Time traffic lights; save us some gas

I feel as if I should just keep the same letter and send it to the Daily Herald about every other year. Gas prices are again in the forefront of everyone’s minds. So what if we could all save a gallon or two a week? An extra $5 or $10 in everyone’s pockets?

Why is it that the local communities and the state are working against the citizens?

Just time the traffic lights.

When I lived in Indiana, there was a long stretch of a major road that went through various cities. The speed limit was 40 mph. In addition to the speed limit signs, there were signs posted, “The traffic lights are timed for 38 mph.” Guess what speed the vast majority of drivers did? Yep, 38 mph.

Randall Road was supposed to be an alternate to Route 31. Anyone who travels down Randall Road knows that they are best off avoiding Randall Road on the weekends and at any time near rush hour. Route 31 from Huntley Road through Elgin isn’t much better. How frustrating, and costly, is it for drivers to just start pulling away from one traffic light just to see the next traffic light turning red.

One has to believe that many of the traffic accidents along these roads are due to drivers trying to not get stopped by traffic lights that aren’t timed.

So my challenge to all of the local communities and the state of Illinois is this:

Try to actually DO something relatively easy that would not only make your citizens more happy, make us more safe, and would save us quite a bit of money.

Time the traffic lights. What’s the downside?

Walter E. O’Brien

Dundee