Have you notice LA traffic lights are synced? The mayor hopes so although we're more skeptical.
About 82% of Los Angeles' signal-controlled intersections are now synchronized, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will announce today when a new set of intersections comes on line, according to the LA Times.
Syncing traffic lights has been a priority for Villaraigosa. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the mayor announced in 2007 that Los Angeles would get $150 million to synchronize the city's 4,385 intersections with signals. They claimed it would reduce commute times by about 16%.
On intersections with heavier traffic though, the difference would be less noticeable. A informal, non scientific poll of NBCLA.com employees suggests it doesn't help at all. Officials acknowledge that motorists who use jammed roads (isn't that most of us?) "would probably not see much relief," according to the Times.
Ok, well it was only $150 million.
The new project in South Los Angeles, called Hyde Park West, includes synchronizing 70 intersections to improve north-south traffic flow on Crenshaw Boulevard and Western Avenue.
The total number of signal-synchronized intersections in the city now stands at 3,597. Time spent in traffic catching up on your favorite podcast: priceless.
