As well, people are not the most patient or good drivers...looks like some are trying to rush through and therefore sticking themselves in the intersection when the light turns red. Hint, if traffic is slow and backed up....do not go into the intersection until you can clear it without blocking.

Lets wait until the installation is complete and they have some time under their belt before we judge how they are doing. Trying to do so beforehand makes absolutely no sense.

I live on Granger and it's pretty bad down here. Usually I can't turn onto Detroit without having to stop in the middle of the intersection. Until a couple months ago I never had this problem. I refuse to drive down Detroit. And my kids, who regularly ride their bikes, avoid Detroit also because they feel the traffic has gotten a bit too dangerous. I hope the situation improves but right now it's pretty bad.

My husband and I were off last week enjoying our "stay-cation" and I hadn't realized how congested Detroit could get in the middle of the afternoon when I'm usually at work.

Could it be that more people are taking Detroit to see all of the changes that are occurring? With the new CVS, the Detroit theatre destruction, the Edwards building demolition, the plaza remodel, and those who want to check up on the Rockport standstill, it could just be that traffic has increased to see the goings-on.

It's also house-hunting season. I just spoke with waitress in Berea last week who stated that she and her husband were contemplating Lakewood. Those who don't know the area as well probably use Detroit as the main artery for locating the streets (haha... good luck with that, I've lived here almost 10 years and still had a hard time finding Elbur after seeing the house 3 times already!).

It could be a multitude of things, or, it could all just be Melt traffic.

For these people, not really.


Accident 05.24.2012 at 6pm.


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The worst spot in town has got to be Warren and Detroit for the traffic turning left from Warren onto Detroit. At any hour of the day, it can become the Lakewood version of gridlock, with traffic backing up from Detroit and cars in the intersection waiting for it to clear. It's not extreme gridlock, but unnecessarily dangerous.

Okay, something that I noticed today. I was on Detroit heading east towards Marlowe. My light was green, then the two in front of me were both red. That doesn't make any sense. Traffic started backing up behind me, and then that light turned red, while the two in front turned green.

There needs to be better flow.

As Dan said, that's what is causing the backup around Warren, the lights are not in sync with one another. I realize there are sensors on them, but they still need to work together.

Dan Alaimo wrote:The worst spot in town has got to be Warren and Detroit for the traffic turning left from Warren onto Detroit. At any hour of the day, it can become the Lakewood version of gridlock, with traffic backing up from Detroit and cars in the intersection waiting for it to clear. It's not extreme gridlock, but unnecessarily dangerous.

Hey Dan,

I got stuck there today. I am willing to upgrade to "extreme." Not even ONE car was getting through, and if you do that thing where you try to turn as the light turns red, you are DOOMED. I watched someone stuck in the intersection as angry motorists made their way around him. I don't think there are more drivers in Lakewood since the new lights went up, so I'm figuring this even worse gridlock has to have something to do with the new lights themselves, or the new timing.

I'm thinking maybe it's a stealth campaign to get us all of us residents to use bikes or walk. (Which would be very healthy for us all.) Then there will be room for people visiting Lakewood from the outside world to drive. As it is, I would think anyone in that intersection would say the same thing I said to myself today: I'm never doing this again. (Go to the Drug Mart parking lot from the Arthur extension. Park there. Do whatever you need to do on foot. When you leave go straight down Arthur. They love traffic on that street. Or, go to the new CVS. Park there. When you leave, go down Lakeland or Arthur (even if you're not supposed to turn that way because you don't live on those streets) and make the rest of your way down Franklin.

Or just walk from wherever you live. Biking during the gridlock is also deadly. Unless you're on the sidewalk. Then it's just a little unpleasant. Unless you like to stop and talk to the squirrel, in which case, you can kind of make a day of it.

Chris Bindel wrote:Lets wait until the installation is complete and they have some time under their belt before we judge how they are doing. Trying to do so beforehand makes absolutely no sense.

Chris-- I too hope these are just growing pains, and we will see a more streamlined traffic flow sometime soon.

Betsy Voinovich

I don't go to that side of town but one day per week...and I take Franklin to get there.
...We don't have a smiley giving a raspberry?


As I understand it, the city just had to get these new lights and had to get funding assistance from the state/federal government which had strings attached (a study of traffic patterns). Maybe, if they'd decided to try to do it themselves, there wouldn't have been this problem.

Ask me again when they actually activate the lights around Nicholson.

Roy Pitchford wrote:I don't go to that side of town but one day per week...and I take Franklin to get there.
...We don't have a smiley giving a raspberry?


As I understand it, the city just had to get these new lights and had to get funding assistance from the state/federal government which had strings attached (a study of traffic patterns). Maybe, if they'd decided to try to do it themselves, there wouldn't have been this problem.

Ask me again when they actually activate the lights around Nicholson.

Roy

Then why did Cleveland not HAVE TO GET THEM, why did Rocky River not HAVE TO GET THEM.

I feel this is just another story being told by the story tellers at City Hall, which would mean, they wanted
them. As this city is cutting services to residents at a break neck pace, we have to believe that council and
the mayor's office thought these poles were more important than parks, security, police, crossing guards, etc.
Or they are once again using the "Blondie and Dagwood" savings plan. That would be when Blondie would go
to the store buying things she did not need because they were on sale, and who could resist a savings?

Chris

One would have thought there would have been some plan, or some study to this madness. Actually
Councilman Shawn Juris went into great detail about the traffic study he could never actually produce
in any form outside of saying it was done.

Before the center turn lane that has zero consistency in planning was added by the new FitzGerald
Administration--one of the first things done-- traffic on Detroit was very smooth and easy to handle at a
leisurely pace, that was very comfortable for cruising and window shopping. Something you would believe
is a goal of traffic through a district filled with shops. Since then traffic has gotten worse and worse and worse
to a point one has to believe they are at best guessing at settings. So if Shawn can find $5,000 for his
DowntowN hotel and pants store, maybe they could find a couple shekles to study the traffic.

FWIW


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More signage would solve this issue at Warren and Detroit. We need to put up "DON'T BLOCK THE BOX" signs up like the ones in DC. They give people tickets if they catch you.

Valerie,

The problem with that sign is that drivers don't know they will be blocking the box when they start to turn. When the light turns green with the left turn arrow heading north on Warren the cars are still standing still heading west on Detroit. Two cars will start the left turn, have no where to go and then the light changes and traffic still isn't moving west bound on Detroit. The traffic heading South on Warren and west on Detroit is completely stuck. I had to wait 2 light cycles the other day while heading south on Warren to get to the post office. I called and left Joe Beno a fun message saying we would be better off having traffic cops controlling downtown.

I sure hope this gets fixed soon...