Ever think the stoplights in Woodbury are poorly timed?
Jordan Simon thinks so. And he spends a lot of time on the roads.
Simon, 20, is a pizza delivery driver for , and works 30 hours a week there during the summer.
Otherwise he’s a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where he’s studying applied science and biotechnology. The 2010 graduate also comes home from UW-Stout to work on weekends during the school year.
While traversing the city in his 2005 Honda Accord delivering pizzas for the past three years, Simon has formed some opinions on Woodbury’s stoplights—and has some tips on how to improve traffic flow.
“Maybe there’s not a way to fix it, but I just feel like something could be done,” said Simon, who has lived in Woodbury his entire life.
Specifically...
Simon provided Patch with a list of his issues:
County Road 19/Woodbury Drive and County Road 16/Valley Creek. Light is too short for east- and westbound traffic on Valley Creek. Traffic gets extremely backed up, takes a few rotations to get through when rush hour traffic. If emergency vehicle drives through, entire light resets and doesn’t change for many minutes. Also, at night, only one way gets a light sometimes and the opposite direction has to wait for another rotation. Possible lane extension for westbound Valley Creek traffic (if room/if possible). Gets even more backed up when the light doesn’t change or last long.
Park Crossing/Eagle Valley and County Road 19/Woodbury Drive. Skips east- and westbound traffic on Park Crossing/Eagle Valley. Turn arrow goes, and then goes back to north-south traffic on County Road 19/Woodbury Drive, even if other traffic isn’t there. Takes too long to change as well. Traffic on Eagle Valley/Park Crossing gets really backed up.
Pinehurst Road and County Road 13/Radio Drive. Light takes way too long to change. Sit there for minutes. A lot of traffic is routed through Donegal, annoying to neighbors. Will not change for turn lane or Pinehurst traffic. Avoid at all costs.
I feel like a lot of times when driving across town, especially on Valley Creek/County Road 19 the lights are either all green, or all red. A matter of getting across town in 5 minutes versus 15 minutes.
Lake Road and County Road 19/Woodbury Drive is honestly my FAVORITE light in the entire city. I wish there was a turn lane so people don’t hog the entire HUGE lane for westbound traffic on Lake Road. It can easily be painted in, not sure if there is room for extension, or if it’s worth it because of the future road extension to four lanes on 19, but at least dedicate half of that lane to a right-hand turn lane to go northbound on 19.
What Do You Think?
Simon initially approached Patch about getting contact information for city and county transportation officials.
While he has yet to contact anyone, he said it might make sense to see what the rest of Woodbury thinks first. (He noted .)
So, does anything stand out to you? Give us your feedback (or thoughts of your own) in the comments section below.
Lastly
On roundabouts, Simon said they should function well, but people still have trouble navigating them.
“I feel like it would be more efficient than what they have now,” he said.
And on traffic in general: “It’s kind of like the weather—it’s something to talk about.”
Finally: "I've never been pulled over, but I've been lucky."
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I really like the roundabouts for efficiency BUT I only drive through them in the right lanes and avoid them if I have to make a left turn simply because I don't think people are accustomed to watching for people who are in the left lane. Every time I've had someone completely not paying attention has been with someone else coming out of the left lane. I think they would be safer if they were single lanes.
Often times I'll want to turn left into and I'll find myself sitting and staring at a red left arrow when there's not a car around. Then I'll see a group of cars coming from the other direction, just in time to have to stop as my left arrow turns green allowing me to turn in front of them. I'm guessing the city would say it's a safety issue, but there are plenty of turns with no lights at all along the same stretches of road and people seem to figure out how to safely turn left at those locations. Maddening!