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Concerns and thoughts on Bonners Ferry's only
traffic light |
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March 7, 2018 |
28 February 2018
To the Editor:
Bonners Ferry has just one stoplight, and as
such we should treat it right. Sadly, we are not
doing our lone signal justice. I realize there
are two lights in the county, but the Three Mile
stoplight is not technically in Bonners Ferry,
nor do I have an issue with that light. My
attention is focused solely on the light within
the official Bonners Ferry city limits.
In most cases the stoplight’s functions can be
tolerated although during much of the day, and
especially on weekends, I wish the arrow
stopping left-turning, southbound traffic would
simply blink yellow when north and southbound
traffic have a green light. I have seen this
done in other places and long for its
application in Bonners Ferry while I am waiting
to turn left onto Alderson Lane without a
northbound car in sight.
Waiting unnecessarily at a stoplight is, of
course, a minor nuisance. I hope it gets fixed,
but if not, I hope that those with the power to
make changes will at least seriously consider my
second complaint, because we are lucky there has
not yet been a serious accident.
There are times when north and southbound
traffic get a flashing yellow light while
traffic turning onto the highway from Alderson
Lane get a flashing red light. Curiously,
though, the traffic turning onto Alderson Lane
from the highway also gets a flashing red light.
The problem is caused when one car is trying to
turn left onto the highway while another is
trying to turn left onto Alderson Lane at the
same time.
The laws are a little ambiguous on exactly what
is supposed to happen. Obviously, the flashing
red light equates to a stop sign but who has the
right of way is a little unclear. I checked the
official Idaho Driver’s Ed manual and several
other traffic law sites. All explain the laws
for four-way stops but not for adjacent stops. I
think four-way stop rules apply here, though.
The car who arrives at the signal last yields to
the car which arrives first.
At our busiest time, when school is let out,
this turns into a mess. Drivers don’t always
seem clear on who has the right of way, cars are
backing up in the left turn lane making it
impossible for those turning onto the highway to
see oncoming traffic, and the window to make
that turn is often small and fleeting. It turns
into a stressful situation.
The simple fix is to make that blinking red
light for traffic turning left onto Alderson
Lane a blinking yellow light. That would restore
the natural order of yielding instead of the
unnecessary and dangerously ambiguous right of
way game that occurs every weekday at 4:00.
Adam Newhouse |
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