Are the Mexicans more advanced in their thinking with a better idea for controlling expressway traffic?
During our January weeklong visit to Puerto Vallarta, we noticed a change in their method of controlling the semaphore sequences from green to yellow to red.The expressway from the airport area to the downtown entrance, a distance of about five or six miles, has four lanes in each direction with palm tree islands. There are semaphores spaced along the route to enable traffic to access the large beachfront hotel complexes and inland shopping plazas and residential areas.
If you are familiar with driving in Mexico and other Latin American countries, you will know that most everyone drives at maximum speeds, especially taxi drivers.
The change in semaphore sequences referred to is that each green light blinks twice before changing to yellow, then on to red. The blinking only takes about two seconds, but it is amazing how that advanced knowledge that the light will change controls the flow of heavy or light fast-moving traffic.
The drivers instinctively react to slow down rather than speed up when they see the blinking. During our weeklong stay, I don't recall seeing anyone run a red light, and that is amazing.
I believe this system would greatly reduce red light running and accidents along our Bangerter, 700 East and Van Winkle expressways where high speeds are the rule.
Glenn M. Jensen
Salt Lake City