[aerohead]

Looks like I'm not alone,stuck behind red lights.Here are some thoughts after reading responses:------------------------------------------------------- If automobiles get their best urban fuel economy at between 35-40 miles per hour,then that seems like an appropriate target velocity if we want to capitalize on an automobile's efficiency.--------------------------------------------------------------- Maintaining momentum is paramount to achieving top economy,so that means no stops,regardless of how we achieve it.--------------------------------- Perfectly-synchronized traffic lights would allow complete conservation of momentum,as no variation in velocity would occur.------------------------ The "roundabout," from what is reported,requires deceleration to below 25 miles per hour.Not perfection,but miles ahead of a dead stop,and no left-turn collisions.--------------------------------------------------------------- Cloverleafs allow a change in direction with virtually no loss in momentum, no collisions,but at the cost of greater real estate.----------------------------------------------------------------- Yield signs allow progress when it is clearly safe to proceed.--------------------------------------------------------------- Right turn on a red allows progress,again,as it is safe to proceed.--------------------------------------------------------------- Right turn lanes allow access to right turn on a red,whereas lack of provision for the lane prevents safe progress when available.-------------------------------------------------------------- Left turns can completely immobilize a two-lane road if a left turn lane is not provided,potentially causing all following motorists to "miss" a light.------------------------------------------------------------------ Left turn "signals" at traffic lights can prevent the possibility of traffic light synchronization,due to additional time cars are arrested waiting,destroying the cyclical ebb and flow necessary for synchronization. --------------------------------------------------------------- Some U.S. cities prohibit left turns alltogether at controlled intersections( Hackensack,N.J. comes to mind ).Instead of the left turn,a right-sweeping cloverleaf is provided beyond the intersection,which orients the car as a left turn would,but without crossing traffic.By the time you sweep through the cloverleaf,the signal has changed to green in "your" direction and you travel on with little interruption in velocity.Clean,economical and safe.------------------------------------------------------------------ Commercial real estate development of "corner" property destroys any hope of developing high-efficiency intersections.------------------------------ For some existing " problem" intersections,it would be prudent to use emminent-domain,pay above-market price as compensation for the property,then move or demolish the developments and expand the intersection into this space for zero-stop traffic movement.Draconian in the short run,but huge dividends if we expect to have mobility into the future.----------------------------------------------------------------- Municipal Tax Appraisal Districts could be forbidden from even considering "corner" real estate for any purpose other than road infrastructure.---------------------------------------------------------- Ditto commercial real estate agents/brokers/owners.--------------------------------------------------------------- Commercial real estate development would be required to provide "seamless" egress and ingress off and onto streets,roads,arterials,with virtually no impact on traffic flow.-------------------------------------------------------------------- Ditto schools.------------------------------------------------------------ Ditto churches.---------------------------------------------------------- Ditto parks. ----------------------------------------------------------- Municipal,county,state employee,and public school retirement and pension systems should be prohibited from investments in any corporate entity involved with any facet of energy,construction,transportation,building materials,motor fuels,vehicles,their parts,service,repair,insurance,health-care,pharmaceuticals,etc. within the U.S.,so as not to project an image of impropriety or conflict of interest, when making governmental decisions or daily operations which impact the profitablity of these industries,especially when profits originate from governmentally-induced waste.---------------------------------------------------------------- That's the short-list.