Streetlights Synchronized

Photo courtesy of the ridiculously talented Seattlest Flickr photographer LA Chance

Further proving that Seattle traffic planning has previously been a huge, cruel joke upon the people trying to utilize it--the city announced yesterday that they synchronized downtown traffic lights for the first time in 20 years. Streetlights at 258 downtown intersections have been synchronized. According to the P-I's report on the synchronization of the traffic lights, "the city predicted a 12 percent reduction in stops and 40 percent shorter travel times through the 1.25-mile long district."

Changes were needed, according to Department of Transportation spokesperson Rick Sheridan, who we like to call Captain Obvious--because "roadway conditions have actually changed in the course of two decades." Really Mr. Sheridan? Color us shocked! You mean, the population of a city has more than doubled in the past 20 years and that has changed traffic and road conditions?!? And we didn't think before the two decade mark that it might be a good idea to synchronize the traffic lights in a high-congestion area? When people begrudgingly talk about "Seattle planning" this is exactly the kind of thing they are talking about.