New Traffic Light at Big Intersection Near Odessa
By: Jamie Kuras
Updated: January 28, 2011
ODESSA -- Final touches are being put on the new traffic signal at the corner of South Loop 338 and South U.S. 385. The light was to be active for the first time Friday. Construction on the lights began in September.
One of the main problems that this intersection was having was that motorists on the loop were not getting enough time to pass through the intersection because there was too much traffic on U.S. 385.
So, some drivers hit the gas, speeding through before traffic began crossing. This can cause a big problem when 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles pass through there on a daily basis.
"The primary purpose is to improve safety and we think it will definitely do that," said Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Gene Powell. "It'll keep the loop traffic and the 385 traffic from both approaching the intersection at high speeds."
The light costs TXDOT $517,000 to install -- a lot less than an overpass. Powell says that intersections like this are monitored all the time and this was their best option.
"Every time we have a big intersection like this on the highway, we look at things like accident reports and traffic counts and the traffic counts here and the speed here necessitated as putting some kind of element in and the best way to do that right now at least was to put in a 4-way stop light," said Powell.
It is still to be determined if this new light will be a welcomed addition for motorists, but it will no doubt prove to make a much safer drive.
One of the main problems that this intersection was having was that motorists on the loop were not getting enough time to pass through the intersection because there was too much traffic on U.S. 385.
So, some drivers hit the gas, speeding through before traffic began crossing. This can cause a big problem when 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles pass through there on a daily basis.
"The primary purpose is to improve safety and we think it will definitely do that," said Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Gene Powell. "It'll keep the loop traffic and the 385 traffic from both approaching the intersection at high speeds."
The light costs TXDOT $517,000 to install -- a lot less than an overpass. Powell says that intersections like this are monitored all the time and this was their best option.
"Every time we have a big intersection like this on the highway, we look at things like accident reports and traffic counts and the traffic counts here and the speed here necessitated as putting some kind of element in and the best way to do that right now at least was to put in a 4-way stop light," said Powell.
It is still to be determined if this new light will be a welcomed addition for motorists, but it will no doubt prove to make a much safer drive.
